By Dr. Ken Woods
Special to NurseZone
It is a good idea to detoxify our bodies often. This may not necessarily mean swearing off hamburgers, French fries and beer for a couple of days. Our bodies accumulate waste and toxins that in due course of time will attack our immune system and other areas of our body, hampering our normal, healthy bodily functions. Most important is the fact that when burden of these toxins increases, they begin to rampage as free radicals, attacking the immune system and leaving our bodies susceptible to a host of opportunistic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, multiple sclerosis and others.
Many of us assume that a few mega-vitamins and supplements will certainly take care of us, and there is some truth to this assumption but, that is not all. Our bodies do need a tune-up occasionally. A detoxification cleansing is that tune-up that our bodies require at regular intervals of time to allow our system to function optimally and keep it pure.
The foods to stay away from are processed foods, foods with artificial sweetener added to it, foods fried in oil, red meat, pork, chicken and any other critters except fish. Also avoid the diet drinks, beers, whole milk, the cereal aisle at the market and stay away from munchies, for that period.
There are many detox-diet recipes available. Recipe books and recipes on the Internet are readily available. In fact, given the right formulas, you too can use your creativity and master the art of preparing your own detox recipes and writing your own book, too.
The basic dietary pools to choose from are unprocessed foods which are rich in fiber. This should definitely include fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, brown rice, oats, raw nuts, fresh fish, fresh fruit juices and plenty of water.
Out of all these foods that you are allowed to eat while consuming a detox diet, make a list of your favorite foods, then start writing out your own recipes for each meal, so you ensure yourself delicious meals well in advance. This will help you continue with your detox diet plan more effectively and also help you to develop your taste for fiber-rich, nutritious food.
The Mediterraneans were always aware of healthy eating habits. Mediterranean diets are very popular because most of their meals are low in fat, low in carbohydrates. There are many Greek and Turkish recipes available online that will qualify as detox diets. Different recipes for preparation of several varieties of vegetable soup using combinations of fiber- and nutrient-rich ingredients can be accessed from a wide choice of diet sites.
Cabbage soup is very popular and included in a detox diet. It is very satisfying and gives you a feeling of fullness. This is the best part of the fiber-rich food. It is very satiating and always prevents you from overeating. So is Gazpacho, a Spanish soup prepared from tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber and fresh garlic clove.
This soup is served cold. Another great detox diet recipe is called "Dave's Detox Surprise.” This detox soup is prepared from the following ingredients:
- Firstly, bring 2 quarts of water to a simmer.
- Add 2 finely chopped onions, ½ of a garlic clove, finely minced, 4 stewed, diced tomatoes (after removing the skin).
- To this, add 2 chopped carrots, 7 ounces of sliced mushrooms, ¾-cup of brown rice and 2 beef bullion cubes.
To add to the taste, serve "Dave's Detox Surprise" along with a boiled entree of red pepper, sprinkled with lemon juice and a side dish of fresh green beans with mushrooms and crushed almonds. This combination would certainly be a mouthwatering meal!
Your food selection for preparation of any detox-diet recipes that you like will certainly test your creativity. The idea of being able to eat the food you can enjoy will motivate you to stay on track and not give up the challenge. The more variety of recipes that you can come up with, the easier your detoxification process will be. It is rightly said that "variety is the spices of life." There is a saying in Asian culture , "A cup of brown rice is worth a thousand recipes."
Dr. Billie is an expert on bio-health and has been in the medical profession for over 18 years. More information on detoxification diets can be found at www.mastercleanse-review.com.