Conscious Living

Detox diets help in removing toxins from the body. They are based on the simple fact that the body needs clean, pure and natural foods to maintain a healthy system. By doing a detox diet, we would be giving some rest to the digestive system. We reduce the intake of chemicals by eating natural,  organic and unprocessed foods. The diet helps in taking in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in their natural form which are key to detoxification. It includes high fiber foods and water which helps the body to eliminate toxins by increasing the frequency of bowel movement and urination.

We ingest many chemicals through food, water and air which get deposited throughout our cells in the body. Toxins such as pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics, hormones and other chemicals from packaged foods, household chemicals, pollution, food additives, etc are the common culprits which cause ill effects to or body. In order to get rid of these harmful substances and maintain a healthy body, people go on a detox diet.

Children and women who are pregnant or nursing should not do the detox diet. People with anemia, diabetes, autoimmune diseases,
cancer, kidney malfunction and other chronic conditions should not try this diet.

My friends and I had been talking about doing a detox diet for a while. We wanted to start it simple and small. After a lot of research and discussions, I found many wonderful recipes online. I found this great recipe from 3fatchicks.com. I however modified it a little bit by adding and subtracting a few of the ingredients.

1. Start the day with Oil pulling
2. Drink 16 ounces of warm water with a half of fresh lemon juice.
3. For breakfast – Smoothies of either fresh fruits or fresh green leafy vegetables or the following fruit bowl

• Fresh fruit salad
• 1 cup papaya or 1 cup chopped apple
• 1 banana
• 1 pear
• ½ cup raspberries or strawberries
• ¼ cup grapes
• ¼ cup unsweetened fruit juice
• 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup if vegan (optional)

• 1 cup green tea
• Handful of raw nuts or dried fruits
• 2 celery sticks
• handful of berries

5. Lunch

• 1 cup lettuce
• 1/2 cup bell pepper
• 3/4 cup Mung bean sprouts or alfalfa or any other sprouts of your choice
• 10 slices of cucumber
• 1/2 avocado
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 7 slices of orange
• 1 tbsp nuts/dry fruits/seeds (Almond, cashew, Walnuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, goji berries)
• For salad dressing – olive oil with lemon or balsamic vinegar and freshly ground pepper

6. Mid-afternoon

• 1 cup thyme tea or watermelon juice

7. Evening Snack

• 10 baby carrots
• 1 orange or 1 whole fruit of your choice

8. Dinner

• 1/2 boiled potato without salt
• 1/2 cup soaked black or pinto or garbanzo beans
• 2 cups semi steamed vegetables broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, green beans, peas and zucchini

9. After-dinner

• 1 cup chamomile tea

I am not a nutritionist. Please talk to  a doctor or a certified nutritionist before going on a detox diet.

Resources:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/the-vegan-detox-diet/#
http://www.everydiet.org/detox_diet.htm
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/foods-that-detox-the-body/
http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/dietarytherapy/a/DetoxBasics.htm

My 1 year old daughter was sleeping in the room when all of a sudden she woke up and started to cough. She was teary eyed and her eyes had become red. She started breathing heavily and gasped for breath. I immediately took her out into the fresh air and after a couple of minutes, she got OK. I didnt know why this had happened to her. Later when I went back into the room, I realized that my husband had just used a spray deodorant. This had given her such a reaction. I didnt know what to do but decided immediately that I would stop the use of deodorants and come up with something natural. I stumbled upon some websites which had homemade recipes for deodorants, lotions, perfumes, after shaves, shaving creams, air-fresheners, lipsticks, lip balms and so many more.

I have recently started eliminating many of these ‘chemicals’ from my house. I know there is a limit up to which one can eliminate the use of chemicals at home, but this is a start. The following is a basic recipe for homemade deodorant which I borrowed from ‘Passionate homemaking’. Thanks to the recipe. It is wonderful and my husband and I have been using it for over a year now. I am so glad I found it!!

Homemade deodorant Recipe I:
Ingredients:
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup arrowroot starch powder
5 to 6 Tbsp of coconut oil
Choice of essential oils. (I used 5 to 6 drops of lavender essential oil as it has antiseptic and anti fungal properties.)

Method:
In a bowl combine the baking soda and the starch powder. To this add the coconut oil and mix it using a spoon or by hand. You could adjust the coconut oil or the starch powder if the resulting mass becomes too thick or too thin. The mass should be solid enough to hold it, but at the same time be easy to apply. You could transfer it to a small container.

Homemade deodorant Recipe II:
If you do not want to use a stick deodorant and like the spraying type, there is this yet another recipe from ehow.com

Ingredients:
Water
Tea tree Essential Oil
Spray Bottle (You can find it in local stores or if making for friends and family and want it in bulk, MountainRoseHerbs sells them in bulk)

Method:
2 drops of tea tree oil should be added to every 1 ounce of water. So fill a small spray bottle with water and tea tree oil. Shake it and mix it well. You could let it stand for a day or two before you use it. Spray it under arms and avoid the eyes.

Sources:
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar0BF6hMuGE
http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/natural-essential-oils/health-benefits-of-lavender-essential-oil.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_5001050_make-using-tea-tree-oil.html