Cleansing Diet Program

Many people on a mission to increase energy levels, clean out their colons and restore their bodies have turned to cleansing diet programs. A diet of this nature involves various procedures that involve the addition of some specific foods and the elimination of others.

Clean Foods

• Many cleansing diet programs restrict the type and amount of meats eaten, citing chemicals found in these foods. When the animals are raised, they are injected with hormones and antibiotics to make them larger and produce more meat. When you are following a cleansing diet, meats are restricted to minimal amounts. If meat is allowed at all, it must be organic.

  The same goes with fruits and vegetables. Conventionally grown produce is treated with chemicals and pesticides. During a cleansing diet, only organic fruits and vegetables are eaten.

Water

• Fluids are another aspect of a cleansing diet. Any type of liquid calories are eliminated, especially if they are from low-nutrient sources. Some examples of these are soda, sweetened teas, coffee, energy drinks, processed juices and alcohol. The only liquid that is consumed is water or freshly made fruit and vegetable juices. Water helps to hydrate the body and flush toxins from the system. The juices are "juiced" with fresh organic fruits and vegetables in a juicing machine.

Fiber

• Fiber is a very important aspect of a cleansing diet. It is a nondigestible material that helps evacuate toxins from the body and promote the removal of backed up matter in an impacted colon. It can be found in whole grains such as oat bran, oatmeal and barley and in fruits and vegetables.

  Another way to get more fiber is through a powdered supplement called psyllium husks, which can be mixed with water or juice.

  Fiber also has other added benefits. According to the Johns Hopkins Medical Center, it can reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

Herbs

• There are various herbs that are utilized with a cleansing diet. They are used to improve colon function and improve the health of the kidneys and liver. The kidneys and liver are important organs for filtering impurities from the blood. Water, salts and minerals get absorbed into the body from the food you eat in your colon. Then the excess is eliminated from the body as waste material. Some examples of herbs are milk thistle, cascara sagrada, fenugreek, ginger, burdock root, licorice root, golden seal and turmeric.

Probiotics

• In the stomach, there is good bacteria and bad bacteria. The good bacteria is used by the body for proper digestion. During a cleanse, both the good and bad bacteria are wiped out. The way to put back the good bacteria is with a probiotic. Through the diet, probiotics can be obtained from fermented foods and beverages such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso and a yogurt-like substance called "kefir."