Posted by Dr. Della Parker on July 16, 2019
Detoxes have grown in popularity in recent years. There is little doubt that they provide massive benefit to your health when done correctly. What few people realize, is that a detox can be very dangerous and a detriment to your health if done irresponsibly.
As with many things in life, you need to conduct your research and plan things
out carefully. Drastic programs might sound exciting, but they can also be very
risky. There are several reasons why most diets are based on food. You need protein and other foods to stabilize blood sugar and maintain energy. We recommend to steer clear of liquid only diets, and limit any detox to no more than ten days if not supervised by a healthcare provider. Your body needs a certain number and variety of nutrients, and most detox programs will struggle to fulfill those requirements. They can be too harsh on your detox systems and sometimes leave you feeling worse than before you started. At Stellar we provide a 21 day whole food detox plan that safely and effectively takes you through phase I and II detox of the liver. Here are a few tips to follow if you’re going in alone.
It will not come as any surprise to know that vegetables are an excellent choice to help detoxify your body. The fiber contained in these foods is excellent at cleaning out your digestive system to allow regular bowel movements. Perhaps more importantly, veggies are nutrient dense and provide all of the vitamins, minerals and cofactors necessary to improve the performance of detox pathways.
Veggies that deliver the best results for detox include kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus and artichoke, so just think green! When trying to impact these detox systems the quantity is very important. Make sure you are getting at least 6 servings per day.
The importance of water in a detox program cannot be underestimated. It could even be argued that water is the best detox ingredient available. After all, the more hydrated you keep your body, the fewer toxins will be retained. Water helps to move toxins through your liver and into the toilet more efficiently. Water helps to eliminate metabolic waste and helps to filter environmental toxins. It also fills your body up! Most people that think they are hungry are really just thirsty. The goal is to be drinking half your body weight in ounces of pure water daily. Detox tip: Add fresh lemon juice to your water. The lemonoid enzyme only present in fresh lemon also helps to facilitate detoxification.
Herbs and spices are another set of ingredients which can help improve the detox process. Place herbs in water to make teas or add them to your cooking to maximize the benefits of your detox. Our favorite herbs to improve detox function in the body are ginger, turmeric, dandelion, cilantro, peppermint, and stinging nettles. While detoxing, avoid the ingestion of essential oils and be careful when taking liquid herbs that are not prescribed by a health care professional. Herbs are foods, so eat them in their natural form!
Fermented foods can be helpful to re-establish a healthy gut biome. Did you know that 70% of your immune systems comes from the bacteria in your gut? It is true! Fermented foods help to feed the good bacteria and crowd out the bad. This helps to optimize immune function and lower inflammation which will in turn increase your body’s ability to detox. The best fermented food choices are sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, kefir, and kombucha.
Follow these simple tips to safely increase your body’s ability to detoxify. If you are looking for a more effective or individualized approach you know where to find your Stellar Health Squad! StellarHW.com
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