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

The Clean Program

The Clean Program is a detox diet that lasts for 21 days. You might be reacting violently right now thinking that it would be extremely difficult to complete a diet that lasts that long, but you’ll learn later that the food choices are not at all that restrictive.

Created by Dr. Alejandro Junger, a cardiologist and a leading integrative medicine practitioner, the Clean Program was intended to deal with chronic health-related problems such as: irritable bowel syndrome, depression, fatigue, insomnia, all sorts of allergies and obesity. Dr. Junger believed that, if accumulated toxins in the body are eliminated, such problems could be managed. That’s why the Clean Program advocates the consumption of certain foods that will hasten removal of toxins in the body, later on also providing restorative effects as well.

The Fundamentals of the Diet

First and foremost, the Clean Program aims to remove all the accumulated toxins inside the body. Again, these toxins are to blame for several different health-related problems in the body mentioned earlier. In the process of removal, certain foods must be avoided and must be replaced with healthier options. Processed foods are a no-no because they contain additives like artificial colorings, flavorings, and preservatives that only add up to the toxin content of the body. Organic foods are highly recommended, since they’re grown without the use of harmful pesticides, fertilizers and other similar chemicals.

Second, the Clean Program aims to replenish nutrients the body is lacking in. By supplying the right nutrients after detoxification, the body’s return to an optimum health condition becomes quicker. The Clean Program recommends the consumption of fruits, vegetables and healthy meat choices, as well as meal replacement shakes and other supplements.

In addition to the nutrient-dense foods, one also needs to do regular exercise, such as walking, biking or swimming. To facilitate calcium absorption of the bone, one must have at least 15 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight daily as a source of vitamin D. The Clean Program also suggests certain activities that help hasten sweeping out of toxins, such as massages, saunas and meditations. For the cleansing of the digestive tract, laxatives and colonics are encouraged.

Allowed Foods and Sample Diet

Basically, there’s no limit to the type of fruits and vegetables you may consume during the 21 days of sticking to the Clean Program. However, it’s best to go for organically grown ones, to avoid further introduction of toxins into the body. When it comes to healthy meat choices, you may enjoy having cold water fish, lean lamb, chicken, turkey and duck. But do take note that, as mentioned earlier, the Clean Program also necessitates the intake of meal replacement shakes and additional supplements which may be purchased online.

The Clean Program, obviously, is not at all that restrictive as other detox diets currently out there when it comes to the foods you can have. In fact, there is no limit to the number of servings of allowable foods daily, so you do not experience hunger pangs or weakness because you are well-nourished and satisfied through the 21 days of the detoxification process. Take a look at a 1-day sample diet:

* Breakfast – pineapple smoothie
* Morning snack – carrot sticks and green tea
* Lunch – roasted duck and fruit salad
* Afternoon snack – watermelon and almonds
* Dinner – curried vegetable bisque

A few reminders about the diet, though. First, the Clean Program recommends eating a liquid meal for breakfast, solid meal for lunch, and another liquid meal for dinner. A liquid meal at night is necessary for the digestive tract to have a lighter workload just before bedtime, so the detoxification and healing processes are rendered more efficiently. Then you have to make sure that there is at least a 12-hour period between dinner and breakfast the following day, for maximum results.

Summing Up

Let us start with the pros of the Clean Program. Since it is not very restrictive, anyone on the Clean Program will be able to maintain normal energy levels, so the diet does not interfere with work or any other daily activity. Also, there are fewer side effects compared to other detox diets. Now let’s go to the cons of the Clean Program. Since breakfast and dinner allows only liquid meals, a special type of blender or food processor may have to be purchased. Also, meal replacement shakes and additional supplements have to be purchased as well, although some people simply replace them with fruit juices and multivitamins instead.