Everyday Detox
Spring is around the corner and I have heard from so many people they are thinking of doing a detox to lose a little weight, gain energy, lighten their toxic load -- sounds great. But are restrictive detox regimens really the answer? While getting it done fast may sound appealing, such programs may be little more than a new generation of crash diets. There are other, gentler ways to detox your system.
"In a perfect environment, the body could possibly take care of things," says Brenda Watson, a digestive-health expert and author of The Detox Strategy. But as industrial compounds, pollutants, and other chemicals from the environment and foods build up, the body has trouble getting rid of all of them. The resulting contamination, or "body burden," has been linked to cancer and reproductive problems, among other health issues. "One exposure too many can push you over the edge to sickness, so it's best to take measures before you get there."
The good news is that you don't have to do an intensive detox. Gentle everyday strategies that minimize your front-end exposure to toxins and support your liver -- the body's primary cleansing organ -- can be just as effective as predetermined, time-specific diets. The following measures can help anyone feel lighter, think more clearly, and have more energy within a couple of weeks to a month.
How to detox
To create a mildly detoxifying menu, start by avoiding the foods and substances that you tend to over consume. This typically means eliminating the "big five": sugar, wheat, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol for a period of time. Then emphasize alkaline choices in your diet, including fresh fruits and vegetables (particularly greens) and alkaline grains like millet and quinoa.
1. Fish out contaminants.
Nix contaminated fish, such as farmed Atlantic salmon, which has high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and grouper, swordfish, Chilean sea bass, tuna, and halibut, which contain mercury. Wild Alaskan salmon, on the other hand, has low levels of mercury and high levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. (It's also a more sustainable choice.) For a complete list of the best and worst fish, go to oceansalive.org.
2. Choose organic.
Lowering your exposure to pesticides by always opting organic for the Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen," the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes.
3. Get more greens.
Consume the recommended five to nine servings a day of fruits and vegetables -- most important, dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Dark leafy greens come packed with cleansing antioxidants and toxin-eradicating chlorophyll, while cruciferous vegetables are especially powerful because they stimulate production of the detox enzyme glutathione-s-transferases (GST). GST binds to heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, and then ushers them out of the body through the stool.
4. Veg out.
Try eating more beans which are rich in protein but low in fat and carbohydrates. A high-sugar, high-fat diet, which is standard American fare, makes toxins stay in the bloodstream longer. The more energy your liver expends to process high-fat foods -- which take more effort to digest than lower-fat ones -- the less oomph it has to complete its detoxification work.
5. Give your liver an herbal boost.
Your liver breaks apart toxins so that they can be excreted through the lungs, intestines, skin, or urine. But because it doesn't always show outward signs of sluggish operation until matters get serious (think cirrhosis and hepatitis), this hardworking organ needs the most love. Support the liver by taking cleansing herbs (see "5 Top Liver Lovers" below) or a premade formula like ReNew Life's Liver Detox or CleanseSmart, which contain combinations of star herbs.
6. Drink your antioxidants.
Drinking at least three cups of green tea a day (the equivalent of about one green-tea supplement capsule). A 2007 study in Cancer Epidemiology found that green tea's catechins boost production of glutathione enzymes, which help the liver get rid of cancer-causing toxins.
5 top liver lovers
Look for some or all of these herbs in prepackaged liver formulas available at Whole Foods or PCC.
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Artichoke leaf | Stimulates production of bile, the liver's main carrier to expel toxins; helps strengthen liver cell membranes so they can resist toxin absorption. |
Dandelion root | Increases bile flow from the liver. |
Green tea | Protects the liver from toxin damage, especially that of alcohol; may also help prevent liver tumors. |
Milk- thistle seed | Strengthens liver cell membranes; stimulates bile production; promotes glutathione production. |
Turmeric root | Anti-inflammatory herb that elevates detox enzymes in the liver. |
Target symptoms
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SYMPTOM :: CONSTIPATION |
Colon hydrotherapy | Infusions of filtered, warm water into the colon quickly reduce toxic load, according to Walter Crinnion, ND. Get a professional colonic once a week until you feel better. |
Fiber | Fiber helps move out fat-soluble toxins. Mix flax meal into smoothies, and eat fiber-rich foods like pears, lentils, and peas. Aim for 35 grams of fiber per day. |
Magnesium | Chemical overload often coincides with magnesium deficiency, resulting in dry, hard stools, says Crinnion. Take 300 mg daily. If you get loose stools, lessen the dose. |
SYMPTOM :: DRY SKIN AND RASHES |
Sweat | Sweating releases toxins and helps lessen the liver's and kidneys' workloads. Sit for about 20 minutes a few times a week in a conventional sauna. If you don't have access to a sauna, taking a hot bath twice a week will also help your body release toxins through sweat. |
Brush skin | Helps circulation and lymph flow. Lymph fluid helps deliver nutrients to cells and collects cellular waste for elimination through the circulatory system. Before showering, brush your entire body with a skin brush (available at natural products stores), stroking toward your heart where lymph fluid joins the circulatory system. |
SYMPTOM :: SHORTNESS OF BREATH OR ASTHMA |
Glutathione-s-transferases (GST) | This enzyme, which cruciferous vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) and asparagus help to produce, aids in fighting lung inflammation and wards off damage from air pollution or smoking. Because excess toxins can use up GST reserves, take 1,500 mg a day of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which the body metabolizes to GST. |
Breathe | Breathing stimulates lymph flow -- and the deeper you inhale and exhale, the better the effect. Sit straight, inhale through the nose for a four count, hold for a second, and exhale through the mouth for another four count. Repeat 5 to 10 times. |
Vitamins C and E | A combination of vitamin C and vitamin E seems to protect the lungs against damage from ozone, a pollutant in smog, although these antioxidants don't fix damage already done. Take at least 3,000 mg vitamin C and at least 500 IU vitamin E per day to protect lungs from further harm. |
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Adapted from article by Pamela Bond from Delicious Living Magazine
Try the following detox recipes.....
Creamy Millet with Apples and Honey
Serves 4
Millet is a small, yellow bead-like grain with a nutty taste. As the seasons unfold, try different fruits cooked with the millet: Currants in winter, peaches in summer.
1 cup millet
1 apple, cut in thin slices or grated
21/2 cups apple juice
Pinch of sea salt
Raw, uncooked honey
1. Place millet in a fine mesh strainer; rinse under cold water and drain. Combine millet, apples, juice and salt in a two-quart saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and simmer on low heat 20 to 25 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of honey on top
Brown Rice and Hempseed Salad
Serves 2
Hempseed delivers good fats, which reduce inflammation and fuel the brain. Raw parsley, carrots, onions, and lime juice add fiber and vitamins with live enzymes -- plus a zingy taste. You'll feel very clean after you've eaten this.
1 cup cooked brown rice
½ cup shelled hempseed
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup grated carrots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 bunch (1¾ ounces) chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed between your fingers
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or dried Aleppo pepper
⅔ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Combine all ingredients; toss and serve.
Roasted Asparagus with Lentils Serves 2
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, asparagus is a natural detoxifier; it also contains inulin, a carbohydrate that increases beneficial gut flora. Cayenne pepper, surprisingly, is healing for your innards, unlike other peppers, which can irritate.
¾ cup dried red lentils
1½ cups water
2 large cloves garlic (or more to taste), minced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 bunch (1 pound) asparagus, tough ends trimmed
Olive oil
Zest of 1 medium lemon
Juice of ½ medium lemon
1 cup cooked brown rice
4 green onions, green tops only, finely chopped
1. In a small saucepan, combine lentils, water, garlic, cayenne, and coriander. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer steadily for about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat broiler and place oven rack as close to heat as possible. Coat a baking sheet with oil; spread asparagus on it in a single layer. Coat asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When broiler is very hot, cook asparagus 3-5 minutes, until crisp. Remove from oven and transfer to a large platter to cool a bit. Add half of lemon zest and juice, tossing to distribute flavors.
3. When lentils are tender, stir in cooked rice and green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, fill two shallow bowls with rice mixture and top with roasted asparagus; drizzle remaining lemon zest and juice over all.