Detox Weight Loss and Obesity

In his book The Detox Diet, Elson M. Haas, M.D., states:

"Detoxification is also an important component in treating obesity. Many of the toxins we ingest or make are stored in the fatty tissues: hence, obesity is almost always associated with toxicity. When we lose weight, we reduce our body fat and thereby our toxic load. However, during weight loss we also release more toxins and need to protect ourselves from nutrient depletion through extra supplementation, including taking additional antioxidants to balance these toxins. Exercise will also promote the loss of excess pounds and help further detoxification." (p. 24.)

In the 7-Day Detox Miracle, Drs. Bennett and Barrie write that, "Although not meant as a weight-loss system, you'll discover that most of the clinical secrets for helping shed difficult pounds are found in our program. Almost all our patients lose 7 to 14 pounds in one to two weeks, and, because they stay on a maintenance program, the weight does not come back." (p. 79.)

Detox Weight Loss Diet and Lifestyle Choices:

• low fat

• high fiber

• regular exercise

• lots of pure water

• body detoxification

Low fat: It is imperative to cut back on saturated fat, which is hard for the liver to metabolize and creates havoc on the arteries of our circulatory system. By low fat, we don't mean no fat. Fat is your body's primary energy source. The majority of overweight people actually have too much sugar in their blood and relatively low fat levels. This will result in constant hunger and the tendency to snack on high carb foods, which perpetuates a vicious cycle. Aim to always include a little healthy fat in every meal and snack.

Healthy fats:

Monounsaturated Fat

• olive oil
• peanut oil
• canola oil
• avacados
• nuts and seeds

Polyunsaturated Fat

• safflower oil

• sunflower oil

• soy oil

• conttonseed oil

• nuts and seeds

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

salmon

mackerel

herring

flaxseeds and flax oil

walnuts

High Fiber: Dietary fiber is that part of food that is not broken down by the body's digestive enzymes. As a result, fiber moves through the entire digestive tract, where it performs a gentle scrubbing action. Fiber is a natural intestinal and colon cleanser, and we should rely on getting it in our diet, not only in colon cleansing products. Fiber retains water, which produces softer and bulkier stools -- a great and natural prevention against constipation. Fiber also binds with certain fatty substances that produce cholesterol.

High fiber foods include:

• fresh fruits
• fresh vegetables (raw is best)
  
• beans
• legumes
• whole grains
• nuts and seeds
  
  

Exercise: Exercise not only burns fat, it raises metabolism, which can provide a long-term calorie burning effect even after exercise. Daily exercise will release fat from the cells. Even if you change your diet only slightly, regular moderate exercise will shed weight. Cardiovascular exercise burns fat and stimulates lymphatic circulation, which helps carry toxins from the body, which in turn lightens the load of your fat cells. Weight training exercise builds muscle. When muscle mass increases, so does metabolism, a very important factor in permanent weight loss.