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Detox Diet: How to Naturally Detoxify Your Body

Fasting once or twice a year can promote the health of the body. We will show you what options there are for a detox diet.

1. Base fasting: regulation of the acid-base balance

With base fasting, the focus is on restoring the acid-base balance. The intake of many acid-forming foods (meat, cheese, white flour, alcohol) can lead to over-acidification of the body.

An alkaline diet – including foods such as potatoes, spinach, bananas or rocket – gives the body the opportunity to deacidify and thus rid itself of toxins.

A period of one to two weeks is recommended for base fasting.

2. Juice detox cure: activation of the natural cleaning powers

A juice detox cure is intended to support the body’s natural cleansing powers and rekindle new energy. Only fruit and vegetables are consumed in liquid form, such as juice or smoothie. All kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables are suitable for this. Due to the thick consistency of smoothies, giving up solid food is a little easier.

Smoothies are often said to have a satiating effect. You can mix suitable smoothies yourself, but many companies also offer pre-made juices for detox diets.

A juice detox cure does not require any complicated preparation and can therefore be easily integrated into everyday working life. It should be noted that a juice detox should not last longer than three days.

3. Therapeutic fasting: Extension of the juice detox cure

Therapeutic fasting is structured in a similar way to a juice detox cure. The difference is that you can also consume clear vegetable broth in addition to the juices.

In addition, a 12-day program is put into your hands. Therapeutic fasting consists of three relief days, six fasting days and three build-up days.

Drinking a lot is the be-all and end-all of every fast

In order to stress the body as little as possible during a detox cure, it is important to drink enough liquid – also in addition to juices and smoothies. Still water and tea are particularly suitable for this. Sugary drinks should be avoided.

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After Sugar, Alcohol and Co.: These 11 Foods Detoxify Your Damaged Liver

The liver is responsible for detoxifying the human body. The organ is affected by sugar, nicotine or alcohol. That’s why the liver should be detoxified every now and then: we’ll tell you which foods help best.

Experts recommend: detoxify the liver once a year

Liver health and quality of life are therefore directly related. The liver is a silent patient and cannot hurt itself. Stress on the metabolic organ makes itself felt in other ways – for example in the form of tiredness, headaches and back pain, skin problems or impaired digestion.

#1 Grapefruit

The grapefruit is rich in antioxidants. These natural ingredients protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals, which are intermediate products in the metabolic process. The vitamin C in the fruit in particular supports the cleansing of the liver and improves its function. The antioxidant glutathione eliminates heavy metals. In addition, the bitter substance naringenin contained in grapefruit helps to break down fat in the liver.

#2 Green Tea

Like grapefruit, green tea contributes to liver health. Antioxidants like catachins promote the breakdown of fat in the liver, which is why green tea can also help with weight loss.

#3 Garlic

Another antioxidant supplier is garlic. But it is not only through compounds such as allicin and selenium that it promotes liver detoxification. Garlic also activates liver enzymes responsible for breaking down toxins. Regular garlic consumption is also said to lower blood lipid levels (e.g. cholesterol levels).

#4 walnuts

Nuts are considered “brain food”. In addition to concentration, they also promote liver function. Toxic ammonia is produced in the body when protein is broken down. The liver has to convert this into urea so that it can ultimately be excreted in the urine. The substance arginine contained in the walnut supports this process. The same applies to lenses.

#5 Cabbage

Cabbage can also neutralize toxins. In all forms, it helps with the breakdown of nitrosamines, which are produced when smoking. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage as well as radish and radishes look good on the plate for the benefit of the liver.

#6 Leafy greens

The liver is known to struggle with heavy metals. Spinach, arugula and the like help against this and also boost the production of bile.

#7 Tomatoes

The metabolic organ is a great friend of vegetables. In addition to the well-known antioxidant glutathione, tomatoes provide the liver with a lot of water and therefore have a detoxifying effect.

#8 Avocados

Avocados are a real all-rounder when it comes to supporting the liver: They contain glutathione for detoxification as well as vitamins and minerals that boost digestion and the breakdown of liver fat. The super fruit is best known for its unsaturated fatty acids. These help to lower cholesterol levels.

#9 Lemon Juice

Because of their high vitamin C content, lemons are often used for health purposes – mostly in the form of hot lemon juice. In the liver, the vitamin stimulates the production of digestive enzymes. Bile function and intestinal activity are supported. In addition, lemons help the liver absorb more minerals and the body’s pH value is therefore more balanced.

#10 Beetroot

Beetroot juice is often used for coloring. In fact, the colorings beta-carotene and flavonoids found in vegetables also promote liver function and detoxification. In addition, beetroot is said to bring the blood into shape. It is believed to lower blood pressure, increase red blood cell production and improve blood flow in the brain.

#11 Turmeric

It’s getting even more colourful: turmeric is currently on everyone’s lips. The bright yellow spice is said to be detoxifying and anti-inflammatory and offer protection against many types of cancer – including in the liver.

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Chlorella, The Miracle Algae With a High Detox Effect?

Chlorella, a tiny, green spherical protozoa, is said to be able to solve almost all medical problems on earth. And by the way, with enormous nutrient density and easy cultivation, we can eliminate the world nutritional problem.

We are talking about the freshwater microalgae chlorella, a species of algae that has been found in water bodies around the world for billions of years. The effects that are said to be chlorella are also truly impressive: the microalgae is said to rid the body of toxins, help with radiation sickness, cancer and numerous viral diseases, alleviate allergies and fibromyalgia, generally stimulate the immune system and much more.

As with its blue-green “colleague” spirulina, the description of chlorella definitely sounds too good to be true. So what’s the truth behind the claims made by seaweed fans? Do you actually experience a little green miracle with chlorella – or is that more appearance than reality?

What type of chlorella is it?

What exactly is chlorella? There is actually no such thing as “the” chlorella. Rather, it is the name of an algae genus that currently has 24 recognized subspecies. The best known and most widely used as a dietary supplement or medicinal product are Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella sorokiniana. The microalgae multiply through cell division, with four new algae being created every 16 to 24 hours from a “mother algae”.

Characteristic is the resistant cell wall made of several layers of cellulose, which makes processing the microalgae for human consumption difficult. The cell wall cannot be digested, so our body cannot use the nutrients locked inside. This is the same for all these types of algae, as is the nutrient profile. Which one is eaten makes hardly any difference, which is why colloquially it is only spoken of “chlorella”.

Chlorella and Spirulina—all seaweed, right?

Chlorella and Spirulina like to be literally lumped together. They’re both algae. Both are considered true all-rounders and are both offered as dietary supplements in Europe. The two “algae” are actually completely different. The blue-green spirulina is a multicellular organism and, strictly speaking, not an alga, but a cyanobacterium. It thrives in salt or brackish water and is suitable for consumption without further processing after drying. It just doesn’t taste very good.

Chlorella, on the other hand, are true algae and protozoa with a thick cell membrane. They thrive in fresh water, are only about a tenth the size of Spirulina; If you want to break open their cell wall, a special treatment is necessary. What they have in common, however, is a high protein content and a high nutrient density.

The ingredients of Chlorella

Its ingredients make the microalgae appear as a superhero. At the top is probably the protein content of around 60 percent, plus all the essential amino acids. The proteins are also reflected in the calorific value, despite a very low fat (about 5 percent) and carbohydrate content (1.2 percent), 100 grams of chlorella have almost 300 kcal. The hit list of ingredients continues with iron (about 120 mg per 100 g), magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and manganese.

And the small spherical algae have another special feature: according to recent study results, they are one of the few plant-based sources of vitamin B12. With around 100 micrograms per 100 g, the content is actually relatively high, and it is also “real” vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which can also be used by the body. Unlike other algae, chlorella can help to prevent a harmful lack of cobalamin in a vegan diet.

Chlorella as a detoxifier

Industry, conventional agriculture and other human environmental sins have ensured that our environment is polluted with numerous environmental toxins and heavy metals. Alternative healing methods see poisoning with these substances as the cause of many diseases and therefore recommend detoxification. The detox effect of chlorella is said to be particularly good. In fact, due to the structure of its cell membrane, the spherical alga binds heavy metals from the waters in which it lives.

However, the studies on the detox effect of chlorella were mainly carried out on mice, rats or in the test tube. The few studies on humans are not very meaningful due to small samples or methodological flaws. Perhaps the microalgae actually help with detoxification – but then only with an intact cell wall, which in turn prevents the algae from absorbing nutrients. The same applies to pets, where chlorella is often recommended for detoxifying chronically ill dogs, cats or horses. No scientific data is available on this, the evidence of effectiveness is based purely on descriptions by the owners.

What are the effects and side effects of chlorella?

The detoxification effect of green algae has not yet been scientifically proven. And what about other possible effects and side effects? Many wondrous things are attributed to the algae: A regulating effect on the immune system that fights infections and can alleviate allergies; a beneficial effect in fibromyalgia, anemia and hypertension; a metabolism-regulating effect that also helps with diabetes and even an anti-cancer effect.

Scientific studies on these modes of action have existed for several decades. They also seem to confirm this. There is only one catch: In all summaries it can be seen that the studies were almost exclusively carried out on mice, rats or in vitro (test tubes). Current meta-studies also show that the use in humans has only been researched to a very limited extent. In an evaluation according to scientific criteria, it must also apply to chlorella that it could have these effects, but it is by no means certain.

About the side effects of chlorella it can be said that the alga is generally well tolerated. However, attention should be paid to the dosage. If the dose is too high, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or dizziness can occur, and sometimes headaches. These symptoms are attributed to “detoxification” but are mostly based on an intolerance and should therefore not be ignored.

Chlorella: tablets, capsules and powder – how the algae is absorbed

A 5 micrometer small spherical alga cannot be eaten just like that. Not even when it comes to millions of algae. In addition, the human body cannot digest the cell membrane of the microalgae and the nutrients inside the cell would therefore not be accessible. Chlorella is therefore dried after harvesting from the freshwater basins, the cell walls are broken open using a special process and processed into powder. This powder is then pressed into chlorella tablets or filled into capsules. The recommended daily dose is 3 to 10 g per day divided into two to three times. In the short term, the dose can also be increased to 30 g a day for two days, more is not recommended.

If so, then buy organic chlorella

There are now many ways to buy chlorella. It is available as a dietary supplement in health food stores, in organic shops or drugstores and, of course, in various online shops. When buying, however, you should always make sure that you buy organic chlorella with a quality guarantee from the manufacturer. Because the heavy metal-binding properties of the algae are not only positive. Cultivated in polluted waters, especially in China, chlorella can quickly lead to heavy metal poisoning – the opposite of the hoped-for detoxification.

Sustainability of chlorella algae

In terms of sustainability, there is a big question mark with chlorella algae. On the one hand, the algae are easy to cultivate, multiply quickly and have a strong nutrient profile. On the other hand, in order for these nutrients to become available, they first have to be “broken up” in a laborious process. As a means of combating hunger in the world, they therefore appear to be unsuitable.

In addition, the microalgae grow in fresh water, which, if it is clean, would be better used as drinking water. If the water is dirty and polluted, the algae pull the toxins out of the water – but are then no longer suitable for consumption. In addition, there is the transport from countries like China, which doesn’t exactly improve the eco-balance either.

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Detox Cure: How it Works and What it Brings

With a detoxification cure you clean your body of substances that accumulate in the tissue. We’ll give you tips to make the cure a success.

With a detox you help your body to help itself. The metabolism is a finely tuned cycle that processes all usable substances from food. At the end of the chemical processes in the body, some “unusable” substances remain.

The detox cure acts like a regulator for the metabolic cycle in your body.
You regulate the intake: During the cure you mainly eat easily digestible meals. The predominantly vegetable food contains a lot of dietary fiber from the plant fibers. The energy metabolism gets less replenishment and works with the reserves in the body.
At the same time you regulate the transport: A detox cure includes sufficient exercise and liquid. This activates the body’s own transport system. It is now time to also take care of any residues of toxins in the tissue.

Purification cure: These are slag

According to the definition, “slag” are nitrogenous end products from the metabolism of the cells. The residues of proteins and fats consist of large molecules and do not fit through the fine pores of the bloodstream.

The body has a special drainage system for this “waste” in the tissue, the lymph. The substances reach the kidneys via the lymph nodes and from there into the urine. The lymph channels do not have their own “pump” like the bloodstream – they are only sucked in by the heartbeat. With a detoxification treatment you activate the lymphatic system and thus ensure that your body can excrete the waste quickly.

You are more likely to hear the term “metabolic product” for this process from a conventional doctor. Doctors are familiar with a number of diseases that are caused by too many or too few metabolic products, such as:
neurodermatitis
rheumatism
Gout: The Apotheken Umschau reports that uric acid can trigger gout attacks under certain conditions. Uric acid is a metabolite of purine found in meat and offal.
You can prevent it with a detox. The idea of ​​cleansing the body and thus preventing or treating illnesses has been handed down from many ancient healing methods. There are also detox diets in Indian Ayurveda or in traditional Chinese medicine. In Europe, too, the detoxification cure has historical predecessors – Hildegard von Bingen, for example, recommended fasting cures to strengthen the immune system.

Signs of too much waste in the body

As a rule, the body is well equipped to deal with the end products of metabolism and other “unusable” substances:
The liver and kidneys are mainly challenged, which flush out many of the pollutants in the tissue via the urinary tract.
The intestine takes over the leftovers that the body cannot digest or that cannot be dissolved in liquid.
The skin can also excrete incompatible substances.
These signs can give you an indication that your body is overwhelmed by unhealthy waste products from the metabolism:
Digestion doesn’t work properly.
The stomach hurts and is often bloated.
You often get headaches.
You catch cold or catch infections easily.
You are quickly tired and overwhelmed.
You have trouble concentrating and are restless.
You can’t sleep well.

Purification cure: These methods are also included

There is not just one detoxification cure, but different approaches, especially in alternative medicine. Some methods often have multiple names, but essentially boil down to the same thing.

A detoxification cure can mean a cleansing of the intestines, which in healing practice is the beginning of a cleansing of the intestines.
Even detox cures that you hear about in the media are actually purification cures. Only the English short name Detox sounds more interesting than the German translation “detoxification”.
In the same way, a detoxification cure can also mean a fasting cure or Kneipp cure.
What they all have in common is that you avoid harmful substances over a period of time. This gives the body time to break down the residue. The liver, kidneys and intestines can then regenerate again.

In order for the organs to be able to fully recover, non-medical practitioners expect about four weeks for the detoxification cure. If you want to take such a cure, you should discuss this with your doctor or naturopath beforehand.
With short cures you give the body a break to break down the unhealthy substances. For example, you can insert a “detox weekend”. You often feel lighter afterwards and have more strength for everyday life. However, there is not enough time for the cells in the organs to regenerate.

Detox cure: It works with this diet

Easily digestible foods are on the menu during the detoxification cure:
Lots of seasonal vegetables and fruit
Whole grains like rice, pasta, bulgur, or other whole grains
Still water and herbal tea
On the other hand, do without during the detoxification cure:
Meat and animal protein, including cheese, eggs and dairy products
coffee and black tea
Bread or pasta made from white flour
sweets and sugary foods
Always prepare your meals from fresh ingredients and avoid ready meals:
You gently cook the vegetables with steam – this preserves more vitamins. The dietary fibers from the plant fibers stimulate your intestines.
It takes the stomach longer to digest raw vegetables and lettuce. Therefore, you should no longer eat a salad in the evening. For example, you can prepare a vegetable soup for dinner.
Bitter substances support the liver in breaking down toxic substances. They are contained in many types of vegetables such as chicory or dandelion. You can steam dandelions like spinach or prepare them as a pesto with parsley.
With herbal tea you support your kidneys and liver:
Drink a pot of herbal tea a day (preferably organic)
With nettle, parsley, horsetail or goldenrod herbal teas, the kidneys can better flush out the waste products via the urinary tract.
Tea blends made from dandelion and milk thistle are good for the liver.

Detox cure: Sport is also part of it

But not only the diet is important during the detoxification cure, but also sufficient exercise.

If possible, move in the fresh air for at least half an hour a day. For example, you can also start with morning exercise or jogging.
Yoga exercises relieves the organs and promotes digestion.
You can also do this:
Apply a liver compress in the evening: Place a warm towel below your lower right rib cage over the liver. Wrap a dry towel over it, cover yourself with a warm blanket and lie down relaxed for half an hour.
In the morning you can get your circulation going with alternating showers and a brush massage. As a result, the waste products that have been deposited in the tissue can reach the liver and kidneys better.
Sauna sessions also make it easier for the body to remove toxins.

Detox cures: dubious products

Attention: “Slag” is often used as a collective term in everyday language, which not only means the metabolic products, but also toxins that burden the body, for example:
drug residues
Environmental toxins, such as pesticides or heavy metals that you ingest through food
Amalgam from old tooth fillings
alcohol or nicotine
Doctors take a critical view of this very general term for slags. A medical inquiry should therefore sift through the evidence from alternative medicine, but there have been no solid studies on it. Thus, the statements that detoxification cures can eliminate the toxins mentioned from the body are not proven.

You should also critically question detoxification cures that require you to buy special powders or other means. Many products suggest that you can cleanse your body of these toxins – but there is often no medical evidence for this.

This is how you can prevent slag

If you move a lot and are active, your blood circulates faster. As a result, the lymphatic system can also quickly remove waste products from the tissue.
If you eat a balanced diet with lots of vegetables and use vegetable oils, less slag is formed from the metabolism. The lymphatic system has no problem removing all residues.
In this way you remain naturally “purified” and an additional purification cure is therefore not necessary.

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