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How do I Choose the Best Herbal Detox?

Vanessa Harvey
Vanessa Harvey

The best herbal detox plan generally should be chosen based on the specific type of detox you need, such as a liver detox or a kidney cleanse; your current state of health; and how much time you can dedicate to detoxification. If you choose to detoxify a specific organ, you might want to have first completed a program of total body cleansing to avoid excessive stress being placed on any one organ or system. Consideration for your current state of health also is important, particularly if you are below your ideal weight, which primarily is determined by your height and gender. Some detox diets and plans require you to drink very large amounts of liquids or to take a lot of time to prepare special foods or drinks. It might not be feasible for you to choose such an herbal detox on a day when you have to go to work.

Herbal detox plans can be as simple as drinking cleansing, unsweetened herbal teas for a period of 24 to 72 hours, during which you fast from all other drinks and solid foods of any kind. This usually is one of the best herbal detox plans for people desiring to reduce their weight and who are able to fast for at least 24 consecutive hours. Juice fasts, consisting of nothing but fresh fruit juice from organically grown fruits and water, are among the best herbal detox diets for people who require more sustenance than provided by herbal teas. Detoxification via a fresh fruit juice fast works well even if you do not wish to lose weight.

A cranberry juice detox may help cleanse the kidneys.
A cranberry juice detox may help cleanse the kidneys.

A detox diet can even consist of eating only fruits, vegetables and herbs in the form of vegetable stew that has been seasoned only with natural herbs and spices; fruit salads; and raw vegetable or herb salads that are naturally seasoned. This probably is the very best herbal detox for people who refuse to fast but who still would like to detoxify periodically. Strict vegetarian diets, more commonly known as vegan diets, usually are effective herbal detox plans when followed on a temporary basis. Temporary veganism could be considered the best detox for people who don't mind giving up meat in their diet for a period of time and for those who would like to detoxify from animal protein.

Wheatgrass is often used as part of a detox program.
Wheatgrass is often used as part of a detox program.

Unless you are very well versed in the use of herbs, the basics of food combining and all-natural eating, the safest and best herbal detox simply is to avoid unhealthy foods and drinks and replace them with ones that are healthy. Carbonated or sugary drinks can be replaced with purified water, herbal teas sweetened with a natural sweetener such as honey or stevia extract and milk from cows that were not treated with growth hormones and is pasteurized rather than homogenized. Natural, wholesome foods include organically grown fruits and vegetables and heirloom grains such as spelt and kamut.

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    • A cranberry juice detox may help cleanse the kidneys.
      By: Galina Mikhalishina
      A cranberry juice detox may help cleanse the kidneys.
    • Wheatgrass is often used as part of a detox program.
      By: MSPhotographic
      Wheatgrass is often used as part of a detox program.
    • A cup of herbal detox tea.
      By: hitdelight
      A cup of herbal detox tea.
    • The best herbal detox should be based on which part of the body a person wants to detox, such as the liver.
      By: nerthuz
      The best herbal detox should be based on which part of the body a person wants to detox, such as the liver.
    • Because herbs are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the strength of herbal detox remedies is not standardized in the United States.
      By: Elenathewise
      Because herbs are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the strength of herbal detox remedies is not standardized in the United States.