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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Sample Menu for a Detoxification Diet

The goal of a detoxification diet is to cleanse the bowel. You will accomplish this by eating lightly and choosing foods that provide vitamins, minerals and bulk. A detoxification diet can include herbal teas such as buckthorn root to cleanse the colon (or any commercial detox tea), fresh whole vegetables, fruits, whole grains and small amounts of lean protein. If you have any health issues, get medical clearance and direction from your doctor before beginning a detox diet.

Breakfast

    Start your day with a cup of detox tea that has dandelion root, red clover, burdock root or yellow dock: All will assist with cleansing your internal organs. Or simply pour boiling water over half a lemon for a cleansing drink. Breakfast can be fresh, poached or juiced fruit. Eat according to season: fresh peaches in summer, oranges in winter. Later, a small amount of nonfat yogurt or hot oatmeal with a small amount of low-fat milk (soy, almond or hemp-seed milk).

Lunch

    Eating lunch can be challenge if you are surrounded by colleagues who are ordering pizza. Prepare yours at home and carry it to work. Have baked, steamed or broiled vegetables, such as yellow squash or zucchini, with a cup of steamed brown rice. Add a tablespoon of oil--flax, hemp-seed or olive. If you are protein-hungry, include three to four ounces of broiled, baked or poached fish, poultry or lean beef.

Dinner

    Opt for healthy carbs: two or three small roasted beets, sweet potatoes or a cup of quinoa with flax, hemp-seed or olive oil. Add 3 to 4 ounces of lean protein if you are hungry: broiled, baked, steamed or poached only. For dessert, enjoy more fresh fruit or chocolate mint tea or any caffeine-free tea sweetened with a small amount of honey or stevia. Add additional enzyme supplements if you are not accustomed to eating a high-fiber diet, or snack on dried fruit before bed.

Snacks

    Eat fresh, whole fruits for snacks. Small plums, apples and berries are easy to pack for work. If you prefer juices, dilute them by half with filtered water to reduce total fruit sugar intake. Experiment with fruits you don't always eat. Pineapple and papaya contain enzymes (bromelain and papain, respectively) that assist the digestion process. Avoid iced beverages; they slow digestion. If you want caffeine, try green or matcha tea.

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