Our air, food and water contain an astonishing mixture of chemicals, some of which are toxic to the body even in small quantities, and most of which are strenuous on our body’s natural detoxification processes. As well as doing several body detoxes a year, you can keep up a healthy body by shifting your regular daily diet toward a cleansing diet. In addition to doing an occasional body detox, a cleansing diet will help you maintain better health, better energy and mood, and a lower weight. Many people have experienced lasting weight loss with a detoxifying diet.

The easiest way to convert to a cleansing diet that will help you lose weight and keep it off is to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables and significantly reduce your intake of fatty foods, processed foods and sugary foods. Here are a few rules for what to include in your cleansing diet:
2-5 servings of fresh fruit daily. Don’t eat too many bananas or dried fruits. Dried fruits can be soaked overnight.

2 raw salads each day, one at lunch and another at dinner.

2 servings of chicken (not fried!), fish or tofu for your protein. Lean red meat now and then.

Vegetable juice several times a week. Ideal vegetables are cucumber, celery, carrot, beets and parsley. If you don’t have the time or equipment to juice your own vegetable juice, purchase it fresh in a healthy quantity, part it into 2 oz portions and freeze for future consumption.

Sea vegetables (seaweed) every day. Granulated dulse and kelp are convenient to use. Powdered seaweeds can be used as a salt substitute.

And, of course, drink more water. Try to drink a gallon a day of fresh, filtered or distilled water. Some of your daily quota can include a few glasses of unsweetened herbal tea. No flavored, sweetened drinks. They do not hydrate, they only add more substances to your body.