During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and all those Christmas parties we're obligated to attend, whether they involve family, friends or your officemates, one thing is certain, there will be food, and lots of it. This is the time when eating healthy takes a backseat and we gorge on everything from lechon and paella to leche flan and chocolate cake. It isn’t pretty, especially when you’re trying to watch your weight, and if you aren’t careful, the Christmas season can set you back in a major way.
If you can’t help yourself from eating all that delicious holiday food then your only option is detox. Detoxing diets are a pain, but if you follow them diligently, they can pay off in spades. They can help restore normal organ function and (supposedly) reverse the effects of all the fat and sugar you ingested over the holiday season. But with so many detox diets out there, where does one start? Here are some options:
1. The Master Cleanse - Invented in the 1940s by Stanley Burroughs, the Master Cleanse focuses on detox in its most basic form. Basically for ten days, you’re instructed to drink a solution of lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and cayenne pepper, exclusively. You’re not allowed to take in anything else. Since its development in the ‘40s it’s been met with a lot of controversy, and you shouldn’t embark on this cleanse without consulting your doctor first.
What the detox entails: Mix 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon or lime juice, 2 tbsp. maple syrup, 1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper into 8 oz. of warm or cold water. You need to drink between six and twelve servings of the solution each day as long as you’re awake. Burroughs stresses the importance of consuming nothing else, implying that the solution is enough provides enough nutrition for the day. He also urges you to take laxatives to help the detoxification process, and suggests drinking a salt water solution the first thing in the morning.
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2. The French Detox Diet - Many studies have indicated that the French diet, even though it is rich in cream and fat, can have positive effects on people looking to lose weight. The book “French Women Don’t Get Fat” by Mirielle Guiliano advocates brief detoxification diets to kickstart your metabolism and set you on the path to healthier eating habits, while Dr. Pierre Dukan, of the famous Dukan Diet, promotes a four-step plan that’s been successful for many a serial dieter.
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The “French Women Don’t Get Fat” Detox: A relatively short detox, only lasting 48 hours, Guiliano suggests a leek soup diet. To stave off hunger, you’re allowed to eat greens with olive oil and lemon juice in between your leek broth intake, which you should have every two or three hours.
The Dukan Diet Detox: For five to ten days, Dr. Dukan suggests you only have protein and a lot of water, at least 1.5 liters per day, eliminating all sugar and carbohydrates from your diet and flushing it out. After ten days you are allowed to slowly reintegrate certain foods, including vegetables and fruits, into your diet. The Dukan diet incorporates four steps: detoxification, cruise, consolidation, and stabilization. With each step, you’re encouraged to include oat or wheat bran in your daily consumption to provide the cleansing you need.
3. The Weekend Detox - Many iterations of the “Weekend Detox” exist. Since detox plans usually entail a minimum of a 7 day commitment, the lure of a 3 day detox program is something most people can’t resist. According to Joy Bauer, nutritionist and author of “Joy’s Life Diet” by cutting out foods like red meats and grains, that are typically heavy on the digestive system, your body will expel toxins and return to a more balanced state, especially if you increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. While “The Fruit Flush Plan” developed by nutritionist Jay Robb, focuses on subsisting solely on fruits and proteins for three days, thus flushing all the unwanted toxins from your body.
As with all extreme diets, which is at the core of a detox, you should always consult a physician before embarking on any of these. There are always dangers when you do anything to the extreme, like subsisting on lemon, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup for example, so always be aware of the dangers of these fad diets, and remember: “The best defense is a good offense.” So the next time you reach for that second or third serving of lechon, think about the weeks you’ll be spending on the treadmill just to work it off. Moderation is always key.
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