If you are contemplating a detox diet, you are certainly aware that you need to take care to maintain proper nutrition. One of the many reasons you need to adhere to a sensible detox diet plan is to ensure that you are getting the best detox vitamins.
A detox diet by definition removes all kinds of things from our diet. That is how detox diets remove the intake of toxins. But the lower caloric intake does not mean we need to deprive ourselves of vital nutrition. Taking vitamins and other supplements during a detox just makes sense. We just need to understand the best detox vitamins.
A healthy detox diet sill contains many of the needed vitamins in the juices and smoothies that make up the detox diets. The best detox vitamins will complement the nutrition already present in the detox diet juices. The key to getting the best detox diet vitamins is understanding the way detox diets work to eliminate toxins from your body.
But if you struggle to get the nutrition you need, there are some vitamins you can take to supplement the nutrition in your detox diet plan. This guide will explore the best detox vitamins.
What does it mean to detox?
What do we mean when we talk about detoxing? The process of detox is at least two-fold: The first thing we need to accomplish is to stop the intake of toxic substances. This means drastically altering the diet to eliminate all sources of toxicity.
Many detox diets include a period of fasting followed by a strict program of fruits and vegetables, juices from both fruits and vegetables, and water. Many detox diets also include teas, not milk, and supplements designed to help natural processes like liver and excretory functions.
The second objective of a detox diet is to facilitate healing the natural physiological systems that process and eliminate toxic substances. This means eating and drinking things that are designed to help the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system get back to normal functioning levels.
The purposes of a detox diet are to remove toxins from the diet and the body and to stimulate natural physiological functions that cleanse the body. Specifically, a detox diet works to:
- Give your organs a break.
- Stimulate liver function.
- Facilitate elimination through urine, feces, and sweat.
- Improve circulation
- Boost nutrients in your body.
Keep in mind that many things we eat that are meant to be healthy may still contain toxins that accumulate over time. Even if you maintain a healthy diet you still can benefit from a detox diet.
The first step for a detox diet is to remove the sources of toxins. Begin by cutting out things like caffeine, alcohol, and certainly nicotine. These are the chief toxins people typically consume and the cumulative effects of these chemicals are dangerous.
The next step for any detox regimen is to focus on whole organic foods. For many people, this may be the most important gift you can give your body. Eliminate all processed foods, especially things like processed sugars.
Other simple detox tips include beginning your day with something as simple as lemon juice. Simple lemon water can flush your system, and lemon also contains electrolytes in the forms of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Lemon also helps your liver produce enzymes that aid digestion and break down toxins. Plus, the vitamin C in the lemon is a powerful antioxidant that will absorb and neutralize dangerous free radicals.
Some detox teas are widely available. Dandelion and Milk Thistle teas cut down on the buildup of toxins. These teas also contain ingredients that stimulate the repair of liver cell tissue. Avoid teas that claim to be “detox” teas since many of these products contain things like appetite suppressants which can be yet another source of toxicity.
Beyond these simple remedies, a comprehensive detox diet that sets out a program for meal plans is the most effective way of detoxing. These diets will require serious research and planning.
Benefits of a detox diet
There are numerous benefits of a detox diet. Since our diets impact virtually every aspect of our bodies, including our minds, a detox diet stands to benefit the entire body and mind. Some of the principal benefits of a detox diet include:
Digestive Health
Everything we eat has an impact on our digestive system. When we are consuming toxic and harmful chemicals, our digestive system is perhaps the first thing to suffer. Detox diet cleanses the digestive system while providing foods that are simple in molecular structure and therefore easy to breakdown. The benefits of digestion are two-fold: the system gets a rest, and the processes it needs to perform are vastly simplified.
Control Cravings
We see above that a detox diet can help you lose weight. In addition to the weight loss, a detox diet can help you stay fit by controlling cravings. By relying largely on the liquids that characterize much of a detox diet, your body becomes accustomed to a lower intake and slower easier metabolic load. Over time, your cravings for foods will decrease.
Increased Energy
The toxins we take in every day create a burden for your liver. With the liver working too hard you will begin to feel fatigued. By decreasing the toxins you take in and simultaneously cleaning your body of built-up toxins, the liver begins to work more efficiently and this is passed on to your entire body in the form of more energy.
Improved Mental Health
Hormones are involved with all physiological functions. One of the primary ways hormones are regulated in our bodies is through our diet. One hormone specifically associated with stress is cortisol which increases our stress levels. A detox diet reduces the stress load on the liver which in turn allows the liver to process and eliminate cortisol. The net benefit is decreased stress and a profound decrease in the physiological effects of stress.
The more egregious toxins like alcohol and caffeine are linked to things like fatigue and poor sleeping patterns. This harms our mental health. By eliminating these things through a detox diet and giving your body the added boost you need to process these toxins in the body, you will experience better sleep, more energy, and an overall better emotional state.
Is drinking vitamins important while detoxing?
The short answer to this question is no, but there are some qualifications to this answer. The ideal for a detox diet is that you will get all the vitamins and minerals you need through the juices and smoothies that make up the detox program.
Detox diet plans include juices that contain vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, protein, carbohydrates, and other compounds necessary to cleanse your body. That said, if you struggle with any vitamin deficiencies you will need to keep taking supplements to make sure you do not further complicate these deficiencies.
If, for example, you are prescribed things such as iron, B12, iodine, vitamin D for specific medical reasons, you should keep taking these during your detox diet period. But by and large, a detox diet is meant to remove all unnecessary supplements so you live, kidneys, and lymphatic system can remove all toxins.
Vitamin supplements are not in and of themselves sources of toxicity. But some vitamin supplements can put an undue strain on your natural elimination systems. This added pressure can complicate your body's ability to eliminate toxins during a detox diet.
Some supplements can help with the detox process. We will get to those below. Certain herbal and mineral treatments can assist the liver, help with digestive processes, and support gut health with things like probiotics.
Essential vitamins to use while detoxing
As stated above, most if not all of the vitamins you need can be derived from the proper components of a healthy detox diet. However, there are a few things you can add to your detox for additional nutrition.
Choline and Methionine
These are known as lipotropic factors. Choline and methionine are often recommended by alternative medicine practitioners to help with fat metabolism. Both of these compounds can also assist bile flow for healthy liver function.
Vitamin C
Water-soluble vitamin C works as a powerful antioxidant that will help rid your body of free radicals and reduce inflammation.
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is an herbal supplement. It is used to help with liver function and to assist in cell regeneration. Milk thistle is also recommended to protect cells from things like environmental pollutants and alcohol.
Beets and Beet Juice
Beet juice helps with the regeneration of liver cells and promotes metabolism which further helps your body process and eliminates toxins.
Protein
Proteins and amino acids all help with detoxification. You can get proteins from natural sources like beans, nuts, legumes, and seeds.
The best sources of vitamins are multivitamins derived from cruciferous vegetables. These tend to be the purest and the most effective. Cruciferous vegetables are a good source of sulfur-containing compounds, which have been shown to support enzyme production in the liver.
Research shows that organosulfur compounds (OSCs) also have effects that prevent the effects of chemicals by suppressing the growth of tumor cells. B vitamins are especially beneficial for the production of healthy liver enzyme levels.
When to take vitamins?
For the most part, you will get all the vitamins you require from the juices and other things included in a healthy detox diet. These juices are specially formulated to provide you with the necessary nutrition and to help your body detox.
If in the course of your detox diet, you experience things like the stomach or intestinal distress, you can supplement with things like B-complex, vitamin C, or probiotics. Some people experience flatulence, dry skin, and indigestion. These are signs that your liver may be stressed.
The process of the detox diet will relieve your liver of the excess burden of toxins. This should alleviate any intestinal problems. These symptoms may signal that you need a detox.
Spartan Detox plans
Certainly, there are plenty of things out there that will profess to give you a detox diet plan. But your overall health should go with a detox diet plan that has science and experience behind it.
The best detox diet plan available is the Spartan Detox Plan. Spartan offers several plans designed to meet your specific needs. Whether your goal is to lose weight or to bolster your immune system, Spartan Detox provides plans that include juices and smoothies that will help you meet your goals.
Spartan Detox Plans are made from natural juices and smoothies are prepared every day using the best quality fruits outdoors offering an exceptional taste and drink experience that will help your body feel energetic.
Spartan Detox also provides support through your detox programs.
Conclusion
A healthy detox diet not only helps your body eliminate toxins it also resets your natural biological systems that process and eliminate toxins. The goals of a detox diet are to cleanse your body of toxic substances and to help your liver, kidneys, and lymphatic systems return to maximum functions.
With a healthy detox diet plan, you can achieve the stated goals of detox and get the nutrition you need during your detox diet. To facilitate the proper functioning of your natural systems of elimination, a sound detox program provides you with sufficient nutrition to support these functions.
It seems obvious that to properly detox you need to stay physically fit. Fitness depends on a steady supply of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. This is why reputable detox programs make certain to include these things in the detox plan.
If you find that you are not getting the nutrition you need during a detox, there are some vitamin supplements you can take to help you through it. Make sure you are taking vitamins that do not contain unnecessary additives like processed sugars.
