Detox Diet And Body Detox – How To Cleanse Your Body And Be Healthy

Hallelujah Diet

The name “Hallelujah Diet” will readily give away where it’s based from: yes, the Bible. This form of weight loss and detox diet allows the consumption of only fruits and vegetables. Basically, it says for you to eat your food as they are naturally. However, you can juice your fruits, and only 15% of your daily consumption of vegetables may be cooked – steamed, baked or even stir fried – and the remaining 85% must be eaten raw.

Since the Hallelujah Diet is basically akin to strict vegetarianism, one is to steer clear of meat food sources such as pork, beef and fish. Eggs and dairy products are also not allowed by the diet. This means that ice cream, yogurt, butter or cheese may not be consumed, since they all come from animal sources. In addition, caffeine and alcohol are prohibited as well.

Creation and Premise

The Hallelujah Diet is the brainchild of Rev. George Malkmus in the 70’s. Back then, he was suffering from colon cancer. In his quest to find a way to somewhat heal himself, a fellow member of the clergy suggested a diet regimen based on the Bible:

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” – Genesis 1:29

Rev. George Malkmus, since adapting the Biblical passage’s suggestion, claimed to have been cured of his colon cancer, although there are no medical records backing it up. He based the premise of the Hallelujah Diet on what God has intended for us to consume for nourishment: raw and live foods such as fruits and vegetables. Rev. George Malkmus added that meat and other food items that come from animals are considered dead foods, and are not meant for us to eat for nourishment.

Sample Diet Plan

Again, fruits may be served in juiced form and the vegetables may be served either cooked or raw, as long as the cooked ones do not go past the allowed 15% of all the servings of the vegetables for the day. The cooked portion may either be served at lunch or dinner. However, the diet suggests it is ideal to have the cooked portions at night, since the vegetable fibers have already been softened by the cooking, so the digestive tract is spared from processing them the hard way during bedtime.

Anyone on the Hallelujah Diet is required to consume barley grass drinks for supplement. Usually, you may purchase barley grass drink in powdered form, available ether on the internet or health and nutrition stores. This is the only beverage allowed, along with water, herbal tea, and fruit and vegetable juices. Bread, cereals and pasta, by the way, are permitted while on the diet, as long as they are of whole grain variety.

The following is a sample diet plan for 1 day:

* Breakfast – barley grass drink
* Morning snack – carrot sticks and orange juice
* Lunch – raw vegetable salad, whole grain bread and barley grass drink
* Afternoon snack – banana, nuts and vegetable juice
* Diner – stir fried vegetables, baked sweet potatoes and barley grass drink
* Evening snack – pear

Exercise

Light exercises are best done with the Hallelujah Diet, especially for those trying to achieve detoxification, because toxins may also be flushed out of the body through sweating. Walking, yoga and stretching are some ideal exercises, although one must abstain from doing strenuous one. The diet is obviously low in caloric content and no animal protein sources, so staying away from strenuous workout routines such as swimming or weight lifting is a sensible idea.

The Pros and Cons

Fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber – which all are beneficial in detoxifying the body. They are also low in calories and fats, which is an ideal diet for people who are trying to shed off a few excess pounds. Strict vegans will not have a hard time adjusting to the Hallelujah Diet, since it is basically what they are accustomed to.

However, some people may find it hard to comply with the Hallelujah Diet as it is very restrictive in terms of food sources. While the diet may be beneficial when done in short term for detoxification and diet transition, people who follow it in long term report nutritional deficiency, loss of muscle tone and frequent exhaustion. The Hallelujah Diet is not recommended for people who have an active lifestyle, or suffering from certain health conditions where a full range of nutrients – from carbohydrates, protein, to fats – are essential daily to maintain wellbeing.