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Homemade Detox

The detox industry stems from the idea that there are toxins in the environment and in what we ingest that can cause ailments. Scientific research hasn't confirmed that detox remedies do what their marketers say they can, but there are things you can do on your own to fashion a homemade detox plan. This strategy takes the best and most medically sound of the safer detox plans.

  1. The First Steps

    • Detox plans can manifest in a variety of forms--a liquid diet, certain foods only, or even herbs and pills. First of all, drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of clear, unflavored water a day. Beware, however, of overdoing it; there is such a thing as consuming too much water. Completely eliminate caffeine, alcohol and nicotine from your daily intake during the detox process. Consider limiting or eliminating these substances permanently. Invest in a good multivitamin to help ensure that you meet your daily nutritional requirements. You also may consider buying one with green tea extract included for a metabolic boost.

    The Foods

    • Maintain a liquid diet for 2 days, making sure that you're still getting in all of your daily nutrients and recommended daily caloric intake. Fruit and vegetable juices, broths and soymilk can help you achieve these means. On the third day, reintroduce solid foods, but only 100 percent natural ones. These foods may include fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice. Maintain this strictness for 4 to 5 days. After that period, gradually filter in all other foods except for processed flour and sugar and animal products. Maintain these habits for a couple of days before resuming your normal eating habits.

    Sweating It Out

    • Sweat is your body's natural way of removing toxins from the body. Perform up to an hour a day of highly aerobic activity to fully achieve the benefits of sweating out toxins from the body. Keeping hydrated is essential for this final step to work correctly.

    Final Thoughts

    • Most detox plans last from 7 to 10 days. Although these plans purport to remove toxins that lead to fatigue, extra weight and other maladies, solid science has yet to prove the effectiveness of these regimens. However, following "detox" plans often make you feel better for reasons other then toxin removal, because flushing your body with pure liquids, eating less and exercising more is going to make you feel better, toxins aside.

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