A natural detox diet is one that encourages detoxification of the body naturally through the use of specific foods and the avoidance of substances that hinder detox. Our bodies have a very complex detox system that works every minute of every day to get rid of toxins but we are so surrounded by them that it can become overloaded. Once this happens they interfere with cell function and cause symptoms and disease. The answer is a natural detox diet.

Toxins are produced both internally and externally and become harmful if allowed to build up. Internal toxins are produced as a result of all the metabolic processes that go on in our cells. Other toxins enter our bodies from external sources such as food, water, products that we put on our skins and the air we breathe. Researchers have discovered that we are so exposed to chemical toxins that our bodies cannot cope with that they accumulate in our cells and tissues bringing all sorts of health problems but a natural detox diet can help.

The liver is considered to be the main detox organ and it needs certain nutrients in order to function properly. Scientists have found that certain foods contain the nutrients that are needed for efficient detox. In fact the detox system can be revved up so a backlog of toxins that have become harmful can be eliminated from the body. The aim of a natural detox diet is to supply these foods that can help to increase the detox capacity of the liver.

There are all sorts of detox methods such as water fasting, juice fasting, herbal cleanses and colonic hydrotherapy but a natural detox diet aims to provide an abundance of the best nutrients while cutting out the junk, tobacco and alcohol. It is not about restricting nutritious food. Simple diet and lifestyle changes can help natural detoxification.

Diet tips for natural detox diet.

Drink pure filtered or good bottled water low in sodium and nitrates.Avoid fast food, processed and refined food.Avoid artificial sweeteners and additives.Avoid sugar and products containing it.Eat whole foods and choose organic where possible.Choose free range or organic meat and poultry.Opt for wild fish over farmed varieties and avoid fish known to accumulate mercury like tuna, marlin and swordfish.Eat an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables preferably organic.Drink 1 -2 fresh vegetable juices a day 30 – 60 mins before a meal.Reduce regular tea and coffee and drink herbal and green teas. Eat fermented foods like kefir, yogurt and fermented vegetables.Use beans and lentils and whole grains in place of animal protein at some meals.Avoid hydrogenated fats and include unheated cold pressed oils. Chew food really well to aid digestion and eat meals when relaxed.

Reduce toxins with these lifestyle changes for natural detox

Avoid areas of high pollution and exercise away from high traffic areas.Choose only natural and organic personal care products and environmentally friendly household products.Avoid all drugs except vital prescribed medicines and find a way to give up smoking.Try to find ways to manage stress. Massage, relaxation, yoga, walking, meditation, prayer,counseling, special guided breathing techniques and consciously controlling emotions all help cleanse the body of negative wastes. A good natural detox diet is not really dieting in the sense of limiting calories. It is certainly not a starvation diet. It is a wholesome diet based on foods both raw and lightly cooked that nourish the body, encourage detox and ultimately create health. Try it!


About the Author

Sandy Halliday, a former nurse, is a nutritionist and health researcher who became interested in detox and natural health because of her own health problems. She is passionate about nutritional therapy and detox to prevent disease and aging and for the treatment of many chronic conditions. She is the author of a new eBook The Definitive Detox Diet

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