The Raw Food Detox Diet happens to be one of the most popular diets around. This is because while many will only let you lose weight, none of them are specifically designed to help you get rid of these harmful toxins.

But why eat raw food when you can cook it ? This is because when food is prepared and then cooked, some of the nutrients and vitamins which are also important for the body are lost.

What is even more astonishing is the fact that when it is cooked, you changed its natural state. Thus, new chemicals are created and the natural enzymes are destroyed.

When you take it out of the pan and put it on your plate, it somehow slows your metabolism and impedes certain primary functions of the body  especially the flushing and detox functions of the organs.

If this does not yet convince you that eating raw food is much better than cooked ones, note that the raw food diet boosts your immune system, may help decrease or increase weight and again, detoxifies your body.

Compared to an average meal consisting of animal flesh which normally takes 8 hours to digest, the only thing it gives you is energy to burn what you ate and nothing else.

It may a significant change for you to eat food raw when you are used to eating it cooked. This is why the switch should be done gradually like having a quarter of the food cooked while the remainder is raw. Who knows? You may like to eat raw food that will give you the complete nutritional value found in each one.

The detox diet consisting of raw fruits and vegetables only lasts a few days. When it is all over, you can go back to eating other solid foods including fish, chicken and meat. You may even want to mix a few raw dishes sometimes like sushi which is also great to eat.

Before you start eating raw food, you have to prepare yourself both physically and mentally for what is about to happen next. You can prepare physically by starting an exercise routine and cutting down on certain food and then substituting it with beans, organic fruits and vegetables.

Although detox diets are generally safe, it will still be a good idea to consult your doctor because you could be one of those individuals that are not cut out for the program.

People who should not try the detox diet in any form include pregnant or nursing mothers, those who have just undergone surgery and individuals that have been diagnosed with certain medical conditions. If you insist on trying it, make sure that this is being done under medical supervision.

Eating food raw may be different but it is one way to get all the essentials you need to detoxify your system. Will it be challenging? Yes during the first day since there is a lot of adjustment involved but if you are able to stick to it, then you will surely feel good thereafter.

A simple detox diet is one that involves taking fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains which is high in fiber and other organic foods. During the period of diet, you are also prohibited to eat breads, baked goods, pasta, animal or dairy products and nuts. The detox diet helps increase the level of water and fiber in the body which promotes cleansing of the colon and the rest of gastrointestinal tract.

People detoxify for a healthy and rejuvenated body. Detox diet helps you to clear symptoms, treat disease and prevent future problems. It is an ideal way to reevaluate your life and enhance vitality. Some uses detox diet for spiritual renewal, to feel more alive, awake and aware. It inspires a lifestyle free from abuses and addictions such as alcohol and tobacco addiction. Most often body energies are increased thru detox diet thus, making a person steadier and flexible to change both internally and externally.

If you want to detoxify just once in a year, the best time is during spring or autumn season. The hardest period during detox program is the first two days. On these days, you might feel symptoms like headaches, fatigue, irritability, mucous congestions and other body pains. However, according to medical experts anyone can maintain a regular work schedule during a detox diet.

The best day of the week for detox diet is Friday as you are expected to rest on the next days. This helps you to feel more relaxed and free from stress of work environment or to chemical exposures. It is also best to do detox diet on this day because you can avoid the temptation of breaking from the program and be with people that can support your decision.

We have five general detoxification systems composed of gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory, lymphatic, skin. An individual’s lifestyle determines the frequency of detoxification needed by the body. The most common symptoms of toxicity are headache, over fatigue, backaches, digestive problems, allergies, and sensitivity to chemicals, perfumes and synthetics. But before undergoing detoxification it is important to consult your doctor to determine the real cause of the symptoms.

Detox diet is also an effective way to threat obesity as it almost always interconnected with toxicity. Losing weight means reducing body fats and eliminating toxins in the body. However, you need to be extra careful because you might also loose essential nutrients in your body. Physical activity will enhance better weight loss and detoxification.

Moreover, detoxification does not only involves elimination of unnecessary body substances but also spiritual renewal. It is also important that when you undergo a detox diet you are free from pollutions, noise and stressful routines.

It can mean social isolation but who knows it might be the best way to put away all the negative energies that pull us down and replace them with positive energies that will enhance our vitality and will bring us back to healthier body and soul.

Digestive organs like the salivary glands, pancreas, gall bladder, mucous glands, and liver are also part of the gastrointestinal tract. In the book, “The New Detox Diet,” Elson M. Haas and Daniella Chace it was mentioned that the absorption of most nutrients happens in the small intestine. The colon assimilates water while the bile salts.

Minor disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract may cause abnormal absorption of nutrients and increased barrier permeability. One of the best ways to get rid of toxins and unnecessary substances in the body is through detox diet.

But what are these toxins and unnecessary substances that are harmful to your gastrointestinal tract?

The GI tract are adversely affected by refined foods and sugar; excess fatty and rich foods; overeating and failing to chew more than once or twice per mouthful of food; drinking too much; food chemicals, pesticides, and environmental toxins; persistent use of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine; use of prescription, over-the-counter, and recreational drugs; lack of fiber and whole foods, specifically lacking fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes in the diet.

Detox diet aids in healing ulcerations and other tissue problems in your body. It also helps in maintaining the tone and shape of your small and large intestines. Detox diet maintains the PH balance and eliminates bad bacteria like candida and harmful yeasts. What many people don’t know is that even minor metabolism disruption like constipation if unguarded can lead to a big threat in your health. Constipation also causes stress and discomfort and limited physical activity. This is why regular elimination is very crucial to overall health and maintaining the level of toxins in the body.

One way of detoxification is eating fiber rich foods and increasing water intakes. A special type of herb called dandelion root is one of the popular medicinal plants that aids detoxification. It is a natural diuretic that increases urine production by propping up the excretion of salts and water from the kidney.

The Chinese uses this herb in treating digestive disorders and appendicitis. Dandelion now already comes in the form of teas. However, extra precaution must be taken in taking this herb as it may increase stomach acid and heartburn. Patients with gallbladder and gallstones are also prohibited to take this herb.

Aside from drinking teas and water, you may also try drinking fresh fruit juices to detoxify. But taking this detox diet is more effective if you would also cut down intakes of meat and fatty foods and other foods and chemicals that adversely affects the function of your gastrointestinal tract. It is very important to plan your meal when in a detox diet. It can be a little tricky particularly because being in this diet makes you feel hungry and overdoing can cause you hyperacidity.

Another important factor to consider in undergoing a detox diet is your present weight and PH balance. It is best to consult an expert before taking a detox diet.

Detox diets have been around for quite some time. One example is the Master Cleanse Detox Diet also known as the Lemonade Diet which gained popularity in 1976. It made a comeback in 2005 and this is what you should know about this diet plan.

Anyone who wants to try this type of detox diet can do it because the steps are very simple. Simply put, you stop eating and start drinking.

Instead of drinking a concoction made from fruits or vegetables, you will be drinking a quart of salt water solution and then proceed further with six to twelve 8oz glasses of a homemade lemonade concoction.

The lemonade concoction consists of freshly squeezed lemons and water, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. Why these ingredients? Because studies have shown that lemon juice can dissolve waste built-up in the colon. Cayenne pepper helps get rid the body of mucus while maple syrup is to give you energy.

Part of the program requires that you drink an herbal tea laxative. This is used to aid the elimination process so the toxins can excrete in the form of urine or waste.

For this to work, it is recommended that this should be done for 10 days. If you want to extend it, make sure that you stick to it for a maximum of 20 days. A week before you begin, try reducing your food intake so your body will be able to prepare itself for next phase of the dietary program.

You may experience some side effects which are normal when you try this type of detox diet. Some of these include anal itching, diarrhea, cramping, constipation and nausea. If you feel bad, don’t push any further and just stop. There are other ways to clean yours system and this approach is not the best way to do it.

One thing you are sure to lose when you try the Master Cleanse Detox Diet is your weight. This is because what you drink does have any calories and it also lacks micro-nutrients. This is also the reason why it is only good for the short term when we all know that the only way to keep our body functioning properly is by eating a balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken and meat.

If you are considered to be physically fit by your doctor, there should not be any problems in trying the Cleanse Detox Diet. However, if you have health problems or are taking any prescribed medication, proceed with caution.

Once you finish the program, gradually return to solid food so you are able to replenish the stores of minerals and vitamins that are not found in the concoction. After all, we are used to eating this more than anything else.

The Master Cleanse Detox Diet is just one of many that you can try if you want to clean your system and maybe even lose some weight along the way. If you want to try it, make sure you get clearance from your doctor and have all the ingredients you need.

Juice Fast is a short term detox diet consisting of raw fruits and vegetables. It is considered by many as an extreme form of detoxification since you will not eat any solid food but you can drink water during certain periods.

When we say that the Juice Fast diet is only for the short term, it should only last for 1 to 3 days. If you want to continue with it, you are advised to have a medical professional on hand to make sure that you are still getting the right amounts of nutrients.

A lot of people who have tried Juice Fast recommend that this should be done during the warmer months of the year.

A week before you start the program, you are already advised to reduce eating certain foods such as animal meat, eggs, fish and wheat. You should also reduce the intake of alcohol, coffee and tea. This is the preparation phase of the program and whatever you reduce should be substituted with beans, organic fruits and vegetables.

When you begin Juice Fast for a day or three days, you should drink between 32 and 64 ounces of juice. Naturally, you don’t have to drink this all at once since you have to balance this out through the day.

So you don’t get tired of drink the juice, mix it up a bit with various fruits and vegetables such as apple, beet, cabbage, celery, cranberry, greens, pineapple and spinach. Never mix citrus fruits with it. At the same time, make sure you drink at least 6 glasses of water for the duration of the fasting.

The fruits you use for the fast should be organic as these don’t have any harmful chemicals when these are planted and harvested. If organic produce is not available, you will have to peel off the skin or wash these first before mixing.

There are certain side effects which you may experience when you try the juice fast diet. Some of the common ones include acne, bad breath, body odor, constipation, fatigue, headaches and hypoglycemia.

At times, you may also experience diarrhea, dizziness, heart arrhythmias, hunger, kidney problems, low blood pressure and vomiting. If it should happen, you are advised to stop the program and seek medical help.

Not everyone can try the Juice Fast detox diet. These include women that are pregnant or are nursing.

You should not also try it if you happen to have addictions, suffer from anemia, diabetes, low blood sugar, any eating disorders, kidney disease, liver disease, malnutrition, have impaired immune function, infections, nutritional deficiency, low blood pressure, ulcerative colitis, cancer, terminal illness, epilepsy, other chronic conditions and are underweight.

Patients who have just had surgical procedures should also not try it so their bodies will have time to heal.

If you are taking certain medication, you should also consult your doctor before trying the juice fast diet because it will reduce blood proteins and may have an effect on the way the drugs react in your body.

The Juice Fast Detox Diet may be what you need to cleanse your system. So see a doctor and find out if such a program is feasible for you.

There are many types of detox diets around. You can do this by mixing some chemicals together, eating raw food, fruits and vegetables which are all designed to increase the frequency of your bowel movements and urination. Before you try any, it is best to consult your doctor.

You might not buy this if you don’t feel anything wrong but studies suggest that something will go wrong eventually when there is a build up of these harmful chemicals in your body.

Most of us only take action when we experience a hormonal imbalance, impaired immune function, nutritional deficiency and an inefficient metabolism but why wait when prevention is the best defense against any problem.

In fact, this is the common mistake of a lot of people who decide to visit the doctor only when they don’t feel so good.

The detox diet has a lot of benefits aside from expelling harmful chemicals. It also improves your concentration, digestion and energy. If you like at your body, you will even notice that you have clearer skin.

One thing you should know when you decide to start a detox diet is that there are side effects. The most common happens to be the common headache which occurs during the first few days especially if you regularly drink coffee. You can control this by reducing the amount of caffeine you drink until you no longer consume it.

Another side effect is diarrhea that if untreated, can lead to dehydration and electrolyte loss. The opposite may also happen which is constipation. You can prevent both from happening by drinking lots of fluid. Other side effects associated with a detox diet are acne, fatigue, hunger, irritability and weight loss.

There are a few things people should keep in mind about a detox diet.

First, not everyone can go on a detox diet and this includes pregnant or nursing women as well as children.

If you are diagnosed with anemia, any eating disorder, autoimmune disease, cancer, terminal illness, certain genetic diseases, diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and other chronic conditions you should only try this diet under the supervision of their primary care provider.

The detox diet is short term because if this is done for a long period of time, it may result in nutrient deficiencies specifically protein deficiency which is why this should only be done once or twice a year.

For those who are taking medication, you should still continue to take them unless this is advised by your doctor.

Once the detox diet is over, you can go back to your old diet with a few changes like eating more fruits and vegetables.

The detox diet is quite new and even if there is little or no evidence that it works, there are people willing to try it if they believe that this can be good for them.

Now that you know what a detox diet is, you can make up your mind whether you want to try this on yourself or not. Before you do it, consult first a doctor to check your overall health condition so you can be sure that it is safe for you.

They say that breakfast is a very important meal of the day so it is best not to skip it. Your detox diet plan is best served by having two glasses of water with one mixed with some lemon.

If you can’t live in drinking something until the next meal, have a piece of fresh fruit. A few options are an apple, banana or a pear. Just make sure you chew it well mixing each bite with saliva.

Another breakfast option for your detox diet will be to have a bowl of cooked whole grains. If it tastes bland, mix it with two tablespoons of fruit juice.

A few hours later, it is time to have lunch. You can have one or two bowls of steamed vegetables again with some water. If you love to cook, you surely know that some vegetables can be mixed together.

There is not that much difference in serving either lunch or dinner. You just have to make some variations so it is something different and that it will taste just as good until morning.

What you served yourself during breakfast and lunch may make you feeling hungry in between. When this happens, don’t starve yourself and instead have a snack. You may have apple juice diluted with water, carrot or celery sticks, vegetable broth and water.

As you can see, there are no desserts as part of this detox diet. To help you relax and get you ready for bed, you can have herbal tea like chamomile or peppermint.

This type of detox diet is not as extreme compared to other types of programs available like Juice Fast Detox Diet or Master Cleanse Detox Diet. Since it is something you are not used to, you may experience a little weak during the first 2 days and even experience a headache, nausea and frequent trips to the bathroom but this is known to pass.

Since our bodies are able to adapt, you will begin to feel better on day 3 or 4 especially if you plan to do this for the next 10 or 20 days. If there is no improvement and the side effects get worse, try having something you are used to eating during your snack like chicken, fish or some beans. The other option is to stop the detox diet because it is doing more harm than good.

The detox diet can do a lot of for you only if you give it a chance. Since you are gambling with your overall well being here, make sure you have yourself checked first by the doctor before trying it. If you are cleared, do some research about what types of detox plans are out there then decide which one is right for you.

As mentioned before, some of the detox diets are pretty extreme but but all of these have the same objective and that is to expel harmful toxins. It is not going to be easy and like the saying goes, “no pain, no gain.”

First is the Master Cleanse Detox Diet which is a combination of cayenne pepper, lemon juice and maple syrup that is mixed in water. This is considered to be a gentler diet because maple syrup which is easily absorbed help regulates the release of toxins as stored fat and thus converts it to energy slowly.

Another type of Liquid Detox Diet is Juice Fast which may come from fruits, vegetables or the combination of both. This is similar to the master cleanse detox diet but you get more benefits like enzymes, minerals and vitamins that are known to support the rejuvenating process of the body. Best of all, the body is able to assimilate the juices directly without producing digestive enzymes.

Next is the Mono Fruit Detox Diet. From the word mono, you can already tell that this diet only involves eating one type of fruit. The nice thing about this diet is that it can be done for a long period since the fruit provides the body with organic water allowing the bodies cells to cleanse itself. Once inside, it can easily go out taking with it harmful waste products.

The use of only one fruit has one more benefit. It makes your body’s pH more stable and keeps the sugar levels in your bloodstream less volatile.

We also have the Raw Food Detox Diet. Here, eating food raw helps prevent the loss of vitamins, minerals and other essentials caused by cooking or washing. The body is also able to get digestive enzymes that will help in the metabolic process and strengthen your immune system. The best thing about eating raw food is that it supports ideal potassium-to-sodium ratios that optimize cell functioning and pH balance which is the overall objective of a detox diet.

Many of us can’t eat raw food three meals a day. So an alternative will be the Hallelujah diet which enables you to eat 85% raw foods and 15% cooked foods. The catch is that the cooked portion should only be done during the end of the evening meal. You will also have to skip breakfast and instead have only barley grass drinks and fresh vegetable juices.

It will take some time to skip breakfast if you are used to it and the transition can best be done by substituting your bacon and eggs with almond milk, fresh fruit salad, sprouted grain toast with almond butter and whole grain raw granola.

There is also the diuretic diet. This type of detox diet will not reduce body fat but help the body release fluid. You can get this from certain herbs and vegetables like asparagus, artichoke, celery seed, dandelion, juniper berries, melon, parsley and watercress. This is also available in food supplements and you can even find it in beverages like coffee, coke and tea.

These are just some of the detox diets available that are designed to cleanse your body. If you are not into those that were mentioned, do some research to find other alternatives. Just remember to consult your doctor first so you are sure that this is safe given your overall physical health.

For the next three days, you will only eat either fruits or vegetables. These should be eaten raw so forget about cooking it.

At the same time, you should forget about drinking coffee, tea or sodas and only have water or juice that is freshly squeezed.

So you won’t feel hungry, plan your menu so you know what to serve for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you think these do not taste good, just keep an open mind and who know? You might get to like it.

In each meal, don’t just stick with one variant but mix others as well as this will ensure that you get the right amount of nutrients. Since you will need some protein, add some nuts and sprouting beans if you have them in the kitchen.

One example will be to include a cup of whole grains like brown rice together with buckwheat and  amaranth. You can surely mix this with some servings of fruits and vegetables. If you have never tried this before, it wouldn’t hurt to eat one of these raw.

Another example will be to make a salad. If you want to add salad dressing, use either natural oils or vinegar. Examples of natural oil include coconut virgin oil, fish oil or olive oil.

There are other recipes you can make aside from the two mentioned so do some research or bring out one of your old cookbooks.

In addition to eating fruits and vegetables, you will also have to take 2 doses of kidney and liver tonic. You can make this at home by mixing two cups of dandelion, a clove of fresh garlic, chamomile or fennel tea. A few other concoctions include drinking pure vegetable juice like carrot or beetroot, a medium bunch of black grapes, or two cups of parsley or yellow tea.

Water is very important in the detox diet so make sure you drink lots of it for the next 3 days. If you have some fruits at home, put them in the juicer which is a good substitute for your water intake. The objective of keeping yourself hydrated is to help you flush out the toxins through your urine or waste.

Any diet you will ever hear about will tell you that this should always be combined with an exercise program. Something light which you can start doing is walking for about 20 to 30 minutes. This should help increase your metabolism, work up a sweat and give you increased levels of energy.

After about three days, you can now go back to your regular diet. Did you really expel those toxins out of your system? That is very hard to say because scientists don’t have a clue whether this actually happened or not.

Some say that you should do this monthly as a way to regulate the toxins but if you want to find a long term solution rather than a quick fix, make some lifestyle changes because this is much better than a three day detox diet.

Most people who have tried this course of therapy have reported significant changes in their body in just a few days. However, despite its popularity, some healthcare professionals have suggested that detox diet should be avoided, if possible.

Critics believe that detox therapy is a very extreme diet which may lead to serious side effects, if not properly performed. They say that the mechanics of the detox diet was not based on scientific facts, and at the most, they are called “junk science.” Dietitians think that this diet offers a temporary change in an individual’s weight, but the effects will not last that long. Soon enough, those who have tried this diet will eventually go back to their normal way of eating, and their body weight will return back to original.

The detox diet is believed to be an answer to the fact that our body should be protected from toxins which may be harmful to our health. This belief is contradicted by some dietitians and medical practitioners. Most of them think that the body is already equipped with internal systems that may protect itself from harmful toxins – these are the body’s liver, kidney and gastrointestinal tracts. They said that as long as these organs function well, there is really no need for a detox diet.

One thing that some opposing dietitians agree with the proponents of the detox diet is the idea that an individual should consume enough liquids and fruits and vegetables. Since a lot of people may have seem to have forgotten the importance of water and vegetables, the detox diet may be a way to remind them of the basics. However, they remain unbelievers of this regimen because the diet is so restrictive that it becomes ineffective for long-standing use; and to add to this, they said that the result is only fleeting.

The effects of the diet may be seen even after a few days into the therapy; however the body will soon gain weight with just the same short amount of time. The short duration of the effects of the strict diet, as many professionals believe, may not be worth all the hardships. Some people who have tried the detox diet have reported that the first few days of their first trial were tough like hell.

They felt very irritable and they experienced severe headaches. Perhaps, it was in their second or other succeeding attempts that they have experienced the euphoria that the diet lets the people feel. Dietitians explain this ecstatic feeling as the body’s coping mechanism against starvation.

People who oppose this diet contend that a healthy young woman or man may endure the harsh routine for quite some time. However, not everyone may be in a good condition to hold out to the diet. Some groups of people may go through unfavorable effects caused by such restrictive diet. Very young children, weak teenagers, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, the elders and those people who have heart ailments and other chronic conditions should refrain from this kind of diet. Their conditions leave them susceptible to intestinal and cardiac problems which may result from malnutrition.

In summary, most dietitians and healthcare providers believe that going through a detox diet is a tough decision that one must reflect on before really making it. A lot of things are to be considered, and the most important of these considerations is his health. No one should risk putting his health into risk just to lose weight in the shortest possible time.

Extreme diets, such as the detox diet, should be the last option for there are other healthier alternatives to choose from.