(the following article is an excerpt taken from The 'Plan A' Diet)
What about detox programs?
Hundreds of manufactured chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides are found in our food and water supply, with the highest levels of contamination found in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. The reason that animal foods are the largest source of such toxins is because of a process called bioaccumulation—their fatty tissues absorb and build up toxins at a faster rate than at which the substance is lost.
Switching from the Standard American Diet to The “Plan A” Diet may result in some temporary detox symptoms as your system rids itself of stored pollutants. Weight loss contributes to the process because dissolving body fat also releases toxins into the bloodstream. As your liver cleanses the body from animal-based proteins and impurities, you might temporarily experience headaches, irritability, fatigue, lightheadedness, anxiety, or cravings. These withdrawal symptoms are often mistaken as hunger signals, so be mindful of what’s happening to prevent binge eating or sliding back to addictive foods.
What about the many “cleanses” on the market, such as herbal products, colon cleansing, coffee enemas, and supplements? When you begin a whole food, plant-based diet and drink enough water every day, your body uses the natural, detoxifying compounds and enzymes found in plants to rid itself of stored pollutants.
Contaminants on plant foods pose little risk because most of them can be washed and/or peeled before eating. To see which fruits and vegetables harbor the most pesticides—even after being washed and when applicable, peeled—Google “the dirty dozen and the clean 15” to see the Environmental Working Group’s annual list. Purchase organic produce if your budget allows.
By no longer consuming contaminated meat and dairy products, purchasing organic produce whenever possible, and thoroughly washing whatever produce you consume, the body will take care of the detoxing process naturally.
Ready to get started with a permanent detox?
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