DETOX IS NOT A DIRTY WORD

Are detox diets all they've cracked up to be?


People tend to get very confused by the word detox, and with a million and one programs out there it’s not only difficult to know which one is right for you, but whether or not they’re even worth the pain and suffering for the money (lemon detox diet anyone?).


Also as your body detoxifies itself every single second of every day anyway,  is it therefore even worthwhile committing to an expensive organic cold-pressed juice diet when your body is perfectly capable of cleaning itself anyway?

Yes and no.

At the moment I’m on a detox affectionately known as Feb Fast. For those who have not heard of this its main purpose is to give up alcohol for the month of Feb, however I’ve taken it further by also cutting caffeine, refined sugar, gluten and processed foods completely out of my diet for 28 days. Pretty hardcore.

A detox like this is a fantastic way to clean up your diet and remove unnecessary toxins, therefore allowing your body to concentrate on repairing itself from overindulgence and abuse.I don’t believe it is particularly necessary to embark on expensive diets hung up on calorie counting or liquid only food, however I do believe ‘cleaning up your diet’ for a few weeks has some amazing benefits:

- You will determine if you have any food intolerance’s. Cutting out gluten, dairy and refined sugars for an extended period allows you to see how amazing and energetic you feel without these foods in your diet. When/if you introduce them back in, take note of any reactions you may experience. You may find you have a lactose intolerance which would explain that 3pm bloating and tummy pain.

- You’ll get amazing skin and hair and clear eyes. Removing toxic foods and alcohol means you’ll look fresh, skin will looked plumped, hydrated and glowing, plus your hair will look healthier from having all the additional nutrients in your diet.

- It will help you create healthy long term habits. Even starting the morning with a fresh lemon juice in warm water is a great daily change your body will thank you for, stimulating digestion and alkalising the body. Cleaning up your diet for a few weeks may  also mean you make healthier food choices in the future when cooking and eating out.

- By cutting out caffeine and refined sugars you’ll notice stable energy levels throughout the day. After getting over the usual sugar and caffeine withdrawal symptoms (ie a headache for a day or two), that annoying 3pm slump dissipates. Who would have thought going OFF caffeine actually makes you more energetic!?

- Weight loss. Yep, most people will experience some sort of weight loss when they detox, whether it’s due to a decrease in water retention or a decrease in inflammation from the elimination of a food allergy.

- Pride and willpower. How amazing are you going to feel after a whole month of being kind to your body, nourishing it and eliminating those problem foods? Pretty amazing. Permission to gloat granted.

- Money saving. Think of all the coin you’ll save not drinking! Time to get your hands on that cute frock you’ve been eyeing off. In a size smaller…

If you would like to join me on my special detox plan, email pip@pipreed.com.au so you can start to reap these benefits today!

---