Detox Diets

Is your body toxic? If you pondered that question for even a split second, then let’s just assume the answer is yes. After all, we live with toxicity daily, from breathing unclean air to ingesting impure foods. While chemicals, pollutants and synthetic substances are harmful, we can take control. For example, do you need eight cups of coffee, or can you live with one? Must the candy machine see you promptly at 3:30 p.m. each day, or can it live with an occasional visit? How “happy” can happy hour be when your exhausted liver calls “time” to sit out to process junk for a while?

It takes a total lifestyle overhaul for permanent detoxification, which is and should be the goal. If you follow our three-week detox plan, you will be well on your way to optimal, long-term health. To explain the detoxification process, we turned to public speaker, educator and registered and licensed Dietitian Trulie Ankerberg-Nobis, who, from her private practice in Decatur (atlantanutrition.com), helps clients improve their nutrition and eating habits. Handling the physical side of the equation is Katy Gills, owner and certified senior trainer of Pure Women’s Fitness (purewomensfitness.com).

Why detox?

“Body detoxification is the process by which toxins are removed from the body,” says Ankerberg-Nobis, who adds that when the body is rid of harmful substances, it functions normally, and the body’s organs charged with detoxification–kidneys, liver, skin and intestines–process efficiently to effectively manage one’s digestive and functioning energies. “There are many supplements and colon irritants in health food stores that claim to detoxify,” she explains about substances she does not advocate. “True detox takes place when the body is given optimal nutrition with a high amount of plant foods and little to no ‘toxic’ junk foods.” Add to this equation adequate sleep, reducing stress, and “pursuing other ways to be a well-rounded person,” she says.

Who needs it?

Individual bodies react differently to various detox methods, whether that is a fad diet (steer clear), fasting, exercise, colonics (be wary; do your research) and/or taking supplements. Everyone can benefit from a healthier diet, but people in true need of detoxification are those, according to Ankerberg-Nobis, with a condition that affects one’s quality of life: excessive fatigue, irritable bowels, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, menstrual pain, allergies, skin problems, sleep difficulties, a reliance on energy stimulants or prescription drugs, excessive body weight, high cholesterol and/or blood pressure and headaches, among other conditions. Along with Ankerberg-Nobis, ASF recommends a balanced plan to detoxification, as shown in the following example, which is listed in detail.

DETOX WEEK ONE: Toxic Shock

Chant: Forget fads.

Change: Your mindset. Nix the quick fix mentality, and measure your rational. If you are detoxifying for merely cosmetic reasons, you are unlikely to stick to the plan.

Control substances: Caffeine, sugar, alcohol, junk and processed foods. Wean off meats.

Consume: Plant-based foods, whole foods and organic teas.

Coping mechanism: Manage distractions; resist toxic haunts or habits. Do not put yourself in a position that compromises the goal, or, as Ankerberg-Nobis puts it, “periodically ‘detox’ and then resume poor lifestyle and habits.” If you’re unwilling to change your lifestyle for the long term, detoxification is not advised.

Chore: Change your daily routine. Quell cravings with healthy alternatives. Dine wisely; watch portions.

Conditioning: Easy-paced walking, meditation and yoga stretching, which Gillis recommends to help with blood circulation

and de-stressing the cleansing process. Consulting a trainer

is recommended.

Monday: Walk for 20 minutes, followed by yoga stretching and 15 minutes of meditation.

Tuesday: Yoga stretching and 15 minutes of meditation.

Wednesday: Walk for 30 minutes, followed by yoga stretching and 10 minutes of meditation.

Thursday: Yoga stretching and lengthening poses, followed by

30 minutes of meditation.

Friday: Yoga stretching and 15 minutes of meditation.

Saturday/Sunday: The body is acclimating itself to the detox, shifting of chemicals, hormones and toxins. Do gentle yoga meditation for 10 minutes each day.

DETOX WEEK TWO: Toxic Thinking

Chant: Don’t neglect the mind, or the body will suffer.

Change: Menu-planning. Consult a nutritionist or physician as you switch to different variations of a plant-based diet, which Ankerberg-Nobis says “is the healthiest way to eat and ensure the body is the most efficient it can be at metabolizing nutrients and removing toxins like metabolic byproducts, infections and environmental contaminants.” As always, drink more water.

Control substances: Meat, as well as the aforementioned.

Consume: Vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Chore: Chart your progress; journal your feelings, careful to specifically document how your body feels. Small victories lead to long-term success.

Conditioning: Incorporate gentle core work to the previously listed routine–floor moves such as crunches and bicycles. “Massaging your stomach while lying down (a corps pose in yoga) can stimulate the waste removal process,” Gillis says. “Add some breathing exercises to meditative yoga sessions. Sit with legs crossed (Indian-style), back straight, head up. Count to five, inhaling slowly, and again when exhaling. As you relax, count higher (up to 15 seconds), taking long, deep cleansing breaths.”

Monday: Walk for 30 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of yoga stretching, breathing and meditative exercises.

Tuesday: 15 minutes of floor abdominal work, gentle and slow. Follow with yoga breathing and stomach massage for 15 minutes.

Wednesday: Perform yoga stretching, breathing and meditative practices for 30 minutes.

Thursday: Walk 30 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of yoga stretching and meditation.

Friday: Take a 15-minute walk, followed by 15 minutes of abdominal work/yoga stretching and 10 additional minutes of breathing.

Saturday/Sunday: The detox mid-point. The body has worked hard to eliminate toxins and waste, so take it easy with yoga stretching, breathing and meditation for 15 minutes each day.

DETOX WEEK THREE: Toxic Avenger

Chant: Embrace the positive.

Change: Patterns and habits that hinder your efforts. Be mindful of longevity. Shift focus from “three weeks” to long-term lifestyle. Manage expectations and get deep, restful sleep.

Control substances: See aforementioned.

Consume: More fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole foods with anti-oxidant properties. Consult a physician or nutritionist before starting a raw food cleanse. More water!

Conditioning: Go back to basics. “This is where you will start to feel less energy, and you’ll need to conserve it,” Gillis says.

Monday: T
ake a 20-minute walk, followed by 10 minutes of yoga stretching and meditation.

Tuesday: 15 minutes of yoga stretching, breathing and meditation.

Wednesday: Take a 15-minute walk, followed by 15 minutes of yoga stretching, breathing and meditation.

Thursday: 10 minutes of yoga stretching and meditation.

Friday: 20 minutes of walking; 10 minutes of yoga stretching and meditation.

Saturday/Sunday: Relax for the last two days of your detox, at most doing 10 minutes of yoga stretching and meditation.

POST-DETOX

Research indicates that it takes the body at least three weeks to acclimate to dietary changes. But new lifestyle habits are established from feeling good. “After three weeks of eating a low-fat diet and allowing your tastes to adapt and prefer low-fat foods; that double-cheese triple-decker burger will not elicit the same pleasure it did before the elimination diet,” Ankerberg-Nobis says. She also adds that exercise should not be penance for bad eating habits. While exercise boosts immunity and helps the body effectively rid the body of toxins, working out excessively has the opposite effect.