Juice Diet Plans

One of the most popular detox programmes is a juice diet or juice fast. The principle behind juice fasting is that if you drink only water and fruit/vegetable juices (yes, avoiding all solids!), your body uses a minimal amount of energy for digestion, and therefore can dedicate its resources to ‘healing’ any ailments it suffers and burning fat reserves for extra energy that might be required.

Juice diet advocates promote the benefits of juice fasting – it eases the transition to a healthier lifestyle as dieters are less likely to suffer post-detox symptoms; juice diets can prevent many illnesses associated with poor dietary habits; also, juice fasting is associated with enhanced mental well being.

Though there are as many different juice diet plans as there are juices, the programmes do hold a few principles in common. Among these are:

1. The best time to start a juice fast is the spring.

2. Purchase a good-quality juicer.

3. Dieters shouldn’t undertake more than two juice fasts a year.

4. Better success is achieved by weaning yourself onto a juice diet (gradually eliminating alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, dairy, wheat, animal proteins, fish and eggs over the week to ten days preceding your juice fast).

5. Limit the juice fast to between three and seven days.

6. Following the fast, gradually add solids back to your diet, starting with organic fruit and vegetables.

7. Go to bed early while you’re fasting – the liver, your body’s key detox organ, is most active from 11pm to 1am according to traditional Chinese medicine.

8. Keep warm.

9. Get plenty of rest and relaxation.
   
General rules for a juice diet are:

1. Drink between 32 and 64oz of fresh juice per day; use between one and three parts water to one part juice for drinks.

2. Avoid citrus fruits – good choices for detox juices are celery, carrot, kale, cabbage, apple, pineapple, cranberry, spinach, beet and greens.

3. Six glasses of water should be consumed each day to aid the body in eliminating toxins.

4. Use organic fruits and vegetables to make your juices – if organics aren’t available in suitable quantities, wash and peel the produce thoroughly.

5. If you can’t make fresh juices yourself due to lack of suitable produce or equipment, it is alright to purchase suitable organic juices from your local health food shop.

Results of following a juice detox or juice fast plan are varied, depending on the juice diet that’s been followed. General benefits include improved energy, improved sleep, better attitude and more motivation to exercise and generally follow a healthy lifestyle.

Some dieters have complained of headaches, sore muscles, general weakness, disrupted sleep and mood swings at the beginning of a juice fast – these symptoms are commonly associated with detox diets in general. Some people should not attempt juice fasts – this particularly applies to people with kidney or liver dysfunction as those organs are put under more stress than usual during a detox plan of any sort. detail click here

High Protein Diets

There are a number of high protein diets popular today, among these are the Total Wellbeing, Zone, Atkins and South Beach diet plans. The primary focus of a high protein diet is on boosting the amount of protein consumed while cutting back on carbohydrates. Fats are often deemed neutral in high protein diets, which is why they have become increasingly controversial.

The majority of these diets recommend that dieters consume between 30 and 40 per cent of their daily calories from protein each day. Many studies have shown that dieters following high protein diets consume fewer calories overall and therefore are able to lose weight. The researchers are divided, however, on whether or not the high protein is key in weight loss.

A high protein diet will typically allow its followers free consumption of any food that is high in protein, from steak, duck and salmon to eggs, sausage and cheese. Most high protein diets will recommend that you focus on getting your protein grams from leaner sources, and avoid saturated fats and processed foods as much as possible.
   
For those hoping to build muscle, a high protein diet is essential as your body makes muscle from protein. For bodybuilding, it’s recommended that you eat at least one gram of protein per kilo of bodyweight per day. Though you should try to get your protein from whole foods, many recommend boosting your protein intake with supplements, shakes or bars that are readily available from health food stores.

For those simply wishing to lose weight, a more moderate approach is recommended – particularly as people who are overweight may already have compromised kidney function and therefore shouldn’t follow a high protein diet. Generally it is recommended that overweight people wishing to pursue a high protein diet for weigh loss should consume only lean proteins, and balance this with a good level of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Potential risks of following a high protein diet plan range from kidney stones to constipation, and may also include an increased risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. These risks are due to an increase in saturated fat intake, a decrease in fibre consumption and the increased work a protein-enriched diet forces on the kidneys.

As with all diet and eating plans, it’s recommended that you discuss your intentions with your GP before starting – this allows you the chance to learn about potential side effects and should help you determine whether a particular eating programme is suitable for your needs. Also, it is always recommended that dieters follow a regular programme of exercise.

High Fibre Diets

Most of us don’t get enough fibre. The effects of an inadequate fibre intake range from constipation to haemorrhoids and from irritable bowel syndrome to colon cancer. Health research the world over backs up recent marketing campaigns telling us that high fibre diets are excellent for our overall health. Diets high in fibre are linked with weight loss, improved digestive function, decreased rates of colon and bowel cancers, and even stabilised blood sugar.

Why is a high fibre diet effective? Because fibre, though an essential component of a well-balanced healthy diet, can’t be digested by your body. It passes through your small intestine, into the colon where it is broken down by the normal bacteria in your gut. Fibre then acts a bit like a sponge, retaining water to help your body produce more regular, soft, bulky bowel motions. This enhances your bowel health, helps you to avoid constipation and works to prevent diarrhoea by ensuring the liquid in the bowel is distributed evenly. What’s more, fibre is an excellent tool in the weight loss battle – as it isn’t absorbed by your body, it doesn’t contribute to weight gain but does an excellent job of keeping you feeling full.
   
    How can you eat more fibre? The best fibre in our diet is natural fibre that comes from plants – fibre isn’t found in meat or dairy products. A few excellent sources of fibre are listed here sehatip.blogspot.com:

1. Breakfast cereals: AllBran, BranFlakes, Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, museli and porridge.

2. Breads: wholemeal, stone ground, granary and bran-enriched breads.

3. Cereals/grains: brown rice, wholemeal flour.

4. Vegetables: beans, pulses, lentils, carrots, sweet corn, peas, sprouts and baked potatoes.

5. Fruits: oranges, pears, apples, avacados, grapefruits, prunes, berries, and figs.

6. Nuts: peanuts, almonds and coconuts.

Is there anything else to consider? There aren’t really any negative side effects to eating more fibre. Some people notice an increase in the amount of wind they pass following a sudden increase in the amount of fibre they consume. To avoid this, increase your fibre intake gradually or simply persevere in the amount you’re eating as your body will adjust to the change in diet in a short amount of time. The other key consideration for people about to switch to a high fibre diet is the amount of water consumed. It is important to drink between six and 10 glasses of water or fruit juice every day, in addition to any other drinks. This is important because fibre soaks up liquids in your bowel – if there isn’t enough liquid present, you may find yourself constipated.

Finally, it’s important to remember the role that exercise plays in any diet programme. Taking regular exercise is also linked with improved bowel health and function.