If you’re carrying a few stubborn pounds along your waistline or anywhere else on your body, a detox might help jumpstart your metabolism to start losing that weight. This 7-Day Detox Drink as recommended by celebrity fitness trainer and Extreme Weight Loss host, Jillian Michaels, will probably help you lose weight.
Celebrities who use detox drinks swear by drinking this for seven days will have you feeling and seeing the difference in your body.
So, how does the detox work? It all starts with the ingredients--both by themselves and in combination.
- Cranberry juice is loaded with antioxidants and encourages more frequent urination.
- Dandelion tea enhances detoxification by stimulating urination and aiding in digestion.
- Lemon juice is alkalizing and is a wonderful stimulant for the liver.
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Ingredients for Detox Drink
- 60 oz of purified water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp sugar-free cranberry juice
- 1 organic dandelion root tea bag
Instructions to Make Detox Drink
-Steep your tea for at least ten minutes then let it cool.
-Mix all of your ingredients together and add the teabag.
-Drink the entire mixture all day for 7 days.
-If you are drinking the full amount, you will make a new batch every day. The goal is to drink all 60 ounces.
If your goal is to detox your system, remember your body is an expert at getting rid of toxins, but certain foods slow down that natural process, making it harder for your body to get rid of toxins. Toxins don’t build up in your liver, kidneys, or any other part of your body, and you’re not going to get rid of them with the latest detox wonder. Especially avoid diets that promise to detox your liver with supplements or “cleanse” whatever the diet determines needs washing out.
The real detox diet that has long-lasting effects is one that limits processed, high-fat, and sugary foods, and replaces them with more whole foods like fruits and vegetables. That clean-eating approach is your best bet to getting your body in tip-top shape.
6 Ways To Detox Your Body Naturally
Many people associate detox diets and cleansing plans with juices, smoothies, and other strange concoctions that claim to rid the body of unhealthy substances and promote rapid weight loss. Those who follow detox plans also tout psychological benefits, such as more energy and rejuvenation.
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There are also colon cleanses and liver detox plans that claim to target the colon and liver. But there is no scientific evidence that one specific organ can help you to detoxify completely. Detoxification requires a team effort from your entire organ system.
Your Body’s Detoxification System
There are five organ systems (skin, kidney, intestine, lymphatic, and liver) that work day and night to metabolize fat, fight inflammation, and remove harmful toxins from your body and filter out built-up waste.
*Your skin helps you detox by providing a barrier to harmful toxins. The skin regulates body temperature and provides antibacterial protection against infection.
*The Kidney activates hormones and filters your blood to collect waste that is excreted in your urine. Your kidney also filters out fat producing substances and balances your blood pressure.
*Your intestine allows essential nutrients from food into your body but helps detox by keeping harmful bacteria and other toxins out. The intestine also excretes waste materials and toxins from the body.
*The lymphatic system carries toxins from the body to the blood for excretion by the bladder, bowels, and skin. The lymphatic system also reduces cellulite formation and strengthens your immune system.
*Your liver is a second waste filter that manufacturers essential hormones. The liver also isolates the toxins that your body can’t break down, cleanses the blood and balances fat and cholesterol levels, and breaks down harmful chemicals.
A Natural Detox Diet
You don’t need exotic detoxes or cleanses to purify your body and promote weight loss. Adopting a healthy lifestyle with lots of whole food, fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, and spices can invigorate, strengthen and support your body's natural detoxification system. On the other hand, highly processed foods loaded with artificial ingredients, such as preservatives and additives can add more toxins to your body.
Traditional diets tend to be healthier than the standard American diet. Oldwayspt.org created The African Heritage Diet based on the healthy food traditions of people with African roots. This healthy way of eating is powerfully nutritious and can naturally strengthen and support your body’s natural detoxification system.
The following lifestyle changes suggested by Oldways can help you drop those extra pounds and detox your body naturally.
Boost Flavor With Spice.
Curries, peppers, coconut, fresh herbs, garlic, onions, fresh lemon, and all spices are low-sodium ways to add incredible flavors to grains, beans, vegetables, and seafood.
Make Vegetables the Star of Your Plate. Steamed, sautéed, roasted, grilled, or raw, enjoy
veggies like okra, cabbage, green beans, or eggplant in larger portions than the other parts of your meal. If you’re grabbing seconds, go for the veggies!
Change the Way You Think About Meat.
Use lean, healthy meats in smaller amounts for flavor. Replace ham-hocks with smoked turkey or fish, or pile on the herbs and spices instead!
Make Rice & Beans Your New Staple. Fiber-filled Rice-and-Beans is a favorite meal all over the world. Add African heritage whole grains like millet, sorghum, and teff to your soups, or partner them with peas.
Enjoy Mashes & Medleys.
Bake or boil sweet potatoes, yams, and potatoes or mash them with eggplants, beans, grains, onions, and seasonings.
Find Real Foods Everywhere. At a corner store, buy peanuts or fruit; at a lunch buffet, load up your plate with salad, veggies, fruit, and beans. Look to African heritage whole foods, in their natural state, to crowd out processed and packaged “convenience foods.”
Jazz Up Fruits for Dessert.
Fresh or frozen fruits like melons, peaches, berries, and mangos—plain or sprinkled with chopped nuts or coconut—add a sweet taste of satisfaction at the end of a meal.
Drink to Your Health.
A splash of flavor can make water your go-to drink. Add crushed fruits or small amounts of 100% fruit juice to water or sparkling water to make refreshing “ades” (like lemonade!). Iced tea with a little raw honey is another refreshing alternative to soda and other highly sugared drinks.
Try any one of these steps…and then another…and another until you’ve mastered them all. A healthy diet filled with whole foods, herbs and spices is the best way to detox your body naturally.
Constance Brown-Riggs, is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of the Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World, a convenient guide to help people with diabetes enjoy all the flavors of the world while still following a healthy meal plan. Follow Constance on social media @eatingsoulfully
