Detox Diet procedure

Advice for releasing unwanted toxins from your body

Diet procedure

There is a significant benefit in commencing a detoxification diet in autumn or spring however since you are likely to feel unwell as toxins are liberated from your body, you should arrange to take at least one week of leave from work and undertake the diet whilst on leave.

Preparation phase

You may want to go to a naturopath at a health food store and consider obtaining a good general purpose time release multivitamin capsule that has a high B group vitamin profile (as B vitamins will assist with metabolism and balance the nervous system), additional Vitamin C (anti-oxidant) and micelle E (anti-oxidant that is easily assimilated)..

You may also want to increase your fibre intake to assist your bowels. This could be obtained by sprinkling a tablespoon of LSA (linseed, safflower, almond) meal over her breakfast cereal and having another tablespoon in the evening. Try to introduce additional fruit and vegetables into your diet for example by eating an apple and pear at work as well as carrot and celery sticks with hummos (preferably organic but if not then a supermarket brand) for snacks.

Provided you do not suffer from severe fluid retention or are otherwise advised by your doctor, try to ensure that you drink around 2 litres of water a day to assist with elimination and start to cut down on the coffee. Rather than going "cold turkey" you can substitute one coffee with water or herbal tea gradually cutting down on coffee consumption by replacing coffee with water over a period of several weeks. Be aware that drinking the extra water will make you go to the toilet more often and that the B group vitamins are likely to make your urine yellowy green. Your bowel motions may also be more "smelly" as toxins start to be eliminated.

If possible, have a weekly massage (to improve circulation, decrease sluggishness and help remove toxins from your muscles).

Therapeutic phase

The therapeutic phase of the diet starts off with a juice fast. This largely fluid based fast is ideal for detoxification as vegetable juice is high in anti-oxidants, fluid, fibre and is cooling. Since juices are relatively easily to digest, the juice fast places minimal strain upon the liver and digestive organs, giving them a chance to rejuvenate and eliminate stored toxins.

Ideally try to go away for this phase of the diet to reduce stress and exposure to chemicals from the city environment, however if this is not possible take whatever steps are feasible to reduce stress. Some kitchen equipment to consider investing in are a slow cooker and a pressure cooker (to cook pulses such as beans and chickpeas). Try to purchase fresh organic fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes to eat during the therapeutic phase.

The juice fast is itself divided into three phases. Days 1 - 2 are the induction phase where you need to eat only pure foods. A typical daily menu could be as follows; Breakfast - Rice and vegetable congee with LSA, glass of freshly squeezed carrot, orange and beetroot juice Morning tea - Piece of fresh fruit, another juice (for example apple and celery - high in Vit C with celery an excellent diuretic)

Lunch - Lunch should be the most substantial meal of the day and should include complete protein. To achieve this you could have chickpea curry and brown rice, chilli sin carne (Mexican chilli without meat) and home made corn tortillas or water-fried vegetables with lightly toasted sesame, safflower and pumpkin seeds on a bed of brown rice. Seaweeds can also be eaten as they assist with the elimination of heavy metals and provide essential water soluble minerals.

Afternoon tea - Piece of fresh fruit or homemade vegetable muffin and another juice (such as apple, orange and celery)

Dinner - Dinner should be relatively light and eaten before 6.00pm to ensure that the digestive system has an opportunity to rest overnight. Some dinner suggestions could include water-friend vegetables with flaxseed oil dressing and salad, split pea soup with rice cakes and flaxseed oil (added when served to ensure it does not overheat), home made tofu-vegetable stew with salad or Asian style steamed vegetables with spicy flaxseed dressing. Again seaweeds can be consumed with the meal.

Supper - If desired, another piece of fruit or rice cake with avocado.

You should continue to drink water, however given the high fluid content of this phase, less water can be consumed.

Days 3 & 4 are the fasting phase. During this phase only juices and fluids should be consumed. This would consist of between 6 - 8 glasses of a mixture of fruit and vegetable juices ensuring that a significant proportion of juices were vegetable (celery, beetroot, tomato, spinach).

Days 5 & 6 are the restoration phase where you would resume eating solids by consuming pure foods. The menu would be similar to Days 1 -2, however, if desired a small amount of flesh foods (organic chicken or meat) could be introduced during lunch.

Author: David Neiger is a Melbourne based naturopath, remedial masseur and kinesiologist with a successful weight management practice. He can be visited at www.pathforhealth.com