If It Smells Fishy, Don't Eat It!
Even clean eaters need to detox periodically, but if you're reading this, my guess is that you're not a card-carrying member of that club! Well, I think it's important that you understand how you can benefit from a very easy practice. Therefore, this week I'll try to dispel some of the myths and exaggerations you might have heard about the detox process. Coincidentally, this is a perfect time to try a detox, what with the weather easing up and life returning to "normal," after all of the summer hoopla! First, know that a beneficial detox doesn't have to be extreme. You could certainly go that route, but that's not what I'm talking about today. So, let me show you a new way to take advantage of fall, the second best seasonal time to lose weight!
I am not a proponent of extreme "dieting" as a means of dropping weight quickly; however, a good detox can serve as a catalyst, jump-starting your weight loss and setting you up for an amazing fall season! It's also a great way to clean out your system, experience previously unknown reserves of energy, and bring those cravings to a screeching halt. After this summer, my body is begging for a detox; how about yours?
Okay, before we begin, let's start with the basics and define a toxin as a poisonous substance, especially one that is produced by bacteria and causes disease. In case you are thinking that has nothing to do with our food, well...you would be wrong.
Where do toxins come from?
Toxins generally fall into two categories: inner toxins and outer toxins. The difference is that inner toxins are created by the body and outer toxins come from outside the body-these are absorbed in one way or another. Inner toxins might originate in an area in the body that is blocked, or has a concentrated area of toxic buildup from dead or infected tissue. The mouth and colon are usually the root of some of these infections. Outer toxins originate outside of the body and can be the result of environmental pollution. DDT is an example of an outer toxin. As a horrifying aside, let me mention that although DDT has been banned from this country for quite a while now, it will be with us for many years to come. It can be found in our soil, water, and even in the ice caps of the most remote regions of this world.
Interestingly, we now can analyze our blood and urine and even a mother's milk to determine the nature of the toxins we have absorbed from our environment. In a study conducted in 2002 at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, researchers identified 167 chemicals in the blood and urine of nine volunteers who did not work with, or in proximity to, environmental chemicals or factories that produced them. These volunteers stored an average of 91 compounds in their tissues, most of which compounds did not exist 75 years ago! Of 167 chemicals found, 76 were known to cause cancer in humans, 94 were toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 79 were known to cause birth defects or abnormal fetal development.
Even scarier, many of these toxins are passed through the placenta during pregnancy. A study published in the journal of Neuro-toxicology in 2002 found that the first bowel movements of 426 infants from the Philippines showed high levels of eight different insecticides, including the banned DDT, as well as three heavy metals. I know that the Philippines is a far cry from the US, but what it shows is that toxins can accumulate before birth!
Environmental toxins can be broken down into four categories:
Industrial, agricultural, household, and medical/dental. I strongly suggest that you take the time to educate yourself about what your family is being subjected to from environmental elements and how these might be affecting your weight and everyone's mental health.
What effects might toxins have on you?
Childhood asthma has increased by more than 40% since 1980!
Fifteen years ago, a half million Americans had Alzheimer's; today the number is five million. This is disproportionate to the change in population.
Just think about the number of people who currently have this! Is it heredity or the environment?
In the last decade, the murder charges brought against juveniles has increased by 93%! Coincidence?
Cancer is the #2 killer of adults and the #1 cause of death in children! At the beginning of the 20th century, the cancer rate was about 1 in 50; today it is 1 in 3!
How can a detox protocol help you?
Let me say first that if you think you are suffering from an illness due to high levels of toxicity, you should probably consider trying a much deeper detox. I would be happy to recommend some, just email me at [email protected], and I will send you the information. Alternatively, you can send me a note on my Facebook page, Just Lose It with Berta.
For those who might feel a bit intrigued about the process, you need to first select a detox that will nourish your body with very clean food!
I had originally planned to suggest a diverse menu of simple detox foods, but I am going to give you my tried and true recipe for a very good detox for stress, poor food choices, assimilation of foods and poor absorption of certain foods and minerals. This one is simple since it's only one meal that you can make in advance and eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Don't panic, I have done it many times and am looking forward to doing it again. The meal is an Indian dish called kitchari. It is a very simple meal of rice and mung beans that help rid the body of toxins and gasses by absorbing and eliminating them.
Although this works to detox the system, the amazing added benefit is that your weight will basically drop off! The best part is that you can healthfully do this for up to a month or more! This protocol is also recommended by ayurvedic doctors as a wonderful way to also reduce and eliminate candida from the body. At this point, I am only suggesting that you detox for a week to see how it goes.
I have put the recipe on this week's Favorite Foods, so please scroll down if you dare....
I would also love to hear from you on Facebook to see how you did, or if you have any other questions.
Have a great week and please drink plenty of water!!!
Just Lose It!