Detox Diet

The philosophy behind this type of diet is a little different to that of most weight loss diets. The emphasis here is on purifying the body and ridding it of toxins, or poisons, which have built up in various tissues. The theory is that many commonly used chemicals and pollutants are present in low concentrations in food, water and even in the air. The body has ways of eliminating these poisons on a daily basis, but sometimes the amount of toxin eliminated is slightly less than the amount ingested. This can be because of the stress of everyday modern life, or because of chronic dehydration, which according to this philosophy, is common today.

The result is a gradual build up in toxin levels in the body, and this can cause a wide variety of health problems, including chronic fatigue, acne, headaches, nausea and even chronic ailments which do not respond to conventional medicine. The answer, according to the detox theory, is to cut out all the sources of toxins for a certain amount of time in order to give the body time to 'catch up' with the backlog. Other methods which are believed to speed up detoxification are often recommended , and include saunas, herbal baths and dietary supplements. Chewing food for longer than normal is encouraged, as is drinking large amounts of mineral water.

Detox Diet Plan

The most rigorous regimes even advise colonal irrigation, which is a method of cleansing the colon with an enema. There are a lot of versions of detox diets, some more restrictive than others. The most extreme recommend a total three day fast, during which time only purified water can be drunk and  no physical activity is carried out, and then a gradual return to eating one type of fruit only at each meal for a week. After this the diet carries on with a month of raw food, during which no animal products at all including eggs and cheese are eaten. More relaxed versions of the diet allow fruit juice and shorten the length of the fast, but generally all the versions agree that certain foods are not healthy and recommend abstaining from them.

The list includes red meat, eggs, sugar, coffee and other stimulants,and all processed foods,including most modern milk products and husked grains like white rice and bread. All vegetables and fruit must be organic, free range chickens and eggs are allowed by some authorities, and some allow deep water fish such as tuna, which are considered less polluted than other fish.

Although the focus is not on weight loss, there is no doubt that the calorie restrictions of this type of diet will cause most people to lose weight, especially in the first month. However, there are a few problems in following this regime for an extended period of time. It can be difficult to get enough protein and calcium if free range eggs are not available,and the diet tends to be light on carbohydrates as well, relying heavily on fruit and vegetables. These diets are generally not approved by health authorities, who state that lack of basic nutrients such as B12 and iron, found in meat and eggs, can cause deficiencies. Proponents of the Detox philosophy such as Dr Kiki Sidwa, author of several books on detox diets, point out that this system is not new, and has been used with good results in India, where it is widely accepted as a cure for many ailments, for centuries.

They also point out that nowadays organic food is widely available and much cheaper than in the past, and that replacing junk food with whole foods is unlikely to result in a reduction in amounts of vitamins and minerals in the diet.
Before starting any diet, you should consult your doctor!