Health Talk: Detox Diet

A few weeks ago, I heard over Mo's radio program Mornings With Mo asking Grace Lee all about this detox diet she just had (knowing Mo, he was mocking Grace about this). This got me interested, I feel like I need a cleansing diet from all the poultry, dairy and toxins I get into my body everyday. 

Looking back I remembered my mom doing her version of this detox diet and labeled it cleansing diet. She eats only carrots, potato and kamote (CPK) and drink only water and homemade pito pito (seven seven) herbal drink for a week. We were trained to drink pito pito drink, if you've tasted Conti's iced tea that's what pito pito basically tastes like. It's composed of  7 different types of herbs like lagundi, tanglad (lemongrass), banaba, pandan, alagao, sambong, guava leaves, etc. boiled, strained, drained and drank like tea. Nowadays, I know that you can only complete your 7 herbs from Quiapo since the vendors there have complete lineup of herbs (and whatnots). 

Anyway, I was only able to research on detox diet this morning on the internet. Offhand, it looks a wee bit complicated than I wish it would be because it could do more harm than good if not done properly. Well, any type of diet can be harmful if you go overboard. It was recommended to make a visit to a doctor who practices alternative medicine before starting detox. However, I also found these tips on the web - a detox you can do at home to aid in cleaning the body and eventually losing weight properly:

·                        Drink eight to ten glasses of water (preferably filtered) every day. This flushes your system and replaces the water your body loses day just through respiration and elimination.

·                        Stop eating sugar and refined carbohydrates like white flour. They lack nutritional value and give you a sugar "high" that leaves you hungry and craving more sugar. Explore substitutes like agave nectar.

·                        Break the caffeine habit. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant to your central nervous system. Like sugar, it sends the body on a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. It can also interfere with healthy sleep.

·                        Get healthy fats into your diet. Essential fatty acids can be found in unrefined flax seed oils and walnuts. Avoid unhealthy saturated fats (Big Mac!) and hydrogenated fats, often found in processed foods like crackers.

·                        Increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Eat complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic. Fiber promotes a healthy digestive and intestinal tract.

·                        Stop overdosing on protein. Eat less dairy and meat, especially factory-farmed products loaded with hormones and antibiotics. Focus on tasty, non-animal sources of protein.

·                        Reduce your exposure to toxins by reevaluating the products you use at home. Green your beauty routine, green your kitchen, and green your cleaning supplies.

Commit to a "detox lifestyle." Choose healing foods and practice mindful eating. Help your body detox with saunas, steam, colonics, skin brushing, epsom salt baths, and massage.Learn how to lower stress through meditation, visualization, relationship-building, short and long-term goal-setting, yoga and laughter. 

source: http://spas.about.com/od/homedetox/a/homedetox.htm

My mom also used to go to a doctor (Dr. Ang) who encouraged her patients to try alternative medicines for prevention and cure, she helped us cure our asthmas and we were asthma free ever since. She already passed away several years ago (+) so I have to find another doctor that can enlighten me on detox diet. I hope I can accomplish this project before the year ends. 

other source: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/detoxcleansing/a/Foods_Avoid_2.htm