What is Detox? Detox cleansing diet. Standard Process Purification Program.

If you are a normal person, which I bet you are, most likely that your body is full of all kinds of toxins.

Unless you are living under a glass dome where all the microbes are killed, where you breeze pure pine-forest-like-oxygen and eat only organically grown raw vegetables and fruits and drink only spring water, you will be considered a normal person full of toxins.

In our everyday life we are naturally exposed to external toxins. Air pollution is leading to soil pollution and next to water pollution. We are getting these toxins into our bodies on an everyday basis and there is not much we can do about it.

Normally, our bodies are designed to be able to get rid of these toxins naturally. But our bodies can become just overloaded. The life becomes very hectic at times and it is hard to lead a healthy way of life on an everyday basis. We choose the easier ways and grab a hamburger when we'd better make a salad, or open a can of pop instead of making a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice.

As a result of normal metabolic function our bodies produce waste byproducts. Does everyone of us have a normal metabolic function? In this world of external toxins?

The only way to help our bodies to fight the external toxins is to help the body to get rid of toxins at least once a year. It is better than nothing. You may do body detox a couple of times a year, but even if you go through purification program once a year, you will feel a difference for months to come.

The most amazing thing is that after detoxing you body with a short purification program you will feel so good that you will try to keep your healthy life stile.

Some of external toxins:

• air and water polutants
• caffeine
• tobacco smoke
• cosmetics
• household and cleaning supplies
• pesticides and herbicides
• food preservatives
• pharmaceuticals (medications)

Internal toxins:

• ammonia
• carbon dioxide
• free radicals

Approximately 80,000 synthetic chemicals are registered for use in the USA. Hundreds of them are present in our bodies. Those chemicals can confuse and disorganize our immune, as well as nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems.

Toxins can trig lots of conditions, like

• stuffy head
• fatigue
• insomnia
• gastrointestinal problems, including digestive disruption
• weight gain as a result of food cravings
• brain fog
• low libido

How to choose a right and reliable purification program?

If you try to search in the internet for a good detox program, you will be lost in endless purification programs commercials, advertising, etc. How to choose the right one?

I don't know. I am afraid to advise you on anything I don't know for sure myself.

That's why I will give you a complete account of my personal detox adventure. The best purification program is the program supported by someone who really tried it.

I know people who used Standard Process® Purification Program. It is a three weeks purification program that utilizes whole food supplements, water and healthy diet.

Three weeks, 21 days. Though it is a commitment (as any purification program), but anyone can do it, because Standard Process® Purification Program organically fits into your schedule, it is easy to follow and it is actually fun.

So, Standard Process® Purification Program was my choice.

Disclaimer: Standard Process® Purification Program is not panacea, it is not supposed to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

But! After helping your body rid of toxins with the help of this program, your body's immune system will be able to function on a better level. More to it, you will want to keep a healthy eating pattern that you actually grew to love while doing your 21 day purification program.

The Standard Process® Purification Program comes with an easy to read and follow guide. You are suggested to take a short survey to determine a level of your toxic load.

Then the brochure explains to you how The Standard Process® Purification Program works. It stimulates specific detoxification organs in the body which then help your body to decrease your toxic load, thus enabling your body to concentrate on purification and weight reduction.

Detoxification organs of our body:

Liver - it filters toxins; aids the body in metabolizing fat, protein and carbohydrates; helps transform many toxins into harmless agents.

Kidneys - filter out waste and excess fluid from the blood; regulate and release the right balance of sodium, phosphorus and potassium for the body to function rightly.

Small intestine - digests food so that nutrients can be absorbed into the blood and transported to the liver; provides a barrier that blocks toxins from the rest of the body.

Large intestines - absorbs water and electrolytes and forms waste that is excreted from the body; produces antibodies for gastrointestinal health; contains bacterium that create fatty acids and some vitamins for additional nutritional support.

The Standard Process® Purification Program stimulates these detoxification organs, helps these organs to do the better job. So, as you see, your body will function proper, it just needs some help in this crazy world of toxins.

SP Cleanse - this is a vegetarian supplement that contains 20 different whole foods and botanicals that have detoxifying properties. I doubt that you can get all the listed goodies in real life other than from this type of supplements. To name just a few: juniper berry powder, red clover powder, apple pectin, burdock powder, dandelion leaf, cayenne pepper powder, globe artichoke and more.

SP Complete - a powder to add into nutritious shakes, contains amino acids, essential fatty acids and other vitamins as well as protein support.

SP Green Food - supplement that contains organically grown whole food concentrates, including whey protein powder, flax meal powder, rice protein powder, buckwheat, Brussels sprouts, barley, alfalfa, grape, red wine extract and others.

This is what I was taking during my three weeks detox program. More supplements can be used with this purification process and you are welcome to consider them, because each and every of them has real nutritional value and can be added to cover specific aims.

Gastro-Fiber - fiber support for softening the stool, aid in regular elimination ans provide an environment for the natural growth of "good" intestinal bacteria.

It is really simple, though at a first glance you might be scared of a commitment. Yes, it is a commitment. Just put up your mind to it and you will easily succeed.

During the first 7 days you will have 2-3 SP Complete shakes, SP Cleanse capsules according the program schedule and you are supposed to eat only raw vegetables and fruits (vegetables twice as much as fruits).

During days 8-21 you will still have 2-3 SP Complete shakes, plus SP Green Food capsules according the program schedule. To your salads you may add a cup of wild rice or lentils. The brochure says that you may as well add a little of chicken meat or fish, but I decided to go pure and did not use any of this. Just vegetables and sometimes a cup of lentils.

NOTE: supplements should be taken with an SP Complete shake or water, not with meals and at least one hour before your meal or 2 hours after.

For my SP Complete shakes I tried different ingredients using the brochure recipes choice, as well my own fantasy. I developed my own favorites that worked the best for me. All shakes should be made only with pure water, spring water is the best.

For breakfast shake I was using frozen strawberries, blueberries and half of banana. For afternoon shakes I was using spinach, celery and cucumber, but I was also adding strawberries or blueberries. Use the power of your fantasy in what you might come up with for making this nutritious and delicious shake. Pineapple and all sorts of apples also add a lot to the shakes.

Rest of my meals were built as salads of all kind of colors. One of the examples you see on the picture!

Eat a variety of vegetables in a variety of colors!

Eat frequently throughout the day. Pack a box of veggies cut as a salad to take with you to work. Use only salt, pepper and olive oil for salad dressing. You may add some cider vinegar too. Sometimes it becomes a little overwhelming to chew all these vegetables. Oh yes, it takes longer to finish your lunch, that's why I was eating lesser portions, but more frequently.

Refrain from using alcohol, caffeine, tobacco. Actually, it is a good idea to gradually decrease using stimulants before you start the purification program, because if you stop all your bad habits abruptly, your body will get into withdrawal and you may develop headaches at the beginning of the detox program, as well as you may feel really bad during the first couple of days. This unpleasant condition will go away fast and you'll feel like a new you.

Also, refrain from consuming nuts, seeds, dairy products, processed of refined foods.

You can eat unlimited amount of vegetables (raw and organic whenever possible), and fruits. But mind that your vegetable intake is twice the amount of fruit intake.

No dried or canned vegetables, though you may use frozen. Some vegetables may be steamed for about five minuted or stir fried, but the best results will be achieved if you consume least half of your vegetables raw.

You may use fresh herbs and spices.

Actually, The Standard Process® Purification Program brochure has enough recipes to cover a usual everyday menu. However, I was using my own fantasy and I was never bored preparing or eating my detox food. Now, here I should be more honest- a couple of times I did get bored with the thought that today I will be eating just salads again, but it was just a "momento" mental weakness. Make a little mental effort to overcome it and I guarantee that you will enjoy your salad as a gourmet food.

I even liked this menu so much, that even now, when I am done with my 21 day purification program, I still continue the same pattern of healthy eating (most of my daily food are raw vegetables salads).

Here is some information regarding what you might expect when you start your detox process.

All depends on your own toxic level. I was eating comparatively healthy anyway, even without detoxing my body with the help of supplements, so in my case I didn't have any side effects. I didn't have any signs of "withdrawal", headaches or general weakness. Though even with my healthy way of life I can testify that purifying your body at least once a year (better yet, twice) makes you feel better!

If your toxic level is high, you might experience headaches and fatigue within two or three days after beginning your purification process. These symptoms will disappear shortly. However, if you have a 9-to-5 job, for your own convenience plan to start your detox a couple of days before your day off.

Say, if you have Saturday and Sunday off, go on purification program on Thursday. This way your "withdrawal" days will fall on your days off and it will allow you to take it easier.

Also, as it was mentioned above, gradually decreasing your caffeine or other stimulants intake for some time before detoxification will aid a lot in going through first stage of purification program.

After you go through your purification program, you might reconsider your way of life completely. After detoxing your body, you will have

• increased energy level,
• improved digestion,
• less bloating,
• clearer skin,
• shinier hair,
• better sleep
• and you will see a noticeable weight reduction.

You will learn how to treat your body better and your body will repay you by better functioning.

You will be surprised, but your attitude towards food might change. The foods that you were craving before (like, all this loaded in sugar and unhealthy fats stuff) will not look as desirable as it was before. You will develop a new attitude to life and the effects will continue long after the purification process has been completed.

Don't forget to exercise, because exercise facilitates the removal of toxins and also helps you to manage a healthy weight. However, while on a detox program, it is wise to put on hold strenuous exercise and do just 30-45 minutes walks at least four days per week.

Think over foods you are eating. Avoid fatty and unhealthy foods, but eat as much as you wish of raw vegetables and protein rich foods.

Don't count calories, just choose right foods.