Health Articles Blog

Unless you have been living under a rock you have probably heard of the detox diet. It has been featured on television, on radio, and in news papers. Celebrities swear by it, online you can read testimonials from everyday average people that are using the detox diet (also known as the lemonade diet) to drop inches and pounds fast but can it work for you and is it even safe.

First I would like to say that using detoxification for weight loss is not a long term solution for someone who has 30 or more pounds to lose but you can use it to kick start your weight loss plan than follow a more traditional weight loss plan to lose the rest of the pounds. It can also be used if you have been on a traditional weight loss plan and have stopped losing weight as you get close to your goal weight sometimes the body can become very stubborn in dropping those last 10 pounds.

As for the safety of the detox diet you'll be taking in plenty of vitamins and minerals and pure water to keep your body hydrated. As always you should consult your family doctor. The reason the detox diet is so effective is the drink as mixture of lemons, organic maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.

Lemons have many health benefits such as improved digestion, high in vitamin C, can reduce the symptoms of heartburn, and lemons are a powerful antioxidant. Organic maple syrup contains minerals like potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, and vitamin B2. Cayenne pepper can help stimulate the metabolism and promote healthy blood circulation.

Detoxification is something our bodies do on a daily basis. It is the process of eliminating toxins through the five eliminatory channels:

Liver

Colon

Lungs

Kidneys

Lymph

Skin

In the world we live in today, with polluted water, air and food, our bodies regularly get overloaded with substances that do not support our body - toxins! Our bodies become overloaded and are over-burdened with eliminating toxins. So many undesirable substances stay our bodies.

Surrounding these substances with mucous and fat is one way our system tries to shield us from these invading substances. a good portion is stored in our fat deposits!

A detoxification program is a good way of assisting our body to eliminate and neutralize these harmful toxins.

Let us look at the 5 organs for detoxification:

Liver

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body and plays a crucial role in maintaining normal metabolism and detoxifying the body.

Colon

Disease begins in the colon. The colon is responsible for both carrying wastes out of the body and nourishing the body. Nutrients are absorbed in the colon. So if your body is storing toxins and excess mucous they will be stuck to the intestinal walls of the colon. Making it very hard for your body to absorb the required nutrients and eliminate the wastes traveling through the colon.

Lungs

Your lungs are responsible for helping your body get the required oxygen it needs by processing the air we breathe. The lungs are one of the first organs to intake toxins. A cold is usually a sign that your body is trying to rid itself of toxins and waste matter that has built up to the point of overwhelming your immune system.

One of the main concerns about detoxification diets like the Master Cleanse lemonade detox diet is the effect they have on the body's metabolism. After all, detoxification diets always involve a period of fasting or not eating anything except for the detoxification diet for a relatively long period of time, typically ten days.

For people who are trying to lose weight through detoxification, this is especially a major concern. But to answer the question, during detoxification,what lowers your metabolism are the hunger pangs. Weight loss experts have always warned against skipping meals to lose weight; the hunger pangs that are incidental to habitually not eating proper meals makes your body go on "starvation mode".

During starvation mode, the body will keep all the calories in your body instead of burning them (thus lowering your metabolism. Since detox diets are "restrictive", meaning you won't be eating anything SOLID for a period of ten days, the trick to maintaining your metabolic rate is to drink plenty of water during detoxification (aside from drinking the lemonade recipe, for example), and to eat some foods that won't jeopardize the detoxification process.

How Detoxification Works To Jumpstart Weight Loss

Detoxification diets should NOT in any way be used for long-term weight loss. What detoxification diets can do is to jump start your weight loss by ridding your body of accumulated toxins and to condition your body to eat healthier.

During my time at a naturopathy center in the Philippines, I fasted for ten days using a packet mix of Selium Husk Bentonyte clay, apple pectin, ginger and pineapple juice. The mixture was to prevent me from feeling any hunger pangs. I also took several herbal detox capsules everyday. (This type of detox diet should only be done with a naturopathy professional.)

Because eliminating toxins can help heal the digestive tract and restore healthy liver function, regular internal cleansing and detoxification is essential for those who want to achieve digestive wellness and vibrant health.

Detoxification is a total-body process that involves each of the body's seven channels of elimination--the colon, kidneys, skin, lungs, liver, lymphatic system and blood--each of which must be supported for complete detoxification to occur. The following are some of the most effective ways in which you can facilitate total-body cleansing and detoxification.

Dietary changes. Adhering to dietary guidelines is a very important part of detoxification. Toxins cannot be eliminated while they continue to enter the body. Because the kidneys are unable to function properly without sufficient water intake, drinking plenty of water during a cleanse is a necessity. Consuming a high-fiber diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains is also important. That is because fiber helps to absorb and eliminate toxins as it passes through the digestive tract.

Herbal cleansing programs. The use of herbs for internal cleansing may have begun with the Sumerians nearly 5,000 years ago. Likewise, many ancient cultures relied on herbs as their only medicine. Although there are countless herbs with medicinal properties, approximately 25 are used regularly for cleansing and detoxification. The fall into one of two categories--those used for purification and those used for revitalization. Purification herbs are used to purge the organ systems. Revitalizing herbs help soothe and strengthen the organs.

Sessions in sauna baths can offer numerous benefits for an individual seeking to get detoxified since one of the ways our body cleanses itself is through sweat. But with the increasing amount and varieties of harmful substances and toxins in almost all aspects of our modern life, toxin elimination is becoming more difficult than ever. This very moment your body may be fending invaders in the form of chemicals and toxins from the food you ate recently. So are you interested in getting your internals cleansed and feel rejuvenated and full of energy? Have you always wanted to lose extra weight and fit in those small-sized clothes?

Numerous resources and reports indicate the increase of people with degenerative and cardiovascular diseases, with cancer being really prevalent. The former way of detoxifying the body is through fasting or abstaining for eating food. In the west, many are not a stranger with the passage in the bible referring to the time when Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the desert. Now that may give you a little boost in spirit and inspire you, but remember that physical healing will also involve some mental and spiritual healing as well which can be achieved with Spiritual RET drops.

As food is broken down in our digestive system, both nutrients and toxins alike are assimilated into our bloodstream. Detoxification may be divided into different levels to accommodate novices to advanced diet enthusiasts. A beginner may engage in a basic 1 or 2 day fasting and just taking in fresh vegetable juice and water. He may do this at least once a month while taking supplements like a toxin absorber containing Bentonite clay, Psyllium seeds and apple pectin; these are able to flush out and get rid of toxins accumulated in your intestines. Heavy metal toxins can like mercury and lead can intervene with the system's ability to absorb nutrients and eliminate metabolic by-products from the cells which can easily inhibit activation of cancer cells.