March 14, 2008, Newsletter Issue #107: The Detox Diet
Tip of the Week
The term detox generally means removing any toxins from the body. Depending on the kind of toxins, there can be different or combined approaches to dieting. Toxins can include cosmetics, alcohol, cigarette or psychoactive herb smokes, pesticides, mercury, food additives, oral contraceptives, and household chemicals.
Removing them with urine takes diuretics. When we are talking about detox dieting, we usually want to use diuretic foods rather than drugs. Here are some examples of diuretic foods:
Cucumbers
Water melon
Melon
Celery
Parsley
Dandelion greens
Asparagus
Artichoke
Watercress
Coffee
Tea (green or black)
Herbs include (but are not limited to):
Juniper berries
Linden flowers
Stinging Nettle
Yarrow
Uva Ursi
Abother area to remove the toxins is gastro-intestinaml tract. It is usually done using laxative foods or herbs
Here's a sample list:
Spinach
Banana
Sesame
Prune
Peach
Apple
Apricot
Red beets
Seaweed
Cabbage
Coconut
Bran
Flax seed
Psyllium husk
Rhubarb
It is also important to take care of the friendly bacteria because they help to remove the toxins from our intestines. The major source is live-culture yogurt and fermented foods generally, like sauerkraut, vinegar-free pickles, etc.
The third important area is bile-moving enhancement that help the gallbladder and liver. The most common measure is a tablespoonful of warm olive oil taken first thing in the morning. There's also a tea recipe to manage liver congestion:
Dandelion root 1 part
Artichoke leaves 1 part
Oregon grape root 1 /2 part
Licorice 1 /4 part
Turmeric 1 /4 part
Ginger root, fresh 1 /8 part
Gentian root 1/8 part
Simmer the herbs in a covered pot 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Drink one cup morning and evening and one more if desired. Persist as long as you experience benefits (Source: Herbs for the Liver; Natural Liver Therapy, 1986).
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