Best Detox Tips

I like to detox once or twice a year. It allows my body to reset, lose a bit of weight, and I feel great while doing it. There are a few rules that I follow when I detox. Simply they are to avoid the following:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Gluten
• Dairy
• Red meat
• Refined sugar
• Packaged and processed foods.

For me, doing a detox is about getting back to real food that is not placing unnecessary strain on my body. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track if you are doing a detox:

• Drink plenty of water! You can include herbal teas such as green tea, dandelion, peppermint, chamomile or licorice.
• Be prepared – forward planning when choosing meals and shopping will make the process much easier
• Choose organic where possible – foods containing chemical residues from pesticides may add to the toxic burden of the body. Try to buy local produce.
• Avoid known food allergies and intolerances as these may aggravate the body, reducing its ability to detoxify effectively.
• Avoid canned food as they usually have a plastic inner lining, containing chemicals which may add to the toxic load on the body.
• Avoid high glycaemic index foods as these contribute to elevate blood glucose levels and may cause damage to the body’s tissues. This is not conducive to detoxification and healing.
• 12-hiour fast each day. Avoid eating for 12 hours overnight (for example from 7pm to 7am), provided you don’t have any blood sugar issues. This allows for digestive system to rest and detoxify overnight.
• Avoid over-eating. This places a huge burden on the digestive tract, liver and metabolism. Reduce the size of your meals and make the evening meal the smallest of the day.
• When in doubt, leave it out. If you think or feel a food may not be allowed according the guidelines that you are following, it’s best to leave it out until you get clarification.

Tips for reducing toxin exposure:

• Eat organic food whenever possible
• Avoid processed foods, additives, and preservatives
• Avoid plastic food packaging and plastic drink bottles
• Avoid aluminium and Teflon cooking equipment
• Limit intake of barbequed, grilled, or charbroiled food
• Install a water filter or buy filtered drinking water
• Avoid recreational toxins such as alcohol and tobacco
• Choose natural skincare products
• Avoid using pesticides and herbicides at home
• Minimise intake of pharmaceutical medications where safely possible.

What detox should I do?

There are many different detox programs available that its hard to know what is best!

What Is The Difference Between Our Detoxification Programs And Fasting Or Juice Detoxes?

Detoxification is a process which involves amino acids, which come from protein, to assist in eliminating toxins from the body. Amino acids are used to bind to molecules requiring detoxification and effectively eliminate them from the body. Without adequate protein from your diet, your body is unable to effectively detoxify. Juice is a combination of water, sugars and in some cases, small amounts of fibre. Juice fasting does not provide adequate amounts of protein for detoxification, and in many cases can cause a loss in muscle mass as the amino acids from your own muscle are used to support the detoxification process. By including protein in your detoxification diet this will ensure that your body has sufficient amino acids to support optimal detoxification; likewise, you will preserve your muscle mass and improve the outcomes of your detoxification program.

How Does This Program Differ To The One That I Can Purchase Off The Shelf?

Over recent years “detox programs” have become very popular and even fashionable. There are now countless types of detox’s which claim to be a quick-fix. The one size fits all approach to detox can dramatically affect both the safety and the efficiency of the program. These programs lack the support of a health care practitioner and their advice to suitably prescribe something to address your health requirements. A practitioner program has numerous benefits. The supplements used in the Australian Menopause Centre’s detox programs can only be prescribed by practitioners and are evidence-based, low reactive formulas that are of the highest quality. Unlike a store-bought program, the Australian Menopause Centre’s programs are tailored to suit your needs as an individual. Regular screening and contact with your practitioner is needed to perform health screening and evaluate the efficiency and safety of the program for you, as well as help to support and motivate you to keep you on track and achieve optimal results.

Get in touch with AMC to find out more about our detox programs.