20 Detox Friendly Foods

I don’t necessarily believe in detox only diets, but I do think that adding more detox friendly foods into the diet can help with over health, energy, skin health, good digestion, weight management, and quality sleep. Below are 20 of my favorite detox foods which I consume on a weekly basis and absolutely love!

Lemon: Lemons have strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers and can be used as a weight-loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemon juice can also help manage acid reflux and reduce the acidity in the stomach. 

Cayenne Pepper: Peppers are one of the richest sources of Vitamin C. All hot peppers contain capsaicin, a compound known for it’s ability to regulate body temps, improve circulation and help reduce appetite and burn more calories.

Ginger: Ginger is perfect for getting your metabolism moving and flushing waste and toxins out of the body. Ginger is also a natural stomach ache cure.

Grapefruit: Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin c which helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like grapefruit may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms. Vitamin C also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis

Green Tea: Green tea can help increase and even change your metabolism, so you burn more calories from fat. Studies show that green tea can also help you keep weight off once you’ve lost it.

Kale: Kale contains powerful antioxidant compounds that can help cleanse the body of harmful substances and potentially prevent cancer causing free radicals. It is also high in fiber, which helps cleanse the intestinal tract. 

Asparagus: Asparagus is a natural diuretic that can help rid the body of excess water weight and toxins seeking to rid the body. 

Turmeric: This powerful root is both an anti-inflammatory—great for sore muscles—and contains antioxidant properties. It’s one of the top ingredients in immune boosting shots, juices and supplements. I’ve also noticed smoother, clearer skin from my daily dose of turmeric. 

Broccoli: Broccoli has a strong, positive impact on our body’s detoxification system, and is able to support all steps in the body’s detox process, including activation, neutralization, and elimination of unwanted contaminants.

Cucumber: The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Raw apple cider vinegar is alkalizing, helps with digestion, and can help with fat metabolism. Look for raw, 8 unfiltered apple cider vinegar to get the most benefits. 

Cinnamon: Studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar which is great for people trying to lose weight or manage diabetes. Cinnamon can also help lower cholesterol in the body and is heart healthy.

Pomegranate: Pomegranates are high in antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, minerals. With potassium, vitamins C and K, this winter fruit is great for your heart, skin, immune system and it’s great for post workout recovery. 

Chia Seeds: These tiny seeds are high in essential fatty acids like heart healthy, Omega 3, in addition to vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fiber. They are one of my favorite ways of adding heart healthy protein into my diet. 

Garlic: Garlic contains manganese, vitamin B6, antioxidants, anti- inflammatory properties, as well as valued sulfur compounds that contribute to heart health! 

Probiotics: Probiotics are an excellent way to add good bacteria back into the intestinal track and help with digestion. 

Blueberries: Blueberries contain natural aspirin that helps lessen the tissue-damaging effects of chronic inflammation, and also act as antibiotics by blocking bacteria and thereby helping to prevent infections.

Strawberries: Berries are high in antioxidants like resveratol, essential vitamins and also contain fiber to keep you feeling full! Strawberries are also a great source of folate which has been shown to help keep your heart healthy. 

Fish Oil: Some experts believe that getting fish oil can help you regulate your cholesterol in the body, because fish oil has high levels of omega 3 fatty acids. Besides cholesterol regulation, fish oil benefits include anti inflammatory properties and positive effects on the bodies composition.

Water: Water is the bodies best form of detox. Since our bodies consist of primarily water, increasing water intake is like feeding the body in its most natural state. If you really want to feel great and flush out toxins, drink up!

http://www.eatsimpleloveyoga.com/20-detox-friendly-foods/

Raw Food Diet Cleanse A Safe Effective Natural Way to Lose Weight, Feel Great and Clean Your Body

The purpose of a raw food cleanse, sometimes called a raw food detox, is to eliminate and cleanse the body of stored toxins. This is accomplished using only raw and preferably organic foods. A this type of cleanse can last anywhere from 7 to 90 days depending on what particular cleansing instructions you choose to follow. The goal of a raw food cleanse is not only to eliminate stored toxins, but also to give your organs such as your kidneys, gall bladder, intestines, stomach, pancreas-- all your organs-- a rest from the efforts of processing hard-to-digest food products. This type of cleanse will result in a higher level of noticeable wellness and health.

Specifically, a typical raw cleanse will not only utilize 100% raw natural foods, but will also eliminate foods such as meat, dairy, grains, sugar, flour, cooked foods, preservatives, artificial additives such as as MSG, coffee, other types of caffeine, soda, artificial sweeteners and alcohol. Just removing all of these foods from your diet will naturally elevate you to a healthier state of being. The most effective food to cleanse the body is raw food. Raw organic food has about 80% fewer toxins than standard processed foods.

Raw food is an ideal internal cleanser. This is because raw food is natural food. Raw natural food is unharmed by the damaging effects of heat and in this perfect state, can effectively help the body release toxins and also nourish and heal the body.

The raw food used in this type of cleanse should also be organic. Organic foods are "clean foods," and are free from the harmful pesticides sprayed on conventionally grown foods. The pesticides used on conventionally grown foods also depletes the soil of nutrients. So when choosing organic you are not only "eating clean," but the level of nutrients is greater, which is important, especially during a cleanse.

Another important part of a raw cleanse is simply pure water and lots of it. Since you are encouraging your body to release stored toxins, drinking water helps to flush these toxins out of your body through the kidneys and even your skin. Water is a vital component of skin tone, brain function, metabolism, digestion, every organ system of your body. While pure water should be an important part of every day living, drinking water during a cleanse is more necessary to thoroughly rid your body of wastes and toxic materials.

Fasting may or may not be a part of a raw detox. Water-only fasting is an ideal way to quickly rid the body of toxins. Combining a single day or even a few days of water fasting with a raw foods program is less severe and more gentle to the body than fasting for several days.
Another important component of a raw food cleanse is exercise. Exercise moves the lymph fluid though our body, helping to remove cellular waste products. Exercise is the only way to move the lymph. Exercise also helps to tone the body while you are losing weight and aids in reducing any uncomfortable side-effects of the raw cleanse, such as a possible bout of constipation.

Who Should Do a Raw Food Cleanse?

A raw cleanse or detox is beneficial to anybody who wants to be healthier and wants their body to operate at peak performance. This internal cleansing will show on the outside and some of the noticeable benefits of cleansing internally will manifest themselves in better looking skin, weight loss, more energy and healing.

Even if you are eating totally raw now, doing a cleanse using only raw foods will be helpful because this type of cleansing gives you different tools to add to your raw food diet. Some of these "tools" can be a day or two of juice feasting, a day or more of water fasting, a day of eating concentrated greens, and so on. The different tools will vary according to the type of raw food cleanse that you choose to do. No matter where your health is, cleansing using raw food for a specific amount of time will help you to achieve your optimal level of health.
Benefits of a Raw Food Cleanse
When you start to cleanse or detoxify your body you will notice numerous wellness benefits including weight loss, a better complexion and increased mental clarity. Some people have reported that aches and pains are reduced or eliminated and other health challenges have cleared up.
A raw detox is an excellent weight loss diet since it is both very safe and extremely effective. For those who do not need to lose weight such as athletes, pregnant women or those at their ideal weight, but want to be more healthier, feel better and look vibrant as well as other health benefits including ridding their body of toxins, a raw food diet cleanse is ideal. All you have to do is simply add more calories in the form of nut milks, juices and/or greens.

A raw food cleanse is beneficial for health and wellness for those those don't want to go totally raw with their daily diet. Doing a raw detox for a week or more will not only cleanse the body of stored toxins, but will contribute to overall wellness since it offers the organs a rest from the difficult task of digesting hard-to-digest substances and those lacking in nutrients such as meat, non-raw dairy products, processed and cooked foods. A raw food cleanse is also an ideal, but not a necessary way to start a raw food diet. After finishing this type of cleanse, you have the option of continuing to eat only raw food to help you go on to better health and wellness.

How Often Should I Do A Raw Food Cleanse?
The choice to cleanse your body is totally up to you. While some do seasonal house cleaning, others think of an internal cleansing as "personal house cleaning" and do a cleanse seasonally. Others may do a cleanse whenever they feel their body would benefit from it. The exact frequency and times of cleansing is totally personal and up to you. Your body will thank you and reward you every time you do a cleanse.
How Do I Start A Raw Food Cleanse?
If you are interested in doing a raw food cleanse, my advice is to seek out a knowledgeable person who will help you in doing a cleanse. This can be a holistic doctor, a naturopath, a health coach or someone who is simply helping others to eat raw and has helped other to do raw cleanses. You should not make up your own type of cleanse, especially if you have never done a cleanse before. Your cleanse instructions should include a specific meal plan for each day of your cleansing so that you can have your food prepared. I had the opportunity to interview Jinjee Talifero, creator of the 21 Days Raw Cleanse. Read that interview and learn about the raw cleanse she has successfully guided many through at http://www/raw-food-diet-magazine.com/raw-food-cleanse.html.
No matter what particular type of raw cleanse you do, a raw food cleanse is a gift that you are giving to your body and your body will thank you by giving back better health and vitality.

http://goarticles.com/article/Raw-Food-Diet-Cleanse-A-Safe-Effective-Natural-Way-to-Lose-Weight-Feel-Great-and-Houseclean-Your-Body/5264719/