Although you can go an a detox diet at any time Springtime has traditionally been regarded by naturopaths as the most important time of the year to detox. Magazines and newspapers are generally full of detox diet advice every January to combat the excesses of Christmas but practitioners of Chinese medicine also say we should wait until Spring to detox.
They say that the body’s energies have cycles and the energies come to the surface at Springtime making it easier to detox. We are certainly more likely to prefer fruit and cold salad foods when we are warmer. New spring vegetables with all their valuable nutrients become available so it makes sense to wait to make use of them.
If you want to stay healthy in this increasingly toxic world then it seems essential to detox and cleanse to prevent the build up of toxic chemicals in your body. The body has a very complicated and sophisticated detox system which works on your behalf every day but the sheer amount of toxins you are now exposed to means that it has become overwhelmed.
Researchers have shown that we all carry a number of chemicals stored in our tissues that the detox system has been unable to get rid of. Choosing a detox program that uses specific foods and supplements known to rev up the detox system can help lower this toxic load. You can find out more about this in my 14 Day Recharge & Energize Detox Plan.
Your body produces toxins as a result of normal metabolism which can become harmful if allowed to build up but the most damaging toxins are more likely to come from the environment. They come from from your food, the water you drink and bathe in, products you use on your skin and in your home.
Others chemicals come from furnishings, furniture and building materials in your home. You absorb them through your skin or breathe them in. These chemicals interfere with how your cells work and are considered to be the root cause of all disease and degenerative conditions. By following a good detox program you can :
- reduce your exposure to toxins
- provide the nutrients that support the detox pathways enhancing elimination of toxins
- provide nutrients that help repair, renew and nourish your body
When the quality of the food coming into your body is of high quality the cells begins to discard the garbage that is clogging them up to make room for the superior materials which it uses to make new and healthier tissue.
Foods to Lose:
Take at least one week to reduce and eventually eliminate regular tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, alcohol, junk food, fatty and fried foods, foods containing hydrogenated and trans fats, sugar and foods containing it, processed foods and foods with additives. Reduce and then avoid dairy and wheat products.
Reduce your exposure to other toxins by using only natural products on your skin and for household cleaning.
Filter your drinking water and ideally your shower water too. Avoid exposure to all chemicals in your home and garden as far as possible.
Foods to Use:
Fresh fruit and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga (swede); whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds. Flavor with fresh herbs, turmeric and ginger.
Drink filtered water and herbal, weak green or white tea.
Here is an example of a detox diet that can be followed for 7 – 14 days depending on how experienced you are and the time you have. You can change the times of meals to suit your own schedule.
Make sure you have completed a colon cleanse before attempting the detox diet and ensure you keep your bowels moving throughout the detox. Use 1 – 2 tablespoons flax seeds (linseeds) whole or freshly ground in addition to the mixed seeds if necessary.
Spring Detox Diet
7am – 8 oz glass of pure warm water with juice of half lemon.
7.30 am – Fresh organic fruit juice, organic vegetable juice or Green Smoothie. Add 1 tsp of your favorite green superfood.
8 – 8.30 am – Big bowl fresh fruit with 1 tbs mixed seeds. Eat enough to satisfy your appetite.
9.30 am – Glass of pure water, herbal tea such as peppermint, chamomile, dandelion, nettle, Pau D’Arco, echinacea, sage, detox blends, weak green or white tea.
10.30 am – Fresh vegetable juice or Green Smoothie
12.30am – Large green leaf and raw vegetable salad. Or, if very hungry, a bowl of brown or red rice with steamed vegetables, lentils and herbs. Use quinoa or millet in place of rice on other days.
2pm – Glass of pure water, herbal or weak green or white tea
3pm – Another vegetable juice or smoothie Add 1 tsp Green Superfood
4 pm – Herbal Tea + snack, if hungry, of a handful of almonds that have been soaked overnight in pure water.
6pm – Vegetable soup or large vegetable salad topped with a handful of sprouts
8pm – Drink another vegetable juice if hungry or snack on fruit. Do not eat after 9pm or it will not get digested before you go to sleep.
Detox Support
To gain most from the detox and to prevent detox symptoms it is best to support your body with specific nutrients that support the detox pathways.
Exercise
Avoid strenuous exercise during detox but some form of gentle exercise is essential. Yoga, tai chi, brisk walking or rebounding on a mini-trampoline are good.
Skin brushing & massage
Brush your skin every day towards your heart with a dry skin brush to help circulate the lymph. A good complete body massage during the detox week is good too.
Getting the most from the Detox
To get the most from this detox it is essential to introduce animal protein foods very slowly and gradually when you have completed your detox and chew it well. Start by having a little organic yogurt on the first day after
the detox.
Perhaps try an oat based muesli the next day that has been well soaked in fruit juice overnight to soften the flakes.
Meat is more difficult to digest especially after a 7 or 14 day break. Start with a small amount of organic chicken or mercury free fish and chew it well.
Don’t imagine that you have fully detoxed your body with a few days following this or any detox plan so try to keep to a very healthy diet and plan another detox next month.
Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding cannot
also engage in a green tea diet. Research shows that at definite
concentrations, Green tea contains polyphenols which is proven for its abundant antioxidant and inflammatory action that can decelerate the build up of
some marks of aging such as crinkles and fine lines caused by untimely aging process.
I opted instead to look for something as a natural alternative.
Some studies have shown that Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) a compound found in green tea, can interfere with folate use in cells. Deficiency of folate (a B vitamin) can lead to neural tube defects in babies so women are advised to take folic acid (the synthetic version of the vitamin) during pregnancy. The Japanese drink a lot of green tea but the incidence of neural tube defects is low. Other things besides diet come into play. But, it’s always right to err on the side of caution when pregnant.
Sandy