There are as many combinations of what can be done to achieve this as there are people reading these pages. That's why we don't advocate a particular one. You're the one who needs to decide what will work best for you.
1. Cleansing and Elimination
This is the central goal of a good detox program, and you can think of it as having 3 components:
1. reduce your exposure to toxins (environmental and dietary)
2. cleanse your body of toxins (usually through abstinance from eating solid food, but there are other effective methods as well)
3. eliminate the toxins from your body (usually with enemas and herbs)
Well before you start your detox program, take steps to begin reducing your exposure to toxins. After reading Toxicity in Everyday Life and its connecting pages, you'll have a better idea of how to reduce the number of toxins that are coming into your body. Learn about and begin to adopt healthy eating patterns. See Healthy Eating for more information about this. Though you can start today and make rapid improvements, this is not simply a weekend project. It should be considered an awareness that you gradually improve upon from now on.
The second component of a detox cleanse is to foster your body's natural ability to process and excrete toxins. A cleansing program that includes several or more days without solid food is the most effective approach. You, of course, during this time will drink ample amounts of fresh juices and broths. If fasting is an unagreeable prospect, for whatever reason, a good cleanse can be done with a mono diet or a raw food diet.
The cleansing process works by self-digestion. During a fast, because there is no food to digest, the body breaks down damaged tissue, congestive waste material, excess fat deposits, and often, abscesses or tumors. Between the time of decomposition of toxins and their elimination from the body, you may feel like you're swimming in toxins. This is why a detox program typically produces some unpleasant side effects (headache, nausea, fatigue, body ordor, bad breath. The importance of the elimination component of a detox program cannot be overstated.
The final and crucial component of a detox cleanse is elimination of the toxins produced by the cleanse. We typically think of the colon as the eliminative organ of the body, but actually, there are others. Ideally, we engage all of the eliminative organs during our detox program. They are the liver, kidneys, colon, lungs and skin.
- liver elimination should be supported by the appropriate liver supporting herbs
- kidney elimination can be enhanced with diuretic herbs
- colon elimination can be promoted with enemas and gentle laxative herbs
- lung elimination can be supported with daily deep breathing exercises
- skin elimination can be supported with dry skin brushing, massage, light exercise and sweating therapies
2. Nourishing and Rebuilding
Contrary to certain misconceptions, detoxification is not about starving yourself. Even the most strenuous 10-day fast should be a profoundly nourishing experience. There are 2 ways you will nourish your body during your detox program:
1. basic nutrition from fruit and vegetable juices and from vegetable broths
2. additional nutrition from balanced supplementation
Your Detox Diet
The nutrients in fresh juices are easily assimilated by the body, making them the perfect source of nourishment for a detox program. Juices contain potent amounts of enzymes, mineral electrolytes, vitamins and phytonutrients. Fruits and fruit juices eliminate wastes more rapidly than vegetable juices, an important point to keep in mind when you plan your detox diet. Fruitsa also help eliminate cravings for sugar and sweets. Vegetables and vegetable juices carry off excess body acids while supplying the body with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and plant protein. For added protein, Green superfoods like spirulina, chlorella and barley grass can be added to your juices. Chlorophyll- and protein-rich, green superfoods stabilize blood sugar levels and maintain the acid/alkaline balance of the body. Herbal teas can offer added support to various cleansing processes, but be careful not to go overboard. The majority of your nutrient intake should be vegetable juices with small amounts of green superfoods. See Detox Herbs and Detox Supplements.
3. Maintenance: Beware the Retox Diet
The natural health care community is full of disastrous stories of "falls from health". While it is not common, it does happen that unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits return full force soon after a detox program. Something to keep in mind is that the weeks following your detox program are as important as the detox itself. Here are a few reasons why you want to maintain a healthy diet after your detox program:
Vulnarability. When your body is freshly cleansed, it will be more vulnerable to the ill effects of greasy food or sugary treats. The cheeseburger that once sat well in your stomach may give you a terrible bout of indigestion or gastritis.
Missed opportunity. Once you have cleansed and nourished your body (and feel so much better as a result), you may be more inclined and inspired to maintain a higher level of health. If you return thoughtlessly to the habits that necessitated your cleanse in the first place, you are missing a great opportunity. Use the post-detox period to introduce and reinforce new healthy ways of living. Make a commitmet to yourself before you start your detox program that you will consciously continue some of the detox diet protocols and cleansing therapies. (Saunas, yoga, epson salt baths, vegetable juices, spirulina suppelementation or drinking fennel tea, for example).
Self-esteem. Psychologically speaking, you can do damage to yourself by disrespecting the value of your detox program. Whether you would admit it to yourself or not, sneaking french fries in the days following your detox will feel awful deep inside. Conversely, if you choose to ride the wave and incorporate many of the healthy activities of your detox program, not only will your body benefit, your state of mind and sense of self-respect will be remarkably enhanced.
Role modeling. If you did a detox program with a friend or if you live with others and did your program alone, your post-detox choices will be noticed (unless you embark on shameless sneaking). It is our actions, more than our words, that make an impression on others. If you are a parent whose children witnessed your detox program, the degree of healthful living choices you make thereafter will tell them a lot about you and it may send a message that health really isn't that important.
All that being said, we recommend you learn about the detox lifestyle. You may be amazed by the simplicity and enjoyability of some of the ideas we've assembled.
How to Detox: Personalizing Your Program
Within this basic framework there is room for a lot of personalization in crafting your detox program. Here are some basic considerations:
Season. The time of year is an important factor. Typically, winter is not the best time to do a fast of any kind if you live in a cold climate. Most practitioners recommend a spring and/or fall cleanse.
What Level? We recommend a gentle detox for first-timers or those with sensitive health conditions. (See What Level is Right For You?)
How Long? Next, decide how long you want to do your detox program. Keep in mind that a longer detox program will be more difficult, especially if your health is not strong to begin with or if you have stressors in your life that you cannot take time off from. Many natural health practitioners recommend a 7-day program to ensure a thorough and comprehensive cleanse. A 7-day program is not the only option, of course. An agressive detox can span 10 days (experienced cleansers only!) and a gentle detox can be as short as a 24-hour cleanse. For example's sake, here is how a 7-day fast can be administered according to the 3 levels of severity:
Gentle Detox: A 7-day diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, supplemented with green superfoods and vegetable broths. Or, the fruit and vegetable diet on days 1-3 and 5-7, with one day of juice fasting on day 4.
Moderate Detox: During the 7 day routine, two days on either end include fresh fruits and vegetables, with 3 days of juice fasting on days 3-5.
Aggressive Detox: 7 days of juice fasting, with a fresh fruits and vegetable diet in days prior to and after.
Body System. Is there a particular organ system you want to focus on? The colon, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system or blood, for example. (See Body Detox)
Choosing your fruits and vegetables. What kind of fruit and vegetables are best for the body system you are cleansing? (See Juicing)
Detox Diet. What kind of diet is best for a pre-detox program or light cleanse? (See Foods for Detox)
Detox Therapies.Which detox therapies do you want to include in your detox program? For example, saunas, yoga, dry skin brushing, therapeutic baths, deep breathing exercises. (See Detox Success)
