Detox Diets

More and more people are turning to detox diets these days, as they believe they offer a more holistic way for getting healthier. The aim of a Detox Diet (also called a cleansing diet) is to remove toxins and poisons from the body.

This is can be achieved in a number of ways, but the general idea is that you eat very healthy food and avoid food that is processed and unhealthy. This will help the body to remove toxins by giving the lymph, liver and kidneys the best chance of working at an optimal level.

Detox diets can be controversial, but so many people claim that these diets have helped them that common sense says that there must be something to them. These diets can range from being very strict indeed, such as water fast, to being pretty easy, such as eating only whole, natural foods. Before embarking on a detox diet though you should be sure to talk with a doctor who is sympathetic to this type of health care.  

You will probably have heard of some of the different types of detox diets, such as the currently very popular Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet. This is based on taking a combination of lemonade and maple syrup. Other popular detox diets include the Clean Diet, the Raw Food Diet, the Fat Flush Diet, and the Liver Cleansing Diet. There are many, many more – see our full list below for further details.

Detoxifying Your Body – The Basics

Generally speaking, the less strict detox diets will allow you to eat some or all of the following foods:

• Organic food and drink (no pesticides or fungicides)
• Whole unprocessed foods
• Water and juices (and sometimes herb teas)
• Certain herbs that help with the detoxing process, such as psyllium husks, milk thistle, etc.

With most detox programs you will need to avoid the following:

• Alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and drugs (speak with your doctor before stopping prescribed medication)
• Processed and refined foods (these often contain undesirable additives)
• Certain supplements (although some detox diets allow these)

Click on one of the links below to find out about a particular detox diet.

Detox Diets