Detox: what to eat and what foods to avoid

The detox diet allows you to lose weight in a few days and helps to dispose of the accumulation of toxins, improving the processes of detoxification and purification of the body.

Detox routes, unlike other diets, have a short duration of three, five or seven days. The goal is to eliminate all those substances harmful to health that are introduced into the body through incorrect nutrition, the intake of drugs and the consumption of junk food, alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks and tobacco.

One of the most common mistakes is to believe that detox refers to miraculous kits, prolonged fasts or magic drinks that can lose weight without fatigue.

In fact, detoxifying diets do not include skipping meals but the regular consumption of foods rich in vitamins, fibre, antioxidants, minerals and water that fight water retention and cellulite, help combat digestion problems and strengthen the immune system.

What to eat during the detox days? Here are the foods with a strong detoxifying power that help purify the body and stimulate cell turnover:

water

herbal tea

apples

carrots

peppers

yellow pumpkin

red cabbage

broccoli

artichokes

asparagus

blueberries

avocado

grapefruit

leafy green vegetables

beets

Fennel

chilli

oranges

lemons

papaya

pineapple

cereal

garlic

walnuts

ginger

turmeric

linseed

chia seeds

brown rice

extra virgin olive oil

Among the foods to avoid, however, there are all the premade and fried foods, red meat, eggs, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, coffee, milk and dairy products, sugar and excess salt.

It is important to remember that before starting a detox route it is advisable to contact your doctor or specialist in the field, such as a nutritionist or a dietician, and avoid DIY diets that can hurt your health.

Detox: the 10 advantages of a detoxifying diet

There are those who prefer to start a detox route before summer to get in shape in summer, who decides to start a detoxifying diet to remedy their foody sins over of the holidays and who believes that any time of the year is the right one to cleanse the body.

Let’s find out together what are the ten advantages of a detox path:

1 Weight loss: the first and most obvious benefit of a detox regimen is the reduction of body weight between 2 and 4 kg. It should be remembered that to obtain the desired results it is advisable to combine a detoxifying diet with regular physical activity, choosing among the many types of sports and fitness courses the one best suited to your personality.

2 Skin and hair: consuming detoxifying foods is a cure-all for the skin which looks more beautiful, moisturised, smooth and bright. What’s more, drinking water and herbal teas made from purifying herbs, including dandelion, birch, nettle and fennel, counteract water retention and cellulite. Detox foods also give a healthier look to hair and nails and make them stronger, shiny and bright. In addition, detoxifying diets are even more effective when combined with wellness treatments such as weight loss and thalassotherapy that help to counteract the unsightly effect of orange peel skin.

3 Digestion: low in calories and rich in fibre, water, vitamins and minerals, detox foods are perfect for fighting digestion problems because they facilitate intestinal transit, stimulate metabolism, improve constipation and liver function.

4 Better breath: poor oral hygiene is not the only cause of bad breath. It is often bad eating habits, such as the consumption of salty foods and coffee, excess sugar and poor water intake, that encourage the emergence of the problem. To worsen the situation add stress, drugs and smoking cigarettes and pipes, one of the major causes of the decrease in salivation considered the antechamber of halitosis. A healthy and balanced detoxifying diet prevents problems related to bad breath because detox foods, rich in fibre and water, help to keep the liver clean and to cleanse the intestine from excess waste.

5 Immune system: purifying the body means restoring the balance between bacterial flora and strengthening the immune system, the shield protecting us from the aggression of pathogens and trauma of other natures. Stress, lack of exercise, sleep and proper hydration, smoking, consumption of alcohol and sugary foods, can weaken the immune system which needs vitamins and minerals contained in detoxifying foods to function properly.

6 Goodbye eye bags: when it comes to psychophysical health, one of the most underrated aspects is sleep care. Sleep is an active physiological process that influences different functions of the body from those of the central nervous system to the well-being of the cardiovascular system. During the hours devoted to rest, cortisol levels decrease and the process of elimination of toxins is faster and more effective. To sleep well you need to eat well and have detox foods, such as nuts, pumpkin, cabbage, oats, rice and herbal teas, promote good sleep, help regulate the sleep-wake cycle, have sedative properties and are excellent allies against insomnia.

7 More energy: a healthy and balanced detoxifying diet reduces that annoying sense of abdominal bloating, heaviness and fatigue caused by an incorrect diet low in fibre.

8 Brain and memory: nuts, flaxseed and oilseeds in general, avocado, oranges, blueberries, broccoli and leafy green vegetables, are detox foods rich in natural antioxidants that, in addition to being good for the body, keep the brain in shape and fight free radicals. These are foods that improve attention and concentration, enhance short-term memory, help improve intellectual abilities and prevent cognitive decline.

9 Foods that are good for the heart: detox foods purify the body, reactivate the metabolism and are beneficial to the heart. Cereals, for example, reduce the absorption of fat and cholesterol and increase the sense of satiety while fresh fruit, especially oranges, pineapples, apples and blueberries, contain flavonoids that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and fight the formation of plaques in arteries. And again, omega-rich foods, such as walnuts and flaxseed, improve circulation and reduce the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or arteriosclerosis.

10 Psychological well-being and mental health: a detox diet, in addition to strengthening the immune system and contributing to weight loss, also has a positive effect on the psychological and mental level. Purifying the body means removing anxiety, fatigue, stress, headaches and mood swings. In addition, foods such as blueberries, almonds, avocados and asparagus increase serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter known as “good mood hormone” or “happiness hormone”.

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