So, if chemicals in our food, water, cleaning products, air and the surrounding environment can make us fat, what foods can help flush these out of our bodies (detox)?

We hear about detoxification in magazine articles and on TV.  What is detoxification?  Simply stated, it is the removal of harmful substances from our bodies.  As noted in the last article, certain toxins (chemicals) can have far reaching health effects, like heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.

Many companies are trying to sell you detox programs.  Buyer beware!  A true medical detox program should be overseen by a health care professional knowledgeable in the full spectrum of the internal chemistry involved in detoxification:  naturopathic physicians and MD/DOs who have received additional education in detoxification.  A rigorous detox program involves your GI tract, your kidneys, your liver, your lungs, and your skin.

So, what to do?  Well, to begin a simple program on your own, consider the following list of foods that can help to detoxify your body:

1. Fruits:  high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Refer to the complimentary guide to buying organic fruits and vegetables available at www.patientadvocates.com.  Buying certain fruits in the organic section really matters!

2. Green Foods: organic spinach, alfalfa, chard, arugula and other leafy green veggies like kale, wheat grass and romaine.  These are high in vitamins and minerals and also chlorophyll.  According to the National Institutes of Health, chlorophyll has anti-carcinogenic properties.  Spirulina and chlorella (broken cell variety) are also very high in chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll rids the body of harmful environmental toxins from toxic metals, herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides. They also aid the liver in detoxification.

3. Lemons, Oranges, and Limes:  Lemons support the liver in its cleansing process (try a glass of water with lemon in the morning). Oranges and grapefruits, meanwhile, are rich in the antioxidants known as flavonoids, which expel damaging free-radicals from your system and protect against cell damage and disease.

The vitamin C found in these fruits is one of the best detox vitamins around, as it transforms toxins into digestible material. Eat vitamin C foods often to help get more of these benefits.

The best detox value is in eating the whole fresh fruit – not just the juice.

4. Garlic Garlic helps to stimulate the liver to produce enzymes (chemicals that aid in detox) that help to filter toxins from the digestive system.  If you do not want to eat garlic itself, you might consider garlic pills!

5. Broccoli Sprouts are very high in antioxidants and stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the digestive tract.  Of course, broccoli itself is very helpful as well.

6. Green Tea is full of antioxidants and helps to flush toxins from your system.  It also has catechins which stimulate the detox function of your liver.

Packed full of antioxidants, green tea washes toxins from the system via its liquid content, but also contains a special type of antioxidant called catechins, which are known to increase liver function.  Catechins can also reduce the risk of chronic illness such as heart disease and also aid in weight loss and reducing triglycerides!

7. Mung Beans, long a staple of Ayurvedic medicine, absorbs toxic residue from the walls of your intestines.

8. Raw Vegetables are a leading tool in detoxifying your body: consider onions, carrots, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, garlic, beet, turmeric, and oregano. The combination of these foods will help your liver purge toxins during the cleansing process.

Asparagus is high in fiber which helps to flush toxins out of the intestine.  It is also helpful in weight loss and is high in glutathione, one of your body’s anti-aging tools.

9. Seeds and NutsIncorporate more of the easily digestible seeds and nuts into your diet. Flax seed, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, Siberian cedar nuts, and sunflower seeds are all excellent options.  Eat the nuts, not the butter.  Oh, yes, coconuts!

10. Omega-3 Oils Use hemp, avocado, extra virgin olive, coconut or flax seed oil to help lubricate the intestinal walls, allowing the toxins to be absorbed by the oil, and eliminated by the body.
Incorporating these foods into your diet will help you not only to flush out the toxins – harmful chemicals – but will improve your overall health and well-being!

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