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Has anyone here ever been on a detoxification diet? Not necessarily to lose weight, but for cleansing reasons, etc.
I was thinking about going on one since I need to clean this ol' body out, I've been eating too much junk food (cookie culprit, as I like to call myself.)
So pretty much tell us about your experiences, reactions, and food choices during the detox, or any thoughts on the subject.

I agree with onicoe, I've never been on an "official" detox diet, but the first 2 weeks of the South Beach diet are kind of a detox. They get you off of refined carbs and sugars. It is mostly a common sense type of thing.
I may have to check out a real one.

Onicoe, you're too cute. I heart you.

I've been on detox's before - namely the Wildrose One. It's just taking three types of pills, three times a day with a diet that restricts certain foods (sugar, alcohol, etc.) I personally didn't feel any different. I went on a "harsher" one and still didn't feel different. I don't believe it's because I'm healthy, I just think I need to take a pressure washer to my innards.

My aunt once went on the master cleanse. That's nothing but water with lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. She did this for ten days. I did ... two. She doesn't work, and pretty much stays home all day, oh, sorry, she's an "art-tist" and thus works very hard in her "studio". I on the other hand biked to school and I couldn't concentrate at all so had to go back to eating.

However, I was absolutely amazed at how my aunt changed. She lots a very noticeable amount of weight and developed a healthy glow. If I ever was able not to work for seven to ten days, I would most likely try this again.

If you do anything that's strict like that (as in no to little food) do make sure that you're not going to be going to school or work. It's really best done when you're at home with someone to watch you. (In case you faint or feel unwell.)

Also, there will be people that will tell you such detoxes are unhealthy. Please remind them that until recently, the human race has gone on forced detoxes - harsh winters when food is scare and good ole' famines. It's nothing new. :3

Plan out your detox with the foods you will be needing. If you're going to limit sugar and junk foods, try to do so in a way that will continue after your detox. You will also want to ease into it, and make sure you ease out of it. When I went off the master cleanse after two days - I ate a heavy dinner and paid for it dearly that night. (Gut pains to no tomorrow.)

If you're going to do one now, I would suggest in season fall and winter foods. If you do fruits, you'll most likely be cold and unwell. Fruits are cooling foods and are not good choices for winter diets. (I've found a great resource for in season foods for my region.)

lol, long post is looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong.

Editz0rs:
My good book "Food and Healing" has a nifty chart:

If you're craving sugar (cakes, cookies, pastries, candy, ice cream) - you must eliminate it and have more whole grains, baked yams, squash, apples, dates, cooked food and have less meat, salt, dairy products.

If you're craving fats and sweets (baked goods made with natural sweeteners whole wheat flour, oils), foods must be diminished, have more protein: beans, fish and eggs and less grain fruit and salad.

My brother's done the master cleanse one also a couple times. I guess it works for him if he's done it more than once. He says it makes him cold all the time and the lose of energy is annoying (but that's part of the process)

I'd love to do some sort of cleanse one day, my stomach/intestines are pretty sensitive and I know a good cleaning would do it good. I do sometimes drink Yogi Tea's Detox tea whenever I feel a little off. I'm not sure how well it works when I only drink like a cup here and there, but anything is better than nothing I say and I don't feel worse after I drink it.

I should of been more clear in the edit. What the book suggests in regards to that table is if you're craving X, fight it with Z. I had posted it for reference as a long term goal, not something to do during a detox. I hadn't posted it very clear at all, my apologies. :3

Detox's are basically removing "built up toxins" in certain body systems. You can do a whole body, liver cleanse, kidneys, and I'm sure a few others. You can also specify certain conditions - like yeast overgrowth.

It's basically removing food from your diet that could impede your body's natural ability to remove them itself.

If you're looking for a good gut cleanse, I would go with flax seed cookies. A lot tastier and easier on the tum. 3nodding

I trust Haas's information over a "health journalist" from New York any day. Where I can appreciate the article giving another side of the detox diet, the over use of "zealot" quickly removed any respect the information gave. The journalist gives no medical background or research on why a detox diet is harmful where as Dr. Haas does cite references. (I have read and own the book Staying Healthy with Nutrition written him.) I feel that she just did a bit of Wikipedia before typing up that entry.

I also love how any fasts are automatically deemed "dangerous". North American health is in the pits - we have obesity rates skyrocketing, cancer out the whoha, heart disease, diabetes, mental illnesses and so forth. I would be very curious why this epidemic isn't in places like Africa or in countries that food is rare. Yes, the African people have shorter life spans but that would be due to easily preventable things (malaria, poor water) that unfortunately due to lack on money are not implemented as should.

I would also like to point out that famines last years. If this was unhealthy as Ms. Walsh points out, we would of been in deep trouble centuries ago.

I've been slowly accumulating containers so I can build a pantry of staples so I don't have to rely on processed foods. I agree with this. Most anything that is ready-made in a box or other packaging just isn't that great for you. It will sustain you but I wouldn't call it food.