Detox 101 please!

Hi all,

The word 'detox' has been thrown around for the past few years by people around me. To me, it sounds like a bad case of (excuse me) diarrhea. You drink only liquid to detoxify? and this is healthy for you because...?

The concept of detox does intrigue me - cleaning out your system, make space for good nutrition to be absorbed, no toxic in the body. How does one successfully (and HEALTHY-LY) detox?

I'm on a great path to losing the weight I've been carrying for a long time. I started Jan 25th at 178lb, and now I'm at ~166, with a goal weight of 140lb by June. I alternate cardio and weight lifting 5 days a week and eat around 1200 cal a day (more on weekends). I'm afraid that if i detox, i won't get enough calories or nutrition and enter the (pause here for dramatic effect) dreaded "starvation mode".

So I guess my real question is: How does one successfully (and HEALTHY-LY) detox without compromising your weight lost plan? Please advice and share your stories!

There is no such thing as a "detox". If your body couldn't get rid of toxins you would be dead.

You can, however, control what you put in your body. Good fuel=happier body. You can NOT put garbage food in your body in the first place. Eat "clean": lean proteins, whole grains with lots of fruits and veggies. That's how you keep yourself in tip-top shape.

Detoxes are useless at best, dangerous at worst.

Original Post by spirochete:

There is no such thing as a "detox". If your body couldn't get rid of toxins you would be dead.

Detoxes are useless at best, dangerous at worst.

Thanks for the quick reply!!

hmmm i suspected this... shouldn't your body just flush out toxins regularly? Still interested to see some replies with people who've tried it. or maybe you speak from experience?

The only detox that I will do is to eat these foods regularly.

Detox Foods

Fruit
Fresh or frozen fruit.

Vegetables
All fresh vegetables. Vegetables thought to be particularly good detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables.

Rice
All forms of rice, including rice cakes, rice crackers and rice pasta. Brown rice is typically preferred.

Other Grains
Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice. They can be purchased at a health food store or in some grocery stores.

Beans
Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easiest to digest and require the least soaking time. Other good options include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.

Nuts and Seeds
Unsalted nuts or seeds can be sprinkled over salads or eaten as a snack. Good options include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Nut butters are permitted. Peanuts and peanut butter are usually not recommended.

Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is a preferred oil.

Condiments
Vegetable salt, sea salt, vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, all herbs or spices.

Tea
Herbal teas, green tea.

Other Beverages
Water, lemon water, pure unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk

Daily Detox Do's
Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, warm or room temperature.

Take the time to chew food well, especially grains.

hi!

My husband and I actually "detox" on a regular basis.  And i say "detox" because I just eat everything raw for about week.  For example on day one I will just have water and fruit.  And then the rest of the days I will eat whatever comes in its natural form.  So when I saw fruits and veggies, that doesnt mean the frozen kind.  And I eat everything natural.  So i'm detoxing in a healthy way but still getting rid of the junk like sodium etc.