Detoxing

Last month, I decided to join my mom in a detoxing-diet. You start off by eating only fruits at mealtimes and/or in-between as snacks, for a week.  Caffeine is cut out; only herbal teas (without sugar and milk) or water is allowed.  Week 2 allows you to add a slice of bread (whole-wheat or rye), with some honey on.  In week 3, you are allowed to add a baked potato and yogurt to your mix, as well as vegetables.  In week 4, you start eating fish and chicken again.  After that, you can go back to eating and drinking what you did before.

I didn’t eat fruits alone, I must admit.  Not only did I suffer from headaches (probably due to the detoxing), but, because I have low blood sugar, I felt dizzy.  Thus, I added some protein to my meals, for example I snacked on a few nuts and ate some cheese or chicken.  Instead of bread, we ate crackers (whole-wheat or rye), at first, then added the bread.

What we also took is a good vitamin B-supplement, Calcium- & Magnesium-supplement, a multi-vitamin, as well as Lecithin.  Although we are not following this diet anymore, we continue to take our “regular” vitamins every other day.

As many of you know, I am not an advocate for diets in general.  I do believe that it is important to eat from all the food groups; as long as you watch the portion size and amount you eat.  This detoxing-diet was given to my late gran, as a way to help her detox from all the painkillers she was on for her back problems.  Fasting is another good way to detox.  There are people who fast for a day, others for longer.  Before you go on any type of detoxing-program, please consult your medical practitioner and a professional first, especially if you have any health issues. 

The question, I am sure, on your mind is whether or not we lost any weight?!  Not according to the scale!  However, our clothes are loose-fitting and in general, we feel better.  During winter we both ate more starch and cutting down on that, made a difference – especially biscuits and rusks!  What I found is that I don’t crave red meat so much anymore.  I was never a lover of red meat (although I prefer lamb above beef), but at the moment, I am happy to eat chicken and fish. 

Another change that we made is to eat more alkaline-based foods.  Eating plenty of starch, can make your body more acidic.  This causes the pH-level to become unstable, which creates dis-eases, illnesses, and so forth.  Drinking an acid/alkaline powder, for example A. Vogel’s powder, once a week, is a great way to help maintain a balanced pH-level.  This is also a wonderful product that helps with arthritis and gout, caused by acid build-up in the body.

All in all, this detox-diet wasn’t difficult to follow (although I had to add protein to keep me from getting dizzy).  Will I completely eliminate biscuits and rusks?  No, I enjoy baking too much!  Having a rusk, biscuit or any other treat is ok; it is the amount you eat that makes the difference!  I believe our bodies crave more starch during winter as a “fuel” to keep us warm.  During summer you want salads, fruits and “lighter” foods.  Therefore, as I always say, listen to your body and enjoy your food!!