Homemade Detox Products

Detoxification is a natural process in healthy bodies. The ordinary work of organs like the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs and skin is partly to clean our bodies of toxins and pollutants through elimination. Some believe these ordinary processes are not enough to keep up with the high level of contaminants in the world today. Occasional detoxifying "fasts" are one way to assist the body in its work of cleansing itself. A detox fast requires spending a day or two eating very little but the detox's assigned food or juice.

Detoxifying Fruits

• Grapes and cranberries and the juices of these fruit are one choice for a cleansing fast. Grapes are a good source of potassium, which stimulates the kidneys and helps to regulate the heartbeat. Grapes are also good for cleansing the liver and clearing uric acid. Cranberries are great for promoting urinary health. They are a natural source of quinine, which helps to remove purines, uric acid and urea from the prostate gland, testicles, kidneys and bladder.

Detoxifying Vegetables

• Sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene and other nutrients, but their ability to detoxify the body relies on the phytochelatins they contain. Phytochelatins bind to heavy metals like copper, cadmium, mercury and lead and take them out of the body. Asparagus is another natural choice for a detox fast. Raw asparagus is strong diuretic and promotes a clean urinary system, flushing the kidneys and bladder.

Detoxifying Herbs

• Dandelion leaves are a popular detox herb. A strong tea made from them will increase the bile in the body, stimulating the gallbladder. Dandelion also contains polysaccharide insulin, which may boost white blood-cell production and help fight disease. Parsley is used in many folk remedies. For detoxification purposes, it is useful as a cleanser of the kidneys, liver and bladder. Milk Thistle is another excellent herb for liver support. It contains silymarin, a chemical that is sometimes recommended to help protect and repair damage to the liver caused by alcohol and drug use, or disease. Black walnuts are not an herb, but tea made from their hulls is believed to assist the body in eliminating parasites. It is also believed to remove toxins from the body.