Detox yourself with this expert-recommended diet plan

Consult a nutritionist before you undergo such a diet and inform him/her about any health problems you are suffering from.

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Written By: Neha Chandna | Updated : February 4, 2015 10:56 PM IST

In today's hectic lifestyle, our bodies are exposed to a lot of toxins through air pollution, food and water. Use of preservatives in packaged food, presence of pesticides in vegetables all lead to toxins depositing in our body. Some of the harmful effects of this toxicity are indigestion, headache, tiredness, skin problems, poor concentration, etc. It is important to go on a detox diet in order to flush the toxins out of our system. Our expert nutritionist Neha Chandna gives us a sample detox diet that we can follow.

Detox diet is one which consists of food and herbs that eliminate toxins from the body. It emphasises on foods which are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants to prevent damage to the body and foods rich in fibre and water to clear the system by increasing the frequency of urination and stools.

Here are a few benefits of detoxification:

Below is a chart of foods that you should and shouldn t have while on a detox diet.

Foods to be includedFoods to be excluded
Fruits and nuts Fruit juices Raw veggies Veggie juices Lemon juice Coconut water Thin dals Buttermilk Green tea Grains Milk and milk products Meat, fish Chicken Eggs Restaurant food Fried foods Sweet foods and desserts Processed and packaged foods Tea, coffee and aerated drinks
  

Points to remember:

  • You can opt for a 3-day detox diet every month. On the first day, you might feel hunger pangs and tiredness but you will overcome this on the second and third day.
  • Pregnant and lactating women should avoid going on a detox programme.
  • Go for 30 minutes walk every day.
  • Do not stop or reduce medication dosage during this diet.
  • If detox diet does not suit you, stop it immediately.
  • After the diet, get back to normal food slowly. Do not over eat. Introduce grains, milk and foods slowly and one at a time.
  • Along with the diet, you can take enema for clearing the digestive system. Read about the ayurvedic detox plan.

When following a detox diet, you can make interesting blends to add some taste to your food. Here are some recipes:

Carrot beet mint (pudina) juice

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots
  • 1 beet
  • 10g pudina
  • salt
  • Chaat masala

Method:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender.

Serve

Pomegranate-grape- sweetlime juice

Ingredients:

  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 bunch grapes
  • Rock salt

Method:

Juice all the fruits.

Add rock salt and serve.

A detox diet should not be followed for many days. Consult a nutritionist before you plan to undergo such a diet and inform her about any health problems you may be suffering from. While the diet plan will be similar to the above mentioned one, it will change slightly based on your health condition and fitness levels.

Image source: Getty Images


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