Cleansing diets can be extremely liberating for the body. By cutting out all preservatives, sugar, and bad foods, you are giving your body a chance to recuperate and heal. However, it can be easy to follow cleansing diets that will not provide you with the nutrition your body needs to sustain itself. Therefore, before jumping right into a diet, it is a smart choice to research cleansing options thoroughly.

To get you started, this article explores three of what I believe to be the healthiest cleansing diets available. Each is explained in terms of its food restrictions, assumed health benefits, and the warnings that go along with it. As with any diet, these cleanses must be followed with extreme precaution and with medical supervision.

1. Fruit Flush Three-Day Detox Diet

As the name of nutritionist Jay Robb’s diet suggests, the rules of the Fruit Flush Three-Day cleanse must be followed for three days. In the first day of the cleanse, the dieter consumes protein drinks at regular, frequent intervals through the day and finishes the day with a dinner of raw vegetable and lean chicken salad. Days two and three require the dieter to eat prescribed fruit at certain times of the day and a salad and protein drink for dinner in the evening (University of Illinois).

This diet encourages individuals to eat healthier foods. It also counterbalances unhealthy foods that may have been eaten before the diet started. Other benefits include high water, fiber, antioxidants, vitamin, and mineral content, which help to detoxify the body and improve liver function. Finally, this diet ensures that the body is getting enough protein to function properly.

This diet is not recommended for people who must do cardiovascular or weight training exercises during the three-day period, though it is a good alternative cleanse for people unwilling to give up meat. The diet’s costs include $5USD for the book, and the cost of fruits, salad ingredients, and protein powder. (Everydiet.org)

2. Dr. Joshi’s Holistic Detox

A celebrity favorite, Dr. Joshi claims to be able to train dieter’s palate’s to favor healthier foods, to clear complexion, to improve nail and hair appearance, and to help dieters to lose weight through his three week detoxification.

The 21 day detox is centered around the elimination of foods high in acidity and sugar and even many common vegetables, and foods high in protein (yes, fish, tofu, chicken, lentils, nuts, and even buffalo mozzarella included) are allowed (The Guardian). For anybody looking for a healthy way to cleanse the body, Dr. Joshi’s diet is an excellent start.

Dr. Joshi’s book comes at the cost of about $20USD on Amazon.

3. Martha’s Vineyard Diet Detox

This diet is basically another juice cleanse and is based on practices endorsed by the Martha’s Vineyard Holistic Retreat in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. These practices involve eating vegetable and fruit juices, tea, and vegetable soups paired with the consumption of vitamins and enzymes, and colonics, saunas, and massage. The website claims it is first and foremost a detoxification tool, and that weight loss is a secondary result, yet the diet’s slogan is “21 pounds in 21 days.” (mvdietdetox.com)

It is said that other secondary benefits may include a boost to the immune system, a thorough cleansing of the digestive system, increased mental functions, cellulite reduction, and a new, healthier lifestyle.

However, the diet comes at a cost: upon entering its website one will find a special offer of its drinks, cleanses, and proteins for $213.95USD, the cost of the book itself is $24.95USD, and there are additional costs of practices like colonics and juicing. It is recommended that dieters not do more exercise than the equivalent of walking a mile a day, and that they go off the diet slowly. (Everydiet.org)

Alyssa Baldocchi is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online schools for Guide to Online Schools.

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