When you hear the word “detox” what comes to mind? 

• Juicing and smoothies – an all liquid diet awaits you every day?
• Expensive supplements that result in frequent trips to your bathroom?
• Feeling hunger pains during the day and deprivation at night?

The truth is that a well-structured detox plan, created by a credentialed healthcare professional, leaves you feeling satisfied with your meals, provides consistent energy, and enhance the body’s natural detoxification process without discomfort.  

A whole-food based detox can establish or return healthier eating habits. It can kick-start weight loss, help identify food intolerances and/or sensitivities, and shake off less than desirable food ruts.

How do you know if you need a detox?

Think back to a time in your life when you felt the healthiest. How does that compare to your current state? Some signs that it’s time for a detox are cravings for sugar and simple carbs, frequent headaches, achy joints, digestive challenges, brain fog, and despite genuine attempt to lose weight the scale won’t budge!   

The meal plan is the cornerstone of a detox plan but the plan isn’t complete if it doesn’t include how to reduce your exposure to environmental toxins. Reducing your daily exposure to toxins is the first line of defense to creating a plan for a daily detox. 

We’ve reviewed some of the benefits of a whole-food based detox and some of the signs that a detox maybe needed.  Now let’s dispel some myths about detoxing. 

Myth #1: You won’t enjoy the food on the detox.

It’s true that a detox plan involves giving up certain foods like coffee, sweets and alcohol for a defined period. Joining a whole food detox meal plan provides recipes for you to try new foods that include ingredients that optimize the detox process.   

Approach your meal plan with a “beginner’s mind” that is being open to trying new foods without judgement. Try not to think whether you’ll like a particular food. Tasting foods in easy to prepare recipes that provide the body with nutrients that assist the detox process can be the motivation to take a second bite.

Focus on what you can eat, not what you can’t!

Myth #2: During the detox you’ll be constantly hungry.

What typically happens when you follow a detox meal plan is one of two things. Either you end up eating less calories from your detox meal plan or you eat a similar amount of calories but they come from different sources such as, less carbs, more protein and healthier fats. The surprise is that this change in the source of calories can lead to a natural decrease in appetite resulting in modest weight loss. 

Avoid detox plans that rely on a liquid diet only as this generally leaves you cranky and hungry. A liquid only detox provides quick weight loss but the loss can be more muscle than fat. Following a liquid diet plan for a day may not make an impact. However, following this type of detox plan for several days or even weeks can result in a deficiency of the necessary nutrients for your body to efficiently complete the detox pathways. 

Liquids quickly leave the stomach and turn on hunger hormones. Who needs that?

Myth #3: Detoxes are just a way for people to make money on expensive supplements.

A carefully planned whole-food detox meal plan provides excellent sources of the amino acids, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber needed to efficiently complete the two phases of detoxification our body uses to process all toxins for elimination from our body.  

However, supplementation as part of a detox plan is not always a sign of a desire to increase the seller’s bank account.  For example, the common goal of increasing fiber during the detox plan to assist the elimination phase of detox can be assisted with a powdered fiber supplement. 

For some individuals, increasing whole food sources of fiber-rich foods too quickly results in digestive distress. Using specified types of fiber supplements can provide the additional fiber without distress. Increasing fiber is especially important for women to help with the removal of toxic estrogen metabolites.

Another example of a supplement that can be beneficial, depending on the individual, are probiotics. Introducing specific strains of bacteria to the gut, especially during a detox, helps the body produce vitamins, absorb minerals and are players in the detox process. 

Detox = Reclamation

Benefits to detoxing appear obvious but there’s another benefit that is rarely mentioned. That is, changing a habit like your daily eating gives you a sense of control because you are exercising your willpower muscle, and not giving in to every whim. A guided detox experience is an effective way to reclaim your health.

The primary goal for a detox meal plan and program is to be the gateway to increasing awareness of the sources of toxins and how to avoid them; take a pause and reset or establish healthier food choices; increase elimination of toxins, and magnifies self-care practices that translates into a happier and healthier you!  

Are you ready to discover how to reclaim your health today?

Join me for this year’s final “10-Day Detox with the Dietitian” virtual group program. Click here to learn more and register by October 6th to receive the bonus eBook “Detox Your Living Space – Tips for Each Room of the House.”

Bonnie Roill is LifeScape’s Virtual Nutritionist and creator of the 10 Day “Detox with the Dietitian” program. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Accredited Hormone Support Coach, and Certified Health & Wellness Coach, her passion is to help you use real foods and lifestyle practices to help you create a healthier body and more enjoyable long life.