The benefits associated with detoxing the body are numerous and widespread. Just to be clear, a detox and a diet are two totally different things. Diets are all about restriction, elimination, and counting calories. The word “diet” has a negative connotation associated with it that can be summed up in one word: temporary. Even when we say the word “diet” it almost affirms a belief about ourselves that there is something wrong with our bodies. It still saddens me when I see people on a diet who are in some form starving their body of nutrients. I cannot stress enough how negative this is on the body.
Let’s face it, the world we live in is toxic, and although we can’t control our environment, we can control what we eat. That is why real detoxification is gradual and takes time. It is important that we transition slowly. It should be more like walking up a hill versus scaling up a sheer cliff. Truthfully, anything within a short time period (days to weeks) is a quick fix that will not sustain any significant or desired lasting impact on your body. That’s why I do not advocate any of those short-term juice fasts, like the Blueprint Cleanse. You’re not going to detox in a significant way in 3 days, and you don’t learn any real, improved long-term lifestyle habits to really detox. To me those programs are synonymous with a crash diet, and the real motivation for most people to go on them is to lose weight quickly (even though it will be temporary). Real detoxification takes work and time.
The Beauty Detox Solution (BDS) is about a lifestyle change, starting with adjusting the way we treat our bodies. It is called a “solution” because it is about the abundance of the right foods. You only have one body, and it is crucial to take care of your body now so that you can avoid physical and mental disasters down the road. At the heart of the BDS solution is respect for the body that nature has given us, and honoring ourselves to treat it with the utmost care. It’s time to move away from the notion of a “quick fix” because real cleansing occurs intentionally, and on an ongoing basis. And by detox, all I really mean is ridding the body of the toxins that it is exposed to on a daily basis from metabolic waste in our food and in the environment. For those who are intimidated by the word, think of it this way- all it stands is “De-toxification.” AKA Removing the toxins from your body. (Who doesn’t want to get rid of ‘em?)
The good news is that it is never too late to start nourishing your system on a cellular level, and you can start today. If I haven’t convinced you yet, here are some remarkable benefits of ongoing detoxification.
1. Reduced and Reformed Cravings: I hate to sound like a broken record, but cravings are created when our bodies are lacking nutrients, and instead of what we really need (minerals, vitamins, enzymes) we reach for “empty” calorie foods and beverages like a diet soda or a bag of chips. Most people are overfed and undernourished. Once you begin to detox, you will experience reduced cravings and a pleasant change in the healthy foods you desire. At first, it may seem like your cravings are getting worse, but that is why it is key to keep cleansing out old waste to accelerate the process (a Mag07 supplement or enemas/colonics can help) and keep good food options around you. If you have Candida the sugar cravings can be killer because the yeasts feed off sugar. It took me 2 years to stop craving cheese. But now I wouldn’t touch it. Be patient, and realize it is a gradual process towards a long-term shift where you will end up so much better off.
2. Natural and Healthy Weight Loss: Every body has a natural, balanced weight. The key word here is natural. Your body protects itself from toxins by encasing them in fat. Once you start detoxing and reach a more alkaline state, your body releases these toxins and with it, the fat that surrounds it. While detoxing, your body will naturally slim down to the right weight for your build and figure. Many people find that they shed those stubborn extra pounds for the long-term with a true detox.
3. The “Glow” of Wellness: Detoxing purifies your blood and eliminated free radicals and destructive toxins. It simultaneously cleans out your system like a gentle sponge while promoting healthy eating. This results in clear skin, bright eyes, shiny hair, and strong nails. When the body is in it’s preferred alkaline state, versus acidosis, you will get sick less often and heal from cuts quickly. This also includes powerful anti-aging protection. Cleansing protects and heals our skin from the impurities and deficiencies that are a big contributor to premature aging.
4. Improved Liver Function: If there is one organ in the body that cleansing targets, it’s the liver. The liver is the main detoxifying organ in the body and is responsible for breaking down compounds and allowing them to be excreted through your urine and colon. When your liver is running at optimal capacity, you will feel energized, motivated and look beautiful because the toxins are filtered out efficiently. Of course, you can make your liver’s job much easier or conversely overload it, based on your diet.
5. Adaptogenic Support: Adaptogens are derived from herbs and plants and are known to increase resistance to stress and anxiety. They are known for their ability to return the body to a balanced chemical state. Quite literally, adaptogens assist the body to “adapt” to physical and mental stress. Foods for energy is the key to unlocking the inner essence.
Understanding the way your body is built and honoring that by nourishing yourself foods that are high in minerals, vitamins and enzymes will ensure a powerful ongoing detox. I want to reiterate that with detoxing, the goal should never be measured on a timeline with an end date, but should be about embracing a lifestyle of improvement.
I want to leave you with a beautiful quote that I found the other day.
“We don’t have a soul, we are a soul. We have a body.” – C.S. Lewis
Great post!! You mention these in your book too, but it’s great that you mention it again in your blog.
I just had a question; my father is a meat & rice guy. I want to convince him to a more plant-based lifestyle but he think that he’s gonna drop dead or something. Any ideas?
Thank You!!!
Hi Kimberly,
I couldn’t agree more! I really try to avoid using the word diet when discussing my eating habits with others because to me it sounds like I am only doing it for a quick fix. I’ve always been a pretty healthy eater but since reading your book and discovering your blog/Twitter I’ve definitely stepped it up! I’m loving my GGS and can really tell on the days that I don’t have one that I’ve missed it! I’m also gradually making our home, which includes myself, my husband and our two young daughters, a gluten and dairy free home. I do worry about my daughters not getting enough calcium if I cut out their yogurt and cheese. Sometimes I can sneak some spinach into a smoothie for them, but neither will really eat many other calcium containing veggies. Do you have any suggestions?
Also, I was wondering what type of yoga you like to practice?
Thanks so much for all your wonderful tips, as well as your life-changing book! Can’t wait for the next one :)
Hi Elizabeth, I’ve started to cut out dairy and was also concerned about calcium intake as I’ve been told that plant based sources don’t absorb as well as milk. I’ve just learnt that chia seeds have more calcium than milk and absorbs better than milk because it also has other minerals to help deliver calcium to bones.
A tasty way to include chia seeds is a chia seed smoothie with banana, apple and cinnamon.
Oh that’s a great idea thanks! My kids are very good smoothie drinkers, so I’ll definitely try that one for them, and for me too!!
Hi,
thank you so much for all your wisdom! I really need it :) and I am learning a lot.
Though, I have a little problem. I got pregnant a couple of months ago and now I can’t get my green smoothie down in the morning :/ I drink lemon water first thing in the morning and then try to have the smoothie but I just can’t get it down. I have tried drinking it later in the day with the same result. I have tried it cold and roomtemperatured but the result is still the same. If I just take the ingredients (without the fruit) and make a salad that is easier to eat.
What to do?
Congrats, Linda-Marie. In my experience, just give it a month or 2. I am pregnant with my second. In my first I could barely eat any veggies at all, and certainly not raw in a salad or a smoothie, from about 7 weeks to 11 weeks. But by 14 weeks I was devouring them again. I am still in my first trimester w/ this one, and have had the same experience–some days all I can keep down are bland cooked grains. But as I get closer to the end of the first trimester I am beginning to be able to eat more veggies and have a bit of smoothie. If you can still eat salad, that’s great! Just do what you can and be kind to your body. Hopefully you’ll be back on your smoothies in just a few weeks :)
Thanks :) and congrats to you too :) sounds like you are just a few weeks ahead of me. I am eating what I can and carrot juice with lemon and ginger seem to work very well in the morning. I eat a LOT of lemons nowdays :)
I will keep my hopes up for the GGS.
Love
/Linda
Hi Kim! Another great post! I recently did a detox (panchakarma) with my Ayurvedic doctor and it was brilliant. I’d been drinking the green smoothies and eating lots of alkaline foods but I still had felt like I wasn’t absorbing everything I should be, plus I was still getting my afternoon chocolate cravings. Since the detox, all sugar and salt cravings have disappeared and my doctor also said the whites of my eyes are brighter. I’m also waking up naturally at 6am with a bounce! It makes such a difference going to work feeling vibrant after a morning walk. The panchakarma was hard work for one week but it was well worth it. The special massages were great too- although being massaged with hot sesame oil and chickpea flour smelt like I was being fried! Lol!
Keep up the good work! Peggy
I am hungry later in the evening. Is it alright to have some fruit?
NOT if you ate heavier PRIOR!! Big no no!!
Fruits should only be eaten at breakfast :) And with a vegetable after that if at all, at lunch. I don’t know if you’re doing food combining, but from what Kim has explained in her book, that’s what she says. :)
Hi Kimberly! Thanks for more useful information… After hearing your praises about the vitamix, I’ve been saving $$ for one. I’m finally ready to make my purchase in the next few days but I have a few questions… I know you said in this post that you’re against juice fasts but would it be ok to do a GGS fast… Or “feast” for about a week or so to transition into the BDS? Since I’m spending a lot of money on the vitamix I just wanted to drink/eat mainly GGS and puréed soups for about a week then start on phase 1 of the BDS, would this be ok? Thank you so much for your answer! And btw is it possible to get the free shipping code for the vitamix?
Hi Irene, be sure to purchase it through this link for free shipping. I would recommend slowing transitioning yourself into the BDS, because any sudden and rapid dietary change can create a lot of unwanted effects in the body as toxins are being pulled out a circulated in the blood. For my guide on how to transition, check out my previous post, and the “Transitioning” section of the BDS. Stay connected! xx Kim
Kimberly! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! I just bought your book today and though I have been dabbling in cleaning up my diet for a while now with wonderful (but limited) results, it has never really all been put together in one user friendly place. I was on antibiotics for MONTHS for an abscessed tooth, which I finally had a root canal for and the meds had a horrible impact on my energy levels, skin, hair and even oral health. I think I actually ended up with thrush. After a week on super strong probiotics and turmeric added to my green tea, sprouted grains and lots of greens, things are finally starting to look and feel better. I had no idea exactly why though, until I started reading your book. it was SO easy to find the answers to ALL of the questions and more. I am sure you hear this often, but your book is amazing! As a very analytical mind (I am studying engineering) I can’t stay motivated with anything (even if I see results) if I don’t know exactly why it is working. Now I now know why and how to tweak things just right. Thanks again!
You’re welcome!! Stay in touch
I used to crave bread & sweets like crazy! I’ve been following the detox lifestyle for about 6 months now, including a candida cleanse for the first few. I no longer crave bread, it’s amazing. Instead if I desire something, it’s for cherry tomatoes or avocados!
Kimberly thank you so much for your wonderful information. I can’t ever imagine going back to a SAD ever again.
Jen, I’m so glad you’re happy and embracing the Beauty Detox lifestyle, keep up the good work. xx Kimberly
Kim, I have a question for you, I bought the book and I want to do it FULL out! I see all the benefits and I want to eat healthy, BUT my BF is worried that I’m doing it unhealthy and won’t read the book, and thinks I’m just listening to my mom. (My mother is a health nut and is constantly going on crazy diets. Such a squash only for 3 months.) Would just doing the smoothie help me lose weight and get glowing skin, until I can SLOWLY start incorporating everything else so the poor man won’t die of worry? (He grew up with home cooked meals, and a BIG glass of milk at every meal.) Anyways, I hope I getta a reply!
Hey Jasmin, it’s always better to slowly transition into a big dietary change for your body, especially coming from refined sugars, dairy, caffeine, etc. Check out my previous post on “How to Transition” for my tips on a slow transition to the BDS lifestyle. Xx, Kimberly
Well, for everyone reading this- I missed food combining ONCE and I have been sitting here, feeling like I’m going to die. So, to the skeptics, if you were next to me right now.. you’d see the proof is in the… well.. lol
Any how, down to the actual question-
**I know I should be taking a probiotic and enzyme according to your plan, but is this bad for my system in any way? And (embarrassing question but..) will it make me have more bowel movements?***
And if I don’t take a supplement, will it decrease my need to go? Since I’ve started your plan, I notice I go to the bathroom less frequently, but I haven’t been taking a probiotic or supplement, so could this be inhibiting me?
I am starting classes soon and for obviously reasons I don’t want to be having to go all the time or unexpectedly..
TMI…heh
Probiotic & Enzyme salad is one of the most nutritiously packed foods you can put into your body! Probiotics help optimize digestion for the long run. If you kick up a lot of toxicity at once, your system could get overwhelmed and you may get backed up. Have you tried any enemas/colonics? It might be really helpful to move some waste out, and get you on a regular schedule!” xx
Hi,
I recently acquired a whole lot of wild turmeric from my home country. I was thinking turmeric, lime, honey drink! I will gladly give you some if you wish:)
Sounds delicious!
Hi Kimberly,
Can you recommend a good concealer?
Following your advice is helping my dark circles somewhat, but they’re still there and I have a couple broken capillaries on my face. And I admit, the occasional pimple.
Thanks!
Marcheline,
I have seen that Kimberly has recommended Christopher Drummond. It is an awesome brand. I have the concealer and really like it a lot. It does not cover any and everything, but it is creamy and does not fall into creases. Great for under the eyes. Organic, etc. Hope this helps!
Does anyone have some different ideas for lunch that follow the food food pairing guides lines in the radiant or true beauty plans?
Kimberly,
First off, I LOVE your book and your blog!! I have been in the Blossoming Beauty phase for almost a month now and will transition to the next phase soon. I’ve always been thin and my concern has never been to lose weight, but rather to get my acid reflux in check and I’ve been feeling better this past month than I have in years, maybe my whole life!! However, I’ve had a few people tell me that they think I’ve lose weight and look too skinny. I’m not too concerned (mostly because I feel so great), but I’m wondering if you have any suggestions as to how I can maintain my weight and not lose more.
Thank you for all of your hard work!!
Hi Rachel,
That’s great! I lot of clients have acid reflux, which is so unpleasant. Keep your weight up with more healthy oil like olive oil on your salads, larger servings of grains and healthy starches, and more fat like nuts, seeds, coconuts, avocados, etc. The same principles and foods, but more of the denser varieties of foods, will help a lot! xx
Kimberly,
You are awesome!
This may be off topic a bit for this post but I really have been needing to know what to eat before and after a workout. I am, as many people, concerned about the protein needs of my muscles after working out. I usually work out early in the morning and so I am not hungry but need something before and after that will ensure that my muscles are rebuilt after I break them down during a workout. Any suggestions for what to eat and how long before/after to eat it? Is hemp protein good? Even in the morning even? Thanks so much. This will be so, so helpful!
Hello Kimberly,
After reading your book I have finally lost (without even noticing) the 10 lb I have been carrying around for years now.. but I wonder if now is a good time for me to get pregnant? … Is all this “disloged” loose toxic stuff possibly still inside my body?… How long does linger for?..
Thank you, you are an inspiration.
Hi Sophia,
That is so great. Realize you are probably far ahead of most people trying to get pregnant. I generally recommend people change their diet and work to cleanse their bodies for at least 1 year before pregnancy. There will always be some toxins, but by doing that you are in a far greater position. xx
Thank you so much Kim! I do have a question. Is it normal to be eating the Beauty Detox ( radiant beauty phase)way for about 3 weeks then suddenly feel detox symptoms? I felt great, lost bloat, down 3 pounds almost immediately. Then it hit, bloat, gas, fatigue!!!!
Yes!! Please re-read Chapter 6 !!! It can happen after 2 -4 weeks generally. Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse! By the recommendations in that chapter. xx
Hi Kimberly, I have a five month old who I unfortunately have to supplement his feedings with formula but I’m also breast feeding and have been on a gentle cleanse for about a month now. Is it okay to breast feed while gently cleansing my system? I did a lot of cleansing prior to becoming pregnant but the way I was feeding myself during pregnancy was not 100% healthy. Please, let me know what you think about this and if eating super clean with no animal proteins is a healthy alternative for pregnant women. Kind regards, Karina