The Basic Cleansing Diet

Many people trying to conceive, or struggling with chronic illness, ask me what is the "best diet."

The truth is, there is no one specific diet. We are all too unique for that. There is a lot of research supporting an anti-inflammatory or Mediterranean type diet, which are great places to start.

I like to educate around what my environmental health mentor, Dr. John Hibbs, called the "Basic Cleansing Diet," which is eating a mostly whole foods based diet about 75-80% of the time. This can be a lofty goal for some, but I love it because it leaves room to enjoy life without being overly strict, and can really make a huge impact on our health, and decrease the need for more intense detoxes when followed consistently.

The goal here is incorporating a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetable to increase your antioxidant intake. This help with our livers natural detoxification process without needing to do a cleanse. Some people chose to eliminate gluten, dairy, and refined sugars for a set period of time (6-8 weeks) to see how their body responds as they start to incorporate it back in. There are pros and cons here and not everyone should do a full elimination diet.

Whether you undertake the elimination portion or not, Getting at least 25-30 grams of fiber each day is crucial, and acts as the best nutritional binder.

As far as caffeine, just 1 cup per day is ideal for most people. It is best to drink this before noon, with a meal containing protein and fiber, to help decrease cortisol and blood sugar spikes.  

Detox Support

Focusing on herbs that support liver function such as dandelion and milk thistle is a great option for liver support. I like organic forms from Traditional Medicinals brand. You can drink hot or iced, and enjoy as often as possible, ideally first thing in the morning. The dose is up to three tea bags per cup, three times per day, which is a medicinal dose. Many of these teas are delicious blended together with other herbal teas, or with a bit of freeze dried berries, or citrus juice and a bit of stevia, iced or warm.

Liver supporting foods to incorporate for fluid balance and hormone detox include: beets, artichoke, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, dark leafy greens, especially bitters like arugula.

If you are concerned about your health, and wonder about the role that toxins play in our health, I encourage you to speak with an environmental medicine trained practitioner. The National Association of Environmental Medicine is a great place to start looking for a qualified provider. And if you are here in Colorado, I would be happy to guide you through the process.