Why some Calgarians use detox diets
Detoxification is a treatment where individuals eliminate and cleanse the body of toxics. People that may consider a detox are those who suffer from environmental factors, chronic diseases and conditions, or those with allergies or immune system problems.
A body detox can be beneficial for those who want to prevent disease or improve overall health.
Calgarian, Monika Johnston-Stewart is familiar with detoxes because she tries to do them herself twice a year, once after the summer and once after the winter holidays. When she is not doing a formal detox Johnston-Stewart tries to incorporate different things in her weekly diet.
Her preferred weekly detoxes just include healthy food and lemon water or she will do a healthy smoothie day fast, “just simple,” she says.
Johnston-Stewart said, “I think cleansing the body on a daily basis is very important. I detox through hot yoga about four times a week which is my favorite.”
She also suggests that people eat and drink organic fruits and vegetables, fibre, healthy oils, teas, and lots of water.
By getting the right amount of fibre in a diet, individuals may notice benefits of relieving constipation and protection against heart disease. Water on the other hand detoxifies and replenishes the body.
Water can also provide a moist environment for tissues, helps with metabolism, transports nutrients and oxygen to cells among many other beneficial factors. Doctors recommend that individuals drink 8-10 glasses of water a day.
Some popular detox diets are the Master Cleanse, which consists of water, freshly squeezed lemons, cayenne pepper and maple syrup and the Wild Rose Diet, which involves avoiding all junk food for 12 days.
Photo by: James Paton
Johnston-Stewart said that some of the best detox ingredients in teas are ginger and lemongrass, which is great for the liver. And juniper berries will flush out toxins.
“I detox to stay healthy and to feel good…Keeping the body healthy and clean is the best gift one can give to yourself,” said Johnston-Stewart.
Darlene Balaz, a colon hydrotherapist, herbalist and owner of The Natural Flow to Health Inc, said, “I definitely feel like a detox is very beneficial to the body because of the environment we live in today. It is something we need to do, but I don’t feel that they should be taken lightly.”
Balaz said a detox should be under the guidance of a natural health care practitioner, whether it’s a chiropractor, herbalist, a naturopath, or a colon hydrotherapist because depending on medications and eating habits there are a lot of interactions that can affect the outcome.
“I detox to stay healthy and to feel good…Keeping the body healthy and clean is the best gift one can give to yourself.” – Monika Johnston-Stewart
In an email, Eleanor Candy of Detox Ideas (link below), said, “Many foods today are highly processed, and it can put a lot of strain on the body, so we need to cleanse the body effectively to remove toxins which may be causing fatigue, headaches, skin irritations and also digestive problems.”
Candy suggests that to detox the body naturally foods such as lemons can be added to a diet because it effectively cleanses the whole body and helps with bloating and constipation.
“By eating only natural and organic foods in your diet, you will be helping your body to heal and also remove any harmful toxins,” she said.
Some popular detox diets are the Master Cleanse, which consists of water, freshly squeezed lemons, cayenne pepper and maple syrup and the Wild Rose Diet, which involves avoiding all junk food for 12 days.
“We maintain or vehicles, we maintain our homes, but we don’t do that with our bodies,” said Balaz.
For more information on detox ideas, recipes and diets please visit, http://www.detoxideas.thebestfreeinfo.org
amajowski@cjournal.ca