When most people think of learning how to detox at home, they think about the fasting detox that requires you to give up food and drink glasses full of strange inredients. That is one way of detoxifying your body. But if you have never done a detox or it has been a long time since you have done it, you should be aware that going into it with full gusto can be shocking to your body. The best way to detox at home is to go healthy by cutting out foods and substances that are overworking your liver and add foods that have been shown to have beneficial effects.

How To Detox at Home - The Guidelines

Fruits and vegetables will be the mainstay of your detox plan. You can have up to three servings of fruit in a day and unlimited amounts of most vegetables. Do not eat bananas, potatoes or corn. If you eat peas, add them to your servings of legumes rather than counting them as vegetables. All of these are high in sugars and starch. You should get your starch from whole grains and legumes. Whenever possible, eat your food whole or put the fruit or vegetable in a juicer with skins intact. Remember to always wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them!

Whole grains can be eaten twice every day. The best whole grains for detox are brown rice, steel cut oatmeal and 100% whole grain bread. Make sure none of the ingredients in your bread are refined. It is best to eat one portion in the morning and one portion in the evening.

For the duration of the detox, steer away from animal products, including meat, eggs, cheese and milk. Eating raw almonds, unsalted sunflower seeds, beans and legumes will give you enough protein to get you through your detox at home.

No vegetable oils, margarines, mayonnaises, butter or salad dressings that come from a bottle should touch your lips. Two tablespoons a day of omega 3-rich canola or olive oil are acceptable and even useful to your detox plan. You can make a dressing with these oils if you combine them with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.

Your detox at home plan should include a gallon of water or more a day. Water helps to flush out the toxins that are being released into your system. This is essential if you wish to get the detox done quickly and without all the nasty side effects involved.

If you are elderly, you should not detox at home. Do not put young children on this kind of plan. If you are fighting an addiction whether it is to alcohol or drugs do not detox without being under the care of professionals. If you are on prescriptions or have a health concern, talk to your doctor about whether or not a detox at home plan is right for you. Because of the nature of detox, your body will likely react with some harsh symptoms. It is always best to see your doctor before you go on a cleansing diet.

Detox diets are naturally low in calories so it is best not to stay on them for longer than a week to 10 days. If you choose to go longer, you need to add proteins and yogurt to your daily menus. Salmon, tuna and chicken breast are all good low-fat proteins. Plain yogurt with active cultures may be mixed with fruit. This will give you calcium and help to keep yeast growth in the body at a healthy balance. It should be stressed again: When learning how to detox at home, it's always a good idea to include your doctor in on any detoxing plans you may have.