Healthy Detox or Cleanse?
 

Hi girls!

Does anyone know of a healthy/natural detox or cleanse?

I want to try something that won't make me starve myself. I don't necessarily want to just lose weight--but I want to start a healthier lifestyle this year and I think a cleanse might be the best way to jumpstart this.

Let me know if you have any good ones!

Thanks. :)

*countdown to the 'friend' who happens to sell a detox solution*

I really would like some suggestions...

Ever tried veganism?

It really should be a full lifestyle change, and not just something used to detox or cleanse with, but it really does have those benefits. When you do it correctly (basically, don't become a "junk food vegan") the benefits are astounding. I would suggest doing some research and giving it a try for a while. It's done wonders for me and many others around the globe, and it's not difficult at all.

in all seriousness, there is absolutely no such thing as a healthy detox/cleanse. no real doctor/nutritionist would ever advise one. your body, liver, etc. takes care of anything not beneficial to your body all by itself and foods that you eat don't really contain "toxins" anyway. every cleanse/detox ever is either a scam or a way to quickly lose weight (as long as you're okay with gaining it all back & maybe even more once you start eating real food again).

For those of us "lucky" enough to have had colonoscopies, there is a liquid that you drink the day before - the last time it was a gallon of it. It didn't taste wonderful, but I always have felt great afterwards. I can't see a doctor prescribing it just for kicks, tough.

^^ That's not ridding your body of toxins, it's helping you empty your colon of poop. Combined with the liquid diet that is. It's apparently mostly a laxative as well.

Not something that is actually healthy, just preparation for medical treatment.

And, when used in other ways (such as the insipid cayenne pepper/lemonade cleanse), it also causes people to think they're excreting "toxins" in small, pellet form - "plaques" and other garbage. It's usually blood.

There's no such thing as a quick-fix cleanse. If you're serious about it, drink nothing but water and eat raw foods for about a month. There's really just no other way.

My theory is that the pre-colonoscopy liquid is the same thing as this:

http://www.bestquickweightlossdiets....ywood-diet.jpg

Or rather, the other way around.

Back to the topic, I have found that eating only fruit before noon is somewhat helpful, as far as ensuring regular elimination.

1. Your liver does this already.
2. Drink a lot of water. Every day. More if you work out. (Obviously don't overdo it).
3. Eat more whole and fresh foods.
4. Eat a balance of fat, carbs and protein.
5. Eat smaller meals throughout the day versus three large ones.
6. If you eat meat, make sure it's lean and hormone free.
7. Cut back on sodium - it makes you hold onto excess fluid.
8. Read labels. MSG and other chemicals just gunk up your body.
9. Add more movement to your day, in addition to exercise. This will help keep your muscle tone, helps keep your systems from getting clogged (circulatory, digestive, urinary) and keep your mind fresh. Take a five-minute break every hour and move.
10. Living well is a lifestyle. There is no jump-start or quick solutions.

Good luck.

high fiber, high water, no meat for a few days, plenty of sleep, no alcohol. In other words, eat a healthy diet for a couple days. You'll probably get gas and then tons of poo, but your colon, liver and kidneys will thank you for it.

Get and read the book "In Defense of Food." Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Genius. Also, I haven't read it yet, but I always have someone jump in with "The Omnivore's Dilemma" at the same time to teach you about healthy eating. Neither have anything to do with "diets" or cleanses.

I haven't gone through the colonoscopy process, yet, but I know from my mother what's involved. Start drinking, sit on toilet, go NOWHERE for several hours. I think she hates that part worse than the actual colonoscopy which she says is no big deal. I can't imagine anything over the counter working that powerfully, but who knows? People are dumb and will do a lot of unhealthy stuff to shed 5 pounds.

I read an awesomely horrible diet book one time about eating only baby food, getting a colonic every 3 days, getting a massage every day, you know, all the normal healthy diet stuff.

I no longer drink apple juice because of the colonoscopy I had to have sophomore year in college. I had to drink this Fleet lemon-and-lime stuff and drink either water or apple juice for 12 or 18 hours before the procedure. I figured that since I liked apple juice that I'd just knock a bunch back. Oh man it was 11 years ago and I still can't touch the stuff.

There's this wonderful thing called water...

In the past, I have been known to over-indulge in alcohol. My parents drank daily, often to excess. I've cut back and resolved to drink socially, and occasionally at home. Otherwise, it's coffee in the AM and then water throughout the rest of the day.

Even just switching to water will do wonders for your complexion and your health. If I were you I'd give that a go first.

I like the suggestion I've been hearing from dietician's lately that you shop the perimeter of the grocery store rather than the aisles. The perimeter has the fresh meat, dairy, produce and usually the freshly baked items. The aisles have processed foods which tend to be high in fat with lots of chemicals. It's a very easy way to remind yourself what you should be eating :)

Having Crohn's Disease cleanses you pretty regularly but I don't recommend it! Colonoscopy prep is awful. Colonoscopies are easy peasy.

^^ Alton Brown was on that shopping suggestion years ago! Damn dietitians for taking credit :p