Browsing Category: "diet"

Detox Dieting for Health

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007 | diet, health with No Comments »

A detoxification diet is a specialized diet plan, typically for a short period of time that allows the body to rid itself of the accumulated toxins. While those dependent on alcohol or drugs make up a large portion of those who use a detox diet, it is also very useful for eliminating natural, dietary or environmental toxins from the body.

Goal of a Detox Diet

The main purpose of a detox diet, aside from eliminating toxins from the body, is to increase colon function, create more waste products, thus cleansing the colon. Additionally, a good detox diet will help improve your circulation as well as liver function. During and for a short time after detoxing you will find that your overall well-being and energy levels have improved due to your body now functioning with a clean “motor.”

What to drink

Perhaps more important than what to eat is what to drink during a detox diet. Water is the key to a successful cleansing and you should be drinking, at a minimum, 8 glasses a day. Occasionally, you may drink pure fruit or vegetable juice with no added sugar to add to your fluid intake. Organic juices should be drank whenever possible and all juice should be cut with water by 50% to cut your sugar intake. By consuming only organic, you can ensure that the fruits and vegetables are chemical and pesticide free. Although you might feel the urge to stop by your local smoothie shop to fulfill your detox plan, it should be avoided at all costs. Most smoothie shops serve smoothies choc full of sugar, dairy and inorganic fruits. Basically everything you should avoid while cleansing your system.

Green teas or other naturally decaffeinated herbal teas are gentle enough to drink while on your detox diet but should be drank sparingly and never boiling hot. You could even sweeten them with a touch of organic honey, but remember to use it sparingly over the course of the diet so that it does not interfere with the main goal of your cleansing.

What to eat

It’s important to note that a detox diet is not a starvation diet. The key is not to lose weight but to lose the toxins and unhealthy chemicals your body is forced upon with the intake of processed, high fat and high sugar foods. With this in mind, you will be happy to note that any fresh vegetables, preferably organic apply. Whole grains such as Quinoa, millet or brown rice and beans like split peas, garbanzos, pintos or kidney beans can supplement your detox and help you feel full. Nuts except for peanuts are also acceptable to help cleanse your system. As you have probably noticed, you should try to stick with foods that are high in fiber, sugar and salt free and organic.

Other recommendations

The key to a successful detox plan is not to starve yourself, but create a menu you can follow for about two weeks. You may use herbs and spices as desired and sea salt in a limited amount. Be sure not to eat on the run and to chew food adequately. If you are dedicated to a true system cleansing, a detox diet is right for you and surprisingly easy to follow.

 

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Adopt a change for the better with a lifestyle diet

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007 | diet, health with No Comments »

While many of us realize that we should do something about our lifestyle and that we don’t eat the way we should or exercise enough, very few of us actually do anything about it or make an attempt to change our lifestyle for the better.

By adopting a lifestyle diet you can begin to take steps towards not only becoming a healthier person but also a happier and peaceful one. Although the idea of making big changes puts people off and admittedly it can be a little more time consuming, aren’t you worth the hassle?

What is a lifestyle diet?

A lifestyle diet is all about changing all aspects of your life including your diet in order to gain a fitter healthier body and mind. It’s about not only changing your diet but also understanding why you need to change it, you have to realize what makes a diet a healthy one and what exactly is in the food you are continually putting into your stomach. Quite simply what you eat affects your body and lifestyle more than you think, after all when you stop and consider that food is the foundation for your bones, muscles, cells and every single system in your body including your mind. Now can you see why you should follow the lifestyle diet? If not here are some good reasons why.

A recent study conducted at the American institute for cancer research showed that around 30% to 40% of all cancers could be linked to dietary factors.

If you are planning a family then you should know that what you eat affects your sperm and can play havoc with a man`s fertility. Men who don’t get enough vitamin C greatly increase the chances of genetic damage occurring to the sperm, so this alone is worth considering changing your diet for.

Thousands of people die each year from heart attacks and following smoking and a lack of exercise, the diet plays a huge factor. In order to maintain a healthy heart you simply have to maintain a healthy diet, which means plenty of fresh fruit and veg and cutting down on take out foods.

Filling your body with chemicals and additives isn’t healthy with processed foods holding very little nutritional value. Although many additives have now been banned from food you should still be very cautious about what you include in your daily diet.

Being overweight and not getting enough exercise leads to many problems with the health and this is the first place you should consider starting when thinking about changing your lifestyle.

All the little things that bother us on a daily basis all add up to living an unhealthy lifestyle, the small pains and aches, headaches from stress, problems such as insomnia and back pain, even mood swings. All of these things can be attributed to your lifestyle, and are particularly affected by what we eat. Eating poorly and unhealthily means that are bodies are out under much stress and so aren’t able to cope as efficiently, continuing with an unhealthy diet can only lead to more serious health issues and problems.

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