Detox, not Diet!

The word 'detox' seems to strike many people as some form of self inflicted torture; a punishing way to sacrifice all that they enjoy and to go hungry for a week. Well, the good news is that couldn't be further from the truth and I'm going to tell you why. Let's start with the reasons why a detox is so beneficial;

What does a detox offer;

• The first and most obvious is a well executed detox will clear your body of the toxins that our lifestyle and climate bombard it with. Our bodies are phenomenal healers if only we let them be, but how can they look after our interests if they are constantly fighting off the poisons we inevitably give them! A good healthy gastrointestinal system is vital for fighting off disease. Once cleansed, we feel lighter, have more energy, less brain fog and we lose the bloat. Our skin and hair often look better and weight loss is a pleasant side effect of our bodies not having to carry around those excess pounds of toxicity.
• A detox is an amazing way to find out what foods our bodies don't agree with; by eliminating the foods that are the most common sources of sensitivities, we get to reset our bodies to where they should be. We then slowly start to introduce each food type one at a time to see which one(s) are causing us issues. A two week detox can identify and eliminate issues that can take months or even years to discover otherwise. 
• It can get us started on a journey of awareness. A well planned and thought out detox gives us a chance to really look at what we are putting into our bodies everyday and helps us to find healthier alternatives - we make changes for life that really do change our lives. 

What a detox is;

A detox is a three phase operation; 

• Pre detox is a period where we wean ourselves off the food that we should be eating less off - the fast foods, the processed food, the high caffein double extra strong power coffees many of us start the day with. This takes away the shock of going 'Cold Turkey' and lets our bodies adapt gradually.
• The actual detox is usually a 5 - 7 day period of regular meals and snacks made from real whole food - and that's it! No other great changes except maybe to exercise levels depending on how you feel.
• The transition phase is where we slowly start to reintroduce the foods we have cut out. I'm not talking about the take away burgers or ice cream - I'm talking about eggs, dairy, nuts, grains, corn or sugar. We bring these back in one at a time every 2 - 3 days and we watch for adverse effects, this way we find out what our individual bodies work well with and work best without.

And what a detox isn't;

A detox is NOT a starvation diet, there is never any need to go hungry. When we let ourselves get hungry, that is usually the time we make a grab for instant gratification - the junk! If you need to eat more, then eat more - simple! If your body craves animal protein then eat animal protein - I do when I detox. We all have different needs, whether it's quantity, type of food, hot, cold etc. Just make sure if you need more, you are eating more of what is good for you. This is not about making short term sacrifices or abstinence, but a time of learning how to correctly fuel our bodies so that they can be the healthiest possible and can carry us through our day to day challenges with ease.

I guarantee one thing; you WILL feel better after a properly thought out and designed detox - try it; what have you got to lose - apart from lethargy, brain fog, excess weight.....