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How To Detox Your Body

How to detox your body

Many experts believe that excessive toxicity of the body creates a whole range of serious illnesses, from osteoarthritis (where toxins settle in the joints), to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. To prevent such illness you need to be in tune with your body, aware of its condition and its needs, and be committed to giving yourself a good, thorough internal spring-clean at least once a year. At that time, also, implement the good eating and exercise habits that will help prevent the build-up of a toxic state again. A spring-clean for the body is an essential part of any preventative system of health care.

The ideal way to detox your body is to begin with a 24-hour fast, if you feel up to it and are not on any medications. Seek your doctor’s or nutritionist’s advice if you are unsure. Choose a day when it is not necessary to be very active – preferably a day when you are not physically challenged. You also need to drink lots of fluid during a fast, as dehydration must never be allowed, but drink only water or hot water and fresh lemon juice. To aid inner cleansing, a very good health habit is to both begin and end the day with a drink of hot water and fresh lemon juice. This has a cleansing effect on the liver and kidneys, as well as the rest of the digestive system.

After the first stage in your detox programme, your 24-hour fast, the idea is to eat as much raw food as possible for the rest of the week. Raw fruit and vegetables are not only the easiest food for the body to digest, and the means of getting the most nutrition from food, but they also have a brilliant cleansing effect on the body. Cooked food is more complicated for the digestive system; uncooked food enhances the metabolism and strengthens the immune system. Instead of a slow sluggish constitution, the body finds its best level for peak performance.

The high fiber content of fruits and vegetables is excellent for flushing toxic residues out of the body. If you try this approach, you will see an improvement in your overall health, with many minor niggling symptoms disappearing altogether. Whether you suffer from skin rashes, headaches or heart disease, you owe it to yourself to build your body with the right materials.

Try to buy produce that is as fresh as you can get it and buy organic fruit and veg where possible, as they obviously have fewer toxins. A good greengrocer will usually have much fresher fruits and vegetables than the large supermarket chains. The fresher the good, the higher the nutritional value. Fresh herbs are also full of healthful properties, so use them liberally. The ideal, of course, is to grow your own herbs and vegetables, but this is not possible for most of us.

When you do cook your vegetables, remember that many vitamins and minerals are destroyed by the heat in cooking. When we boil vegetables, the nutrients are leached out into the water and poured away down the drain. So, whenever possible, gently steam or stir-fry vegetables for just a few minutes instead, until they are tender – but only just – to preserve their nutritious goodness. Also aim to eat a variety of fruits, salad and other vegetables every day.

Detox action plan

  • Begin your detox at the weekend or during a time when you don’t have too much going on.
  • Walk for at least 15 minutes every day.
  • Drink at least 2 liters of water a day – purified, distilled, filtered or bottled. You can also drink dandelion coffee or herb teas.
  • Have ½ liter of fruit or vegetable juice – either carrot and apple juice (you can buy these two separately and combine with one-third water) with grated ginger, or fresh watermelon juice – a day. The flesh of the watermelon is high in beta-carotene and vitamin C. The seeds are high in vitamin E, as well as the antioxidant minerals zinc and selenium. You can make a great antioxidant cocktail by blending fresh fruit and seeds in a blender into a great-tasting drink.
  • Eat in abundance: Fruit – the most beneficial fruits with the highest deter potential include fresh apricots, all berries, cantaloupe melons, citrus fruits, kiwis, papayas, peaches, mangoes, melons, red grapes. Vegetables – especially good are artichokes, peppers, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, kale, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, tomatoes, watercress and bean sprouts.
  • Eat in moderation: Grain – brown rice, corn, millet, and quinoa – not more than two portions per day. Fish – salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna – not more than once a day. Oils – use extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and in place of butter, and cold-pressed seed oils for dressings. Nuts and seeds – a handful a day of raw, unsalted nuts and seeds should be included. Choose from almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax seeds (linseeds).
  • Avoid: All wheat products, all meat and dairy produce (including eggs), salt and any food containing it, hydrogenated (trans) fats, artificial sweeteners, food additives and preservatives, fried foods, spices, dried fruit. Limits potatoes to one portion every other day and bananas to one every other day.
  • Don’t be surprised if you feel worse for a couple of day before you start to feel better. This is especially likely if you are eliminating foods to which you are dependent.
  • Take a double dose daily of quality multivitamin/mineral supplements, plus two 1,000 mg vitamin C capsules and antioxidant complex.

  • { 105 comments… add one }
    • Ann April 30, 2009, 11:34 pm

      if i do this detoxe how much weight can i loose in a week ? amd how often do i drink the lemon juice? do i mix it with the warter ? and how often do i drink it daily ? I am 5’1″ tall weigh 142 lbs. and want to loose 32 lbs. will this help me ? plus i run a mile on the tredmill 3 days a week how will this help me ?

      • Bidziil November 19, 2010, 2:52 am

        lemon juice two times a day once in morning once at night and the water helps dilute the lemon so it isn’t so potent.

      • Sandra N Smith November 25, 2012, 6:50 pm

        I’ve tried many Detox’s and the best by far for me, was cutting out acidic foods and switching to alkaline foods.

        Everybody has their own reasons for detoxing, mine was because I wanted to lose weight healthily and it worked brilliantly. I look and feel younger, definitely one of the best lifestyle choices I ever made.

        I use a program called “The Wellness Cleanse” but if anybody wants a free alkaline cleansing guide, I HIGHLY recommend it.

      • amelia August 8, 2014, 3:22 am

        I found a wonderful product from a friend in Texas…it is called Palo Azul Tea. Not only is it a great natural way to detox but I have lost 15 lbs over the past 4 months since I started drinking it and it tastes great too!!!

    • rebecca May 6, 2009, 9:20 pm

      i was wondering if this detox program is for a life time or if it intended to do over so many weeks. thanks

      • Bidziil November 19, 2010, 2:51 am

        its like spring cleaning once a year…

    • sasha June 17, 2009, 4:00 pm

      Will this make me feel tired and will I have to do this for several weeks.

      • kenneth March 15, 2011, 10:12 pm

        how do u detox zinc

    • Jordan August 12, 2009, 8:57 am

      I’m Planing on doing the fruit detox for 10 days and want to no how much fruit juice can i drink in a day? Can i drink to much ?

    • Billy August 23, 2009, 4:39 am

      Will this make me go to the bathroom better

    • Diann September 27, 2009, 12:00 am

      How long should you do the detox? a weekend, a week, one month etc.?

    • kyeah September 30, 2009, 5:45 pm

      start off with 3 days if you like keep on with 1week an so on and so on but you should not exceed 14 days
      exercise is perfect for this but at a slow rate a drink lots of water the lemon juice at least 3xs a day
      this should only make you an your body feel better an full of energy atleast by the end of the week

    • Michelle October 28, 2009, 10:42 pm

      I did this detox over a year ago and lost 12 pounds in one week!

      • Jennifer May 22, 2012, 7:20 pm

        Thats really exciting congrats!

    • halimah bahri December 4, 2009, 4:31 am

      im having a gastric problem can i still do this detox.
      Which means if i took acidic fruits it will gain more acid
      in the stomach and will cause great pain.
      as i knew some fruits that you had mention will have citric acid.
      so is there other ways for gastric patient to do detox.

      • Lorraine November 23, 2010, 8:22 pm

        I desperately need to detox my body but cannot afford to lose any weight as I have had very bad eating habits i.e just not eating and have lost about 12kg and now only weigh 39kg which is why I have been suffering with my blood pressure dropping to a mere 90/47 making me feel very ill so I have starting hydrating my body but now need a quick fix detox

        • Lynne August 15, 2011, 2:03 pm

          I wouldn’t do anything without consulting your MD first. This diet will diffidently cause weight loss. Sounds like you need to speak with a nutritionist. At times your local health foods store can be very helpful.

    • Elaina December 21, 2009, 9:20 pm

      I was wondering if dried herbs detox the same as fresh. I have been battling wheat and dairy allergies and I’m trying a detox to get back in balance. Thanks.

    • Ashley December 23, 2009, 5:25 am

      What type of carrot/apple juice is recommended , does it have to be fresh or is v8 or something along those lines ok ??

      • Lynne August 15, 2011, 1:59 pm

        if you have a juicer would be best. Use figi apple and organic carrots. If you don’t have a juicer go to your local health foods store by organic without preservatives. No not V8, it is processed with lots of preservatives.

        • Joanne March 25, 2012, 10:52 pm

          There are no preservatives in V8 juice. It’s shelf stable because of the heat treatment used to kill harmful bacteria. It’s a great cooked juice; it is not a raw juice.

    • Lori February 11, 2010, 12:34 am

      Are their any certain steps to this detox? im 22 and 5’3″ in height and id say between 150 and 155 lbs. i am currently goin to schol for cosmetology and learn about the body skin n nails beauty etc….id like to feel better inside and out…any suggestions with this detox?

    • Jeannie Cisneros February 14, 2010, 7:37 pm

      When detoxing/dieting should you feel pain, such as in your back and legs? ( it seems my pain has become magnified since I began this diet on Thursday.

    • Yasmin March 28, 2010, 12:18 am

      i think everything has to be organic and we are suppose to do it for a week and also no dried fruits.

    • Crystal June 10, 2010, 3:10 am

      This is perfect. I was thinking I would have to buy gimmick tablets or suppliments for a detox from health stores or chemists. This is great to do at your own pace in your own home without having to buy special detox products!!

    • Damien June 22, 2010, 9:19 am

      Properly cooked food is actually the easiest for your body to digest. It is a way to “predigest” the food which releases the nutrients from the cells making it less taxing for the stomach & intestines to process.

      Raw food has the nutrients locked into plant cells, which have a rigid cellulose cell wall that is best broken down by a grazing animals digestive system like the cow’s which has 4 stomachs.

      Casseroles & stews slow cooked at a low heat best predigest the food without destroying the nutrients with high heat. A little raw food daily does keep the bowel moving well & clean.

      • Zooyi September 30, 2011, 5:00 pm

        Finally a sane and educated comment! What do these people think? Have they even had high school biology? If they had, they wouldn’t listen to this bad science and take it serious.

    • Phil E. Drifter June 22, 2010, 10:07 am

      Why the HELL would i want to detox my body?

      • Jessica January 28, 2011, 5:48 am

        To get rid of the toxins and bacteria that harms your body

        • Zooyi September 30, 2011, 5:02 pm

          Your body has it’s own detox system that works a lot better than fruit juice. Would you please name those toxins and I explain for you lady what mechanism your body has to get rid of those “toxins”. Apparently you don’t know much about biology of human body.

          • Just Lovely October 28, 2011, 8:30 pm

            Yes, your body has it’s own detox system…the point is to not pre-occupy it from doing this successfully with all the crap we eat on a daily basis. Did your biology class say anything about the GMO’s, preservatives, and additives (all un-natural) that we eat everyday? Of course not! They don’t even cover this stuff in Biology so why that would be the crux of your answer confounds me. Sounds like you need to take a nutrition class. How can your body successfully detox when you keep filling it with crap? And are we really comparing our diet, which contains a variety of foods to that of a cow who eats grass? If so, why not bring up real carnivores digestive systems, which are about as close to ours as is the cows!! Slow cooking on low heat DOES NOT preserve the nutrients (minerals, flavonoids, etc)…most do not survive no matter how low and slow you cook it!! If you guys thinking is so correct the status of health in our country wouldn’t be as despicable as it is. We wouldn’t need to buy vitamins and extracts that are in natural RAW food. You sound like one of those people who believe corn sugar is the same as cane sugar and does your body no harm (only) because your body can’t tell the difference….

            • Roflcopter August 9, 2012, 10:20 am

              Just because a food is GMO does not make it bad for you, please learn more on topics before you talk crap about them.
              Some GMO foods are purely for profit, however others are specially altered to allow survival or crop growth in non native environments, some GMO alterations allow plants to be more resistant to diseases or pests. Some allow plants to survive extreme drought or temperatures. So get off your high horse and pull your head out of your ass before you go on a rampage against someone else claiming they don’t know what they are taking about. When you obviously don’t have much of a better idea then them.

            • Colby August 13, 2012, 12:58 am

              I’m going to let you in on a little secret, SUCROSE IS SUCROSE. CORN SUGAR IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS CANE SUGAR. That’s why our bodies can’t tell a difference because there is none! Also, cooking foods releases nutrients in some foods that would be indigestible from the raw product. Most people don’t need multivitamins or purchased nutrients because they get all they need from their daily diet. They’re just a money trap for the nutirent obsessed. Also, some vitamins and nutrients can be overdosed on which can have extreme health effects. GMOs are no worse than an organic heirloom. Nature automatically GENETICALLY MOTIFIES plants and animals so they are better suited for their environment. The number one reason that the US has major health problems is because the consumption of SUCROSE, cane or corn, is astounding. It would make any human being fat. My only wish is that people like you would learn their facts and learn the truth before posting comments that are miss informed. Comments like yours makes me hate the human race even more. So get off your high horse because your no better than anybody else, and I certainly just proved that you definitely are brightest bulb on the Christmas tree

      • A December 30, 2011, 6:43 pm

        Why not detoxify your body might make u feel better rid the body of unwanted toxins ie drugs and processed crap from food? think about it dude.

    • Ben July 22, 2010, 9:23 pm

      What are some example of toxins that this would remove? I have seen many articles on about detox diets but never any specifics about what it is they are removing from my body that wouldn’t other wise be removed. Not that I don’t agree that eating mostly fruits and vegetables is the way to go.

    • Robyn August 1, 2010, 4:34 pm

      I have not gone one day without food in my life. So this will be something truly different for me, but I am convinced the health rewards are worth it. I’ve been suffering nagging backpain for a while. And it’s made me reevaluate my entire lifestyle, food and otherwise. I am not a big eater, but I haven’t been a wise eater either. Standing 5’8″ in height and weighing 125 lbs. in weight throws some people off a bit and reduces the likelihood that anyone would ask if I keep good eating habits. I didn’t use to. I used to load up on caffeine, sugar, hot chocolate, eggs and cheese. I rarely at vegetables. Because of poor understanding of nutrition I regulated caloric intake to 1600 Cal/day, but practically ignored the fact that one must eat from a multi-variety of food groups. I know that now. And with this nagging pain at the side of my abdomen and my right mid-back and lower-back, which is gradually healing, I think now is a good time to really start a new healthy lifestyle the right way through detox. I plan to commit to 3 days of fasting minimum, and then continue to maintain my recent healthy eating habits, which consists of two balanced meals with appropriate intake of veggies, fruits and nuts. Nutritious and necessary.

      Best to you all on your health revolution.

    • Lisa November 1, 2010, 9:40 pm

      Scot, good question. This used to happen to me all the time, but believe it or not, the lemon juice worked wonders!

    • Billy Bill January 7, 2011, 10:14 pm

      Detox helps you get a priapism.

      • Kay July 24, 2011, 8:52 pm

        What a goof ball!

    • Isabel February 14, 2011, 3:35 pm

      For how long should you detox? And how would you know that you are ok?

    • MATHEW CANTER March 12, 2011, 10:20 am

      Excellent suggestions, many will benefit from this and know the improtance of detoxing.

    • shauhin john March 24, 2011, 4:24 pm

      “avoid all wheat products?”

      what about oats (as in oatmeal..) are they a wheat product???!

      • Elise May 1, 2011, 1:59 pm

        Oatmeal would be fine. It does not contain any wheat gluten. :)

        • B May 8, 2012, 3:28 am

          Yes oatmeal does contain wheat gluten unless you buy gluten free oats in which the gluten protein is extracted. I have celiac and am very educated on gluten issues. Another great diet to try is the blood type diet. More of a lifestyle change really but it’s amazing how wonderful it will make you feel

          • J August 8, 2012, 9:42 am

            Oatmeal definitely does not contain wheat gluten. It doesn’t even contain gluten. The problem arises with contamination in factories. So yes, follow B’s advice and buy only gluten free oats if you are very sensitive to gluten, but realise the culprit is the factory, not the oat itself.

    • Angel May 3, 2011, 4:01 pm

      I mixed my raw veggies and fruits in a blender and drink them kinda like a smoothie . is it a problem mixing both together ? Also will the lemon juice with hot water be bad if i am trying to avoid acid due to acid reflux ?

      • Animanarchy July 21, 2011, 10:41 pm

        I’ve read that fruit is best eaten alone and melons are only digestible eaten alone. Some foods require basic enzymes to break them down and others acidic. When they mix they can neutralize each other and inhibit digestion or you might end up with some toxic byproducts.
        For more info, search: food combinations
        Apparently ideally it’s best to eat one type of food at a time and let it pass through your stomach before eating anything else.

    • tommy lee June 18, 2011, 5:22 am

      Oats are generally cut along with wheat, so therefore they DO contain gluten and traces of wheat unless you buy ones that were processed in a gluten free facility. I want to say that steel cut oats may be okay, but unless it says gluten free, it probably isn’t.

    • tommy lee June 18, 2011, 5:24 am

      Also, you may want to try to stay away from fruit for the detox as it does contain sugar. Small amounts would be acceptable as your body will have sugar withdrawals. Blueberries and blackberries would be ideal as they contain antioxidants and lower levels of sugar/acid .

    • John June 19, 2011, 3:45 pm

      I like the idea of detoxing the body,should I also stop taking omega 3 fatty acids ? Also,
      should I stop taking my multiple vitamins too?
      John

    • Olivia Smith June 28, 2011, 9:59 pm

      HeY! I just wanted to say I tried an all fruit and veggie detox and in 2 days I lost 3 pounds! I’m currently on the 3rd day so there may be more weight lost! Granted, it’s mostly just water weight, but I still looked better and felt better after only 1 day!

      I ate nothing but fruit and veggies- I drank a glass of green tea every morning, usually a smoothie for breakfast (with just fruit and fruit juice), along with some other fruit and veggies (gotta love frozen grapes!) and for dinner I’ve had beans (technically a vegetable) and salsa, except yesterday I went to Chipotle and got a salad with beans, green salsa, corn, lettuce, veggies, and guacamole, all totally pure veggies- and I still lost weight! Def. try this!

    • Treat Keratosis Pilaris July 1, 2011, 11:08 am

      I varied my rare veggies and fruits in a mixer and drink them kinda like a smoothie . is it a trouble mixing both mutually

    • callmebaby July 5, 2011, 2:45 am

      im doing this on Wednesday today is Monday but tonight im pigging out mmnmmm beef and pepper cheese sandwich. the next weeks r gonna suck

    • mike July 10, 2011, 4:52 pm

      If I have highcholestrol what foods must I avoid for detoxing and I am blood group A postive

    • Tawny July 16, 2011, 12:21 pm

      The page says that you should try to eat the veggies raw as much as you can but it also lists a few vegetables that I would not think you should eat raw; brussels sprouts, red cabbage, pumpkin & sweet potato. I don’t know how you’d cook sweet potato or brussels sprouts without taking out their goodness. Could someone please tell me? Also, is it ok to eat pepper or coconut milk on the detox?

      • chloe November 14, 2011, 11:51 am

        Hey,
        I study the digestive system and they are perfectly fine to eat raw as are mushrooms and onions ect…Just eat in small quanties just drink pleanty of water when eating them :D

    • rosie August 12, 2011, 8:53 pm

      how many days is this for?

    • Mary September 11, 2011, 7:51 pm

      Can I eat chicken? Im afraid I’ll be too low on protien…

    • Alexandria September 16, 2011, 12:09 am

      Um…does this detoxing program help reduce body fat..and does it help with acne!!!!!(PLEAAASE REPLY IF POSSIBLE)

      • CC September 23, 2011, 5:22 pm

        I would think that if you do this diet over the course of 2 weeks ( Day 1, nothing but water, Day 2-7, raw veggies/fruits, Days8-14, incorporating the other foods listed), you will notice a reduction in body fat over that time. As with acne, it might (I don’t know because I have yet to detox) because you are flusing out all toxins associated with the foods we eat. Some foods you eat regularly may be triggering an acne outbreak.

      • blake November 16, 2011, 3:54 am

        taking a shot of pure Lemon juice (not the bottle stuff) twice a a day is said to be amazing for your face. its been a models best kept secret.

    • dil September 22, 2011, 11:34 am

      i done this above detox plan for 40 days and lost 12 kg weight..but i use to walk 4 times a week for 2 hours…i done it in august….it was really helpful to loose this weight which i couldnt lose for many years……it was called water retention therapy….

    • Dawn Rogers October 3, 2011, 4:25 pm

      I started my 24 hour water fast to prepare for the 7 day detox last night after dinner. Is it ok to workout during the water fast?

      • Karen October 7, 2011, 3:58 pm

        I would definitely not work out during the water fast, unless you are interested in feeling more miserable. Even while eating the fruits and vegetables, you should do only light exercise. Your body needs calories to perform activities that demand more energy. This detox contains so few calories, it would be unwise to do more than the normal day-to-day activity.

    • Ronald Hampton October 19, 2011, 9:22 pm

      I have been doing this for years, twice a year. The improvement I get to my workouts and diets are quite noticeable to me as well as my skin condition. I was wondering is colon hydrotherapy would help or improve the process and benefits?

    • Jennifer October 31, 2011, 3:34 pm

      Detox really helps. I worked with a personal trainer/nutritionist and he had me do this for a jump start. I drank water and green tea for the first 24 hours. I couldn’t take lemon because of my acid reflux, but other fruits can make your acid reflux act up. Difference with this detox is I did this for 10 days rather than 7. My tummy wasn’t bloated anymore. I would go to the gym and felt like working out. Only down side is when I was detoxing I would see stars because I got so dizzy. I went from eating fried and canned food and alot of calories a day to tons on vitamins with less calories. This shouldn’t be more than to weeks. Milk and meat is good for you. Organic strait from the cow milk is amazing for you, though its illegal to sale where I’m at. So these foods should be re introduced to your body. That’s if your not a vegan, if you were I’m sure you wouldnt be reading this. Lol.

    • Jennifer October 31, 2011, 3:41 pm

      Also if I may note, don’t detox to lose weight. Is only for a kick start to a healthy life. Only thing that will get rid of unwanted weight or fat is eating correctly AND exercise. There is no easy way. Just eat like you should and stay active. If your looking for an extra flush you can also get colon hydrotherapy.

    • Austin November 5, 2011, 1:47 pm

      Recently I got very ill. At first, it was ‘winter time bugs’ for about 10 days – then I got a queasy stomach. I went to the doctor and he said “diabetes type 2” – I freaked!
      I couldn’t keep any food down, so I went into an involuntary ‘fast’, which then progressed into a ‘detox’.

      All my toxins, built up over years (including nicotine!) left my body over the next five days. For the sceptics – ‘toxins’ are those things which remain in our system after digestion has occurred, and that do us harm instead of good. Most of them can be dislodged with various treatments, and detox/fasting is one that works quite well to that end. There are far too many to name.

      All I could take were liquids (everything else came back up) so I made home made brews of iced tea and lemonade. At the end of all this (after 3 weeks, which ended about 5 days ago) I could retain solid food, and have returned to light meals (eg: eggs on toast for breakfast, 2 fried fish for tea, with fruit/juices in between) I have lost 10kgs (down from 136 to 126 kgs) and definitely feel much better. Incidentally, I’m now smoke free for the last 10 days! No desires or cravings to ‘light up’ again either!

      If you are a ‘detox’ sceptic, I’d suggest that your doctor and Big Pharma have you fooled into believing that chemist drugs are better for you than nature’s own cures. Fruit/juices are easier and tastier for you than green veggies or herbs, but advice on using both is a good balance in the fasting/detox process. Take notice of the warnings here and elsewhere on not fasting/detoxing for ever!!!

    • megan November 15, 2011, 10:22 pm

      Im guessing that at some point you will come off this detox but once you have come off this did anyone find they put on more weight after doing it ???

    • Deborah November 19, 2011, 4:49 pm

      Can we eat tofu??

    • Dpark November 30, 2011, 4:27 am

      I am very interested in fasting….i am not over weight but i ear horribly, always on the go and feel unheualthy and anxious….my question is…..i eant to fast for one day to start but i get weak and shakey if i dont eat something. When i feel like this….shoyld i drink a glass of water to not feel shakey? What is ur opinion? I have to start some where…

    • Keith December 2, 2011, 6:43 am

      There is ZERO actual evidence that body detoxification works. These fad diets make claims that toxins build up in your system over time but there isnt a shred of evidence of this ‘fact’. These people make you believe “toxins!! Toxins!!!!! Everywhere! Youre going to die!! ” the actual truth in the matter is your body does a perfectly fine job at ridding sweeteners, pesticides, and other toxins within hours of consumption or exposure.

      If you are looking to these diets as a get thin and lose weight quick skeem you are sadly mistaken. Nothing but balanced diet containing whole foods, many fruits and vegetables plenty of complex/complete protein (low fat lean meats like chicken and fish, not plant proteins, they don’t support muscle developement and health.). Also good quality carbs such as oats, brown rice and wheat bread. Eating like this with plenty of excersize is the healthiest and best way to lose weight. Any weight you lose durin your detox period will quickly gain right back as you return to your normal eating habits.

      In closing these quick detox regimes are psuedo/junk science at best. If you do try the diet and feel better, more energetic and possibly euphoric, it’s most likely caused by two factors: the placebo effect (you have a pre-determined notion you’re going to feel better so your brain will make you believe you’re better) and also you’re not used to eating anything but fast food, hohos and gummy bears so OF COARSE you will get a boost of energy eating nothing but sugar loaded fruit.

      PS when our ancient ancestors were able to cook food such as meat, it IS easier to diges and acted as rocket fuel for our hungry hungry brains. Cooking our food rapidly spead up the evolution of our brains.

      • chris December 2, 2011, 11:14 pm

        this is in response to the last comment by keith…i usually dont respond to such comments…but seeing that somebody could actually read his comments, believe what he is saying ,and then become discouraged, would be a tragidy in my mind….first i want to point out that keiths claim that there is no scientific proof that detox removes toxins and heals the body, is so far from the truth that it is actually laughable…all anyone has to do is search online and you will find THOUSANDS of actual documented cases of fasting, detoxing, and healing that have been done with specific studys by scientist and nutritionist since the early 1900’s…second fact that keith is completely wrong about is weight loss…again there are many documented cases of dramatic weight loss AND i myself am living proof that you will lose about a pound a day on a fast and keep it off (70lbs in my case)…and the only way you gain it back is if you go right back to your bad eating habits…and finally the last thing keith is wrong about is the energy and feel good feeling as being just you and your brain fooling your body??…ive never heard such rubbish in my life…he also says its because of the large amounts of sugar from the fruits…well i have done two water fast without the fruit juice and i get that same energy and euphoric feeling after about a week, and trust me when i say my brain is doing anything but trying to help me…if anything it is SCREAMING food food food…so to all that read this and other comments, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just do your research with many different sources such as internet and library and you will be able to just laugh and quickly move on from false information that people such as keith have so boldly tried to pass on as fact…good luck with your detox! ps..also movies like fat sick and nearly dead, food matters,forks over knives are also VERY good sources of documentation and information concerning food, detoxing, and healing the body

        • Keith December 9, 2011, 12:05 am

          If you body didn’t get rid of toxins it’s own way and all they did was build and build and build up people would not live a long time. And your detox you lost 70 pounds from detoxing? Apparently you didn’t actually understand what I said, 2 weeks of flushing these “toxins” from your body and going abouts your normal eating habits isn’t going to do anything beneficial. My guess is that you changed every aspect of your diet around to be well balanced. Of course doing that your going to lose weight. My comment was geared towards these 2 week detox plans where you’ll lose weight quickly those 2 weeks and afterwards gain most back bc it’s mostly waterweight anyhow. I have done plenty of research on my own. You and these detox plans are nothing but laughable empty hope to fat people. Here’s a messege to all overweight ppl, get off the couch balance your diet out if you need help with an excersize regiment or diet ask me I have plenty of info and are probably more well rounded to this subject then most.

          Funny how Chris had nothing to say about my other comments about balanced diet with good proteins and good carbs. Chris you’re a joke my information comes from reputable websites such as webmd and so on, go ahead look it up. Also are you naive enough to. Believe everythin you read on the Internet as well?

    • Keith December 9, 2011, 12:32 am

      Also Chris show me these study’s since the 1900’s and I want you to specifically name these toxins and how they’re harmful. I also want a study of before and after a detox that shows levels of this harmful substance to the body that has greatly reduced because of this detoxing and nothing else.

      • chris December 15, 2011, 8:38 am

        actually keith i did read exactly what you said…and i will repeat myself that you in fact gave a lot of false information…you said if someone is looking to lose weight quick on a fasting/detox diet that they are sadly mistaken that it will work…then you go on to mention that” NOTHING” but changing your diet and exercise will get rid of weight and keep it off…well im sorry sir but that is just not true…while in fact yes what you mentioned about a good diet and exercise is a great way to lose weight and certainly to be recommended , it is indeed NOT the only way and most certainly not the quickest way to start…and like i mentioned before i am living proof that folks will NOT be sadly mistaken (as you say)that other methods can get rid of the weight fast and keep it off…again i lost 70lbs in about month and a half AND i have kept off all the weight now that i am on a good diet and exercising daily…now please try and tell me of anybody in the history of the earth that has lost that much weight that fast with JUST a healthy diet and exercise to start with…sorry you wont…takes a LOT longer, even though you will definitely achieve weight loss results eventually….and of course it is a no brainer that if you return to eating junk and crap food NO MATTER HOW YOU LOSE THE WEIGHT , you will gain it all back……however one correct sentence by you in a paragraph full of incorrect statements just isnt a productive message..and then there is your next paragraph about your information on how the body and mind feels during a detox and the reasons you gave for this..and even though i cant get inside the head of somebody else, like you somehow did, i know from my own personal experience that the entire paragraph on the subject by you is extremely misleading and narrow….now of course i am just one of many and your comments about pre determined notions and sugar loaded fruit (which wouldnt even be possible on a water detox)might actually apply to some people in certain detox scenarios…however you did not put it that way and were coming across as that information being VERY general and VERY standard, which is incorrect….and as far as giving you references about fasting and detoxing and healing the body all being documented, i dont feel it my duty to indulge you in that way by taking the enormous amount of time that it took me to do the research on my own…..and the immature personal attacks like “i am a joke” and “i am naive” also kinda kills the motivation for me from wanting to take that time for you as well…keep in mind i only disagreed with you and stated that i believe your COMMENTS were wrong and sometimes grossly wrong….BUT i never once attacked you personally like you have me …BIG DIFFERENCE…that being said, you have a computer, you have internet, you know of a library, you can look up nutritionist in the phone book and call around….and i promise you will get what you ask for….now even though i was only assuming that there were “thousands” of cases, i myself found about hundred or so in about a months time of research and assumed i didnt find ALL of the documented cases in the world…lol…AND i gave the three movies that i watched that also documented these things….and no keith im not naive enough to believe everything i read on the internet…why do you think i completely disagreed with most of your comments… so now the people have your comments and they also have mine…and basically since we just repeated ourselves from our original comments, why dont we just let those that read what we have to say do their own research and decide for themselves what is best for them……take care keith

        • Miki December 31, 2011, 3:54 am

          Chris, I like your comments and appreciate your maturity.

        • turtlef#ckr October 28, 2012, 2:32 pm

          Isnt 70 lbs in a month and a half unhealthy?

    • Simone January 17, 2012, 2:56 pm

      I have been detoxing fpr 7days now and my sense of smell has drastically improved. I’m having a more restful sleep at nights, and can see some benefits in my skin also .
      The first 3-4 days is the most difficult but after that ‘Mr Willpower’ kicks in and you feel great! I would suggest to research recipes and try new things out so you dont get too bored eating fruit and veg. For the best results I recommend eating fruit until 12pm and the remainder of the day purely veg and small portions of carbohydrates. You should not feel hungry as you can eat as much fruit and veg as you would like.
      I have 3 more days to go . . wish me luck :)

      • Page February 14, 2012, 3:11 am

        What kind of carbs are you having??

    • TUTZ d' Lion January 27, 2012, 11:29 pm

      I’m thankful for Cris and Keith. I guess everyone digested pieces of info that’s best with their quest for detoxification. Just don’t take it personally guys.

    • Carly January 28, 2012, 9:58 am

      I was just wandering how you can eat raw vegetable? I can’t imagine munching on a raw brussel sprout for instants might break my teeth lol

    • Page February 14, 2012, 3:08 am

      I started today fasting but I have a few questions. 1st can I drink soy milk or almond milk? I live in Guam so fresh fruits and veggies are plentiful here including my fav bananas…. why is it I can’t eat bananas everyday? Also fish is good and also plentiful here but can I have small amounts of chicken? A response would be great!
      Thanks <3

    • yessi March 21, 2012, 5:28 am

      Hi. what I want to know is how can I do it if I have hated Veggies ever since I was little. So how can I get around that?

    • Emmalie March 29, 2012, 9:39 am

      Hi all, great page but i was just wondering if its ok for a 15 year old to do a detox where i only eat fruit and veggies for 3 days? nd i also want to lose 5 kilos in 3 weeks. is their a diet i can follow? Thanks :)

    • Nikki March 31, 2012, 10:03 pm

      My new trainer just had me start a detox with only veggies and 3 fruits a day. Fiber drink in the morning and lemon in hot water. While I’m only on the second day I’ve lost 3 1/2 pounds. It’s difficult when your not used to filling all meals with veggies, but doable. It’s not about just loosing weight it’s about starting over and jumpstarting a new you. If your ready to become a healthy person this is a great way to do it, start off with this then slowly add back other healthy foods and exercise. It is motivating to get the initial weight off, but if you just go right back to eating junk it will all cone right back. This detox should be about a change in life style not a quick drop weight diet.

    • Megan April 3, 2012, 10:09 pm

      Can you drink orange juice whilst detoxing or would you advise to keep clear of? I’m not a big fan of carrot/apple juice.

    • Katie April 30, 2012, 12:18 am

      I really want to do this because I use to eat a lot of processed food but have stopped mostly. However, I feel better eating better food now, I feel that I need to detox in order to get the full effects. I want to start this week but it said don’t do it when you are busy. I have the SAT exam, and 3 final exams…will the detoxing effect me so much that it could harm my grades( as in make me really tired, sick, go to the bathroom a lot, etc)?

      • dude May 15, 2012, 5:20 am

        Yes, it certainly will affect your mental abilities. It’s recommended that you do not drive or opperate heavy machinery while fasting/detoxing.

    • Meghna May 11, 2012, 7:04 pm

      Christ ur comments have been really helpful

    • dude May 15, 2012, 5:20 am

      I would not look to detox diets and fasting for healthy weight loss. It’s an excellent place to start though. Once your body is rid of all the gunk clogging things up, then you NEED to exercise to stay healthy as well. You need to move. You need to bend those joints and hammer those bones. Yes, those bones. Don’t over do. Increase your threshold gradually. Too all those saying to consult an MD, that’s just FUD. Unless you have a personal family doctor, I bet you know more about your body than any doctor does. After all, you’ve lived with it your whole life. You know what you can take. Don’t be a sissy.

    • Louie May 15, 2012, 5:47 pm

      This generation has been eating to many processed foods. Bad for your body. So we need to eat properly. I would check out the Mayo Clinic website for a more thorough diet. One thing I did learn from a nutritionist is to shop for foods on the outer aisles of your grocery store, these are where all your natural food products are.

    • Alyse May 18, 2012, 2:00 pm

      I didn’t believe it would work, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try. Followed this to the T & POW. 7lbs in 4 days :) guna continue to eat healthy & maintain now! Thanx!!!

    • Maria May 22, 2012, 6:24 pm

      Well, I do believe in detoxing, but I don’t agree with just drinking water for one day.

      First I would tell anyone and everyone, clean up your horrible eating habits for one month to start with. Eat more fruits, veggies, healthy protein, make sure your bowels are functioning at least once a day.

      Eat the clean, healthy foods you are going to eat, after the detox, as you did before the detox.

      Then do the detox. I found doing it this way, works perfectly. I wasn’t low on energy, and I felt fine. Gaining and losing weight, has a roller coaster, bad effect on ones body and will only age you.

      Also, those on medications, like high blood pressure, diabetic, etc., proceed with caution.

    • Nandipha May 30, 2012, 11:29 am

      I think this is worth trying.

    • Shaun May 30, 2012, 6:41 pm

      I am now 3 days into a Juice Only diet, currently my juice consists of 1x Cucumber, 1x Celery, 2x Green Apples 6x Kale Leaves, 1/2 Lemon and some Ginger root … I am somebody who eats and not small amounts, Tacos in the morning, Chicken fried Steak for lunch and maybe wings for dinner… I realized I had to do something for my weight and diabetes, Day 2 was the worse with headaches and hunger but Day 3 is a lot better (not perfect but better) I drink 3 juices a day and water in between and in 2 days lost 8lbs but I feel more alert and better for the Detox.. I hope to continue for 10-days but my cravings have gone and am looking forward to stepping on the scales tonight :) .. all i can say any health regime is 90% commitment but I have to admit this has been pretty easy so far!!

    • Vincent Musschoot May 31, 2012, 2:03 pm

      Hi this is damned true!
      I always had problem with my loss of weight. The problem was the “yo-yo” effect.
      Till I found detox fruits.
      So GREAT!
      Enjoy!
      Have a wonderful day!

    • Tricia June 29, 2012, 2:06 pm

      I am excited to try this! My first cup of hot lemon water was quite tasty. I am, however, already getting a headache from a lack of caffeine. For how many days would you recommend I go without caffeine for the detox to be effective?

    • Sally July 29, 2012, 9:31 am

      Ive been suffering from sever e acidity and reflux for the past 15 years. My naturistic doctor has been insisting i do this diet for some time.
      The first 5 days, eat all the fruit or its juice every 2 hours. Then introduce normal food by eating only one type of food in every meal for 3 days. ( for example, an apple for breakfast, a piece of chicken at lunch, only carrots for dinner etc.) . Then you continue with meals that mix only 2 types of food, then a few days later you mix three, then four…until you are eating normal healthy foods again. He claims that will give my stomach the chance of recreating its thick mucus lining again. Tomorrow I’m fasting because of a religious fast and then i will start. Hope it works and doesnt get my acidity worse with all that fruit…,

    • Laura August 24, 2012, 1:24 am

      Ok, so I guess that I need someone to draw me a picture here. I would really like to try this…but EXACTLY how do I do it? How long do I do it? I would like step by step directions starting with day 1 please.

      So the first 24 hours I start the day with hot water and lemon juice and then water all day and then end the day with hot water and lemon juice?

      Then what? I wanna do this exactly right! :)

    • john January 18, 2013, 10:11 am

      for me this works great…. the body really tells you that enough is enough

    • Sarah February 8, 2013, 7:42 pm

      Detoxification for the body is a real necessity for some of us. Like the bantering that was going on up above about detoxing being a joke and not necessary, we are all unique creatures, with different genetic susceptibilities, that allow us to process and excrete toxins at varying rates. Some people become extremely toxic to the same substances that don’t affect others. If someone doesn’t believe that we as a race don’t need help in detoxifying, well then that person has never suffered a toxicosis.
      Back to the subject on detoxifying from fruits and vegetables, it is mainly effective because of all the antioxidants being introduced into the body, and the water helping to flush the toxins, neutralized by the antioxidants, out.
      For someone who is seriously toxic, however, fruits and vegetables just aren’t going to cut it. People like me need extra help with body detoxification and remaining in a healthy state. In this case, cellular cleansing is necessary, in addition to, of course, a healthy diet (for which this article is a good one).

    • rac March 2, 2013, 4:19 pm

      For the whole month of february, i lost 21 lbs in total. So im thinking about doing the detox stuff for another month.. is it safe for me?

    • suzan March 27, 2013, 9:01 am

      About to start my detox this week. I have Acid Reflux . So very little acidic fruits . Having no gall bladder i suffer alot . Wish me luck :)

    • T July 23, 2013, 12:27 am

      this is a great article on detoxing but my normal diet already is this. I don’t eat meat, dairy or eggs. i don’t drink alcohol or coffee. i eat a lot of raw salads or steamed vegetables and i exercise for an hour 3 times a week.

      I have done all of this to try and fix my skin problems but not much has changed. i am looking to further detox my body but i don’t know what else i can do? Any suggestions?

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