De-Tox As A First Step To A Slimmer, Healthier You

What does detox mean? It can be defined as cleansing the body of toxins that have accumulated through addictive habits. Most of us lead very busy lifestyles and end up eating out a lot. Through these eating habits, we are unconsciously fueling our bodies with countless meals of unhealthy foods, high content of oils, fats, sugar, salt etc.

No one can deny the wonders of the human body where the liver and kidneys do much of the detoxing for us naturally. However, it is nice to give those hard working organs a break once in a while, which is why a detox is highly recommended but not a must.

Many women and even some men go on detox programs for beauty and health reasons. Detoxing has been said to give dull and sallow skin a healthier more radiant glow. The effectiveness of a detox is subjective but in theory when your body is fully cleansed your body should technically function better.

For a healthy and effective detox regime, Marie France Bodyline recommends a 5-step program every 3-4 months. Nutritionists at Marie France Bodyline advise that the detox program is done during a period when you are most inactive or on leave from work as you may be weak from the lack of food for the first few days. The program advocates a healthy and balanced diet with a gradual addition of solid foods back into the system after the first 3 days.

Below is the recommended 4-step detox program as recommended by Marie France Bodyline which can be completed as a 3 or 7 day program:

Step 1 For the first 2 days, eat as much fruit as possible. Choose a good variety of fruits that are rich in different vitamins and minerals. For example Blueberries and Apples are high in antioxidants. Drink plenty of fruit juice with the pulp during the day. Avoid juices and fruits high in sugar at night. Coffee and tea should not be consumed during this period, but instead drink plenty of water. Water can be flavoured with a tinge of lime and/or lemon juice. Stay away from all carbs during this period.

Step 2 Take 3 to 4 portions of leafy green vegetables and fruits. Each serving should consist of 50% fruit and 50% vegetables. Vegetables may be lightly cooking with a light dash of olive oil. Fruits should be consumed fresh and raw. Do this for a day or two.

Step 3 At this stage you can begin adding white meats and beans to your diet. Maintain light cooking for both the meats and beans. This can be done for a day.

Step 4 In day 6 and 7 of your detox progam start adding half a bowl of rice to your meal.

Detoxing has had positive effects in helping with weight loss, improving digestion and slowing the aging process but should never be done on a long term basis.

Courtesy of Marie France Bodyline