Looking for advice on detox...

[yorgoki]

Looking for some advice on detox dieting.
I've got some experience with 'juice fasting' and fruit and veggies only cleansing diets... But I'd like to get some input from others.
I've had a major weight loss in the last year (45lbs) thanks to working out with kettlebells and cals. Pretty much ate whatever I wanted which was a lot of crap.
I've just recently added clubbells to the mix, and would like to tighten down the diet so I can get busy with the 45lbs I have left to lose.
I thought a couple weeks of a cleansing type diet might be a good way to start.
Any suggestions about what to avoid, cleansing herbal concoctions, or anything else would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

Johnny

[Matt_OZ]

Hi Johnny, this can be a very in depth topic (aren't they all) but a quick tip I can offer is as follows...

In your liver you have what are called Phase 1 and Phase 2 pathways. These two pathways process (think metabolise and eventually neutralise) different substances.

The thing is, some substances can go through Phase 1 and then have to go through Phase 2 for further "processing". Some of these substances will be more offensive to our body when they are in the internediate stage (after Phase 1 but not yet processed by Phase 2). If you have a long lag time between your body doing Phase 1 and then Phase 2 (it can vary) you'll find that these intermediates (the half processed substances) will be present in your body longer than what you would like.

When we all (my classmates and lecturers from when I studied Naturopathy) looked into the process of "healing crisis" (you know, like when people detox and get worse before they get better) the lag time between Phase 1 and 2 pathways was the strongest explanation.

Sorry to start something and not finish it but I have to run (I'm actually dashing out to sort out some freight paperwork for my new Clubbells). I'll try to get back to this if you (or anyone else) find it interesting.

See you mate,
Matt

[yorgoki]

Hey, Matt...
New Clubbells, huh. I'm jealous.
Well anyhow, I'm totally with you on the liver stuff. My thought was that the cleansing phase I'll be going through would sort of beging the process in a more "concentrated" fashion, due to the strict nature of the cleanse diet... Then once I phase into a long term diet, that work in the liver would continue at, maybe a slower pace, facilitated by the healthier diet I'll follow after the cleanse.
Here's what I'll be taking on this cleanse:
1-1.5 gallons of filtered water throughout the day.
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper in 8oz of warm water 1st thing in the morning :twisted:
Yerba Mate/Green Tea in the morning
Barley Greens, Flax Oil, and a cleansing herb mix 2x/day
A serving of brown rice 1x/day
Physillium before bed.
Plenty of fresh fruits & veggies and steamed veggies througout the day.
I'm still looking for ideas on the herb mix. Milk thistle? Red clover?
Thanks, man.

[Matt_OZ]

Choice of herbs depends largely on the specific conditions you are hoping to improve by performing the cleanse.

Milk Thistle is almost always a great choice for any cleanse or detox.

If skin conditions (eg eczema or psoriasis) are on your mind then Blue Flag or Yellow Dock are great.

Astragalus is awesome for strenghening the immune system. It supports and nourishes it as opposed to echinacea which can rev it up and burn it out.

Another great herb to help when you are placed under great demands (stress, work, family problems, hard training etc) is Siberian Ginseng. Siberian Ginseng is actually not a true ginseng (like Panax/Korean Ginseng) but is terrific as it doesn't tend to have the same chance of ending in burnout (like Panax) when used for long periods of time.

Astragalus (Astragalus Membranaceus) and Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus Senticosus) are two of my absolute favourite herbs. They work great individually or together. They are both powerful (help good things to happen) yet gentle (less likely to have side effects than things like echinacea and Panax Ginseng).

In my humble opinion, based on what you've said so far, I'd use Milk Thistle and Astragalus. The Milk Thistle is a great detox herb and the Astragalus will help support your body in dealing with the detox process and any "nasties" that get brought out during the detox.

You'll need to look into dosage as it varies greatly depending on what formula you are using. Herbs are available in...
*caps and tabs: some are whole herb and some are standardized extract. There are at times good arguments for either the whole herb or standardized extract. You also have to pay attention to wht part of the herb the product is made from (not all parts of the herb are equal and can even have very different effects).
*Liquids: Herbs can come in liquid form. Glycetracts (no alcohol, sugar type liquid) or tincture (alcohol). The strength of dilution will also vary and hence influence the dose.


Look for very reputable brands, this is really important!

Best of luck, :D
Matt Jones

[yorgoki]

Right on, Matt.

Thanks for the educated advice!

I'll be getting started next week, and I'll post my results.

[Scotty D.]

In speaking about the liver, you may be interested to check out Dr.David Jubb's advice in his book 'Lifefood Nutrition', and at www.lifefood.com . He advocates 'upstream' detoxification, that is, starting with a liver cleanse, then an intestinal cleanse, and then a parasite cleanse. He has created a 14-day liver cleanse program that is put forward in his 'Lifefood' book.

And if you want to check out the results of a liver cleanse, look at the pictures here:
http://curezone.com/cleanse/liver/default.asp

Though I have yet to do the 14-day program, I have done shorter liver cleanses with similar results, i.e. stones eliminated, though I was 20 at the time and it was not so heavy as in some of these pictures. I look forward to trying Jubb's program when I am living elsewhere (i.e other than with my folks).

[yorgoki]

Cool website, Scotty, and thanks for the ideas…
I thought I had a two week window in which to do this cleanse: i.e. plenty of off-time to rest if I needed it as cleanses usually wipe me out. Well, I play the drums for a living, and when the bookings come in I gotta take ‘em, because you never know when the work will dry up. So, I’m going to need a little more energy than a cleansing diet would provide for the next month or so.

I’m still going to restrict my diet…. No: sugar, white flour, white rice, potatoes, or soda.
Yes: 1 free range chicken breast a day, raw fruit, steamed veggies, brown rice, sprouted bread, green salads, and about a gallon to 1.5 gallons of filtered water each day.

I’ve been really worn out after the last couple of crazy months of work and pounding work outs, so I’m also going to take it easy with the workouts. Sticking to KB swings, CB pendulums, some Swiss Ball work, and a lot of Joint Mobility and Body Flow.

I don’t know what you’d call this… a therapy break? But, I’ve been at it for a couple of days and am already really feeling the benefits. Definitely some detox taking place, but not as acute as during a traditional cleanse. I could easily maintain this for a month or so – longer than I ever could with a fast or cleanse… And, of course, I’ll probably have 2-3 slow weeks in November, and will be able to ‘cleanse’ then. Perhaps the above will serve as a good preparation for that.

Anyhow, sorry to ramble…
Thanks to Matt as well for all the other advice. Ya’ll wouldn’t believe the notebook I have nearly filled with ideas from this forum!
:shock:

[Brett]

Certainly, the evidence that these objects are gall stones is anywhere but conclusive. Regardless, people feel better after doing them especially those for whom it is clinically indicated, which in the toxic world we live in, well.... that's just about everybody.

Detoxing can be as simple as a monodiet such as a grape fast or complicated and expensive. I, due to conflict of interest, always recommend you detox under the care of a qualified health professional.

[yorgoki]

Well, thanks for the input, Brett.
So far so good with what I mentioned above.
I'm not sure if I'm ready for a "slow-down" in the workout department, like you'd need for, at least, part of a cleanse due to the low energy...
So, I'm actually feeling like I'd like to turn up the heat with my clubbell once my schedule stabilizes... :twisted:
So I may do a modified type of cleanse using a decent, high-quality protein like Whey or The Ulitmate Meal, in addition to the usual greens, herbal extracts, fiber, fruits, veggies, and tea that one usually counts on during a cleanse.
We'll see what my body asks for...
As always, thanks to all you folks for the excellent suggestions and encouragement!
If any of ya'll aren't familiar with The Ultimate Meal, check it out:
http://www.ultimatelife.com/[/url]

[Brett]

I found ultimate meal to be hideous, this coming from someone who likes a lot of weird tasting food.

I'm just not convinced that all ingredients should be consumed raw or together such as you would find in ultimate meal.

[yorgoki]

Well, it obviously ain't a nice juicy steak, but I used it for an entire summer a few years back, and considering what's in it, I didn't think it was really that bad.
Different strokes, I guess. :)
I only mentioned The Ultimate Meal and Whey as possibilities -- I'm actually more inclined to stick with "real" food: good quality lean meat, eggs, green veggies, nuts, fruit, and lots of water. I'm really trying to be more intuitive about this stuff, and not so analytical...
Maybe take a break from talking about my big plans, turn off my computer, get my Clubbell, and go outside and swing it. :wink: