Most people who are looking for body detox foods naturally turn to some of the most obvious choices: fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, these very foods that are so essential to the body detox process can in fact be loaded with pesticides that can undermine your detox efforts. Strawberries and broccoli in particular seem to be vulnerable to contamination. And of course, another essential component of the diet–proteins such as meat, dairy products and eggs–may not only contain pesticides but hormones and antibiotics as well, all of which are substances that you should actually be trying to avoid by going on a body detox program.

All of this just makes it harder to find foods that are worthy of inclusion in a body detox program. Nevertheless, it is important to pinpoint exactly which foods will benefit you the most, since body detox is recognized as an essential part of healthy living.

If you simply must have your share of meat in your diet, you would be better off going for meat products that have less chances of being contaminated with pesticides and hormones such as veal and pork. In fact, these types of meat have been confirmed to contain as much as 30 times less contaminants than other commercially available meat products.

As for chickens, the jury is still out on this one, and even the much-touted free-range varieties aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. In most cases, such chickens aren’t actually allowed to roam free on a farm as much as they are merely allowed to stick their heads out of their pens. If you can do anything about it at all, you should try to go for chickens that are weaned off antibiotics and hormones at least two weeks before they are processed. Going for lesser known brands or no name brands of chicken wouldn’t necessarily help out your body detox campaign either, as they will likely have been raised under less stringent conditions.

It is also important to realize that a lot of the harmful substances you are trying to avoid when on a body detox program tend to be stored in the fat of the animals that you eat. Therefore, you may be able to kick your body detox efforts up a notch by simply removing the fat from your servings.

As for eggs, organic eggs are a far better choice than the regular eggs sold in the grocery, and they are usually a little bit cheaper as well. In addition, many people find organic eggs tastier than their regular counterparts.

Just as is the case with any type of health related programs, you will have to weigh your decisions carefully when undergoing a body detox program.

Specific Steps To Take For Body Detox

Contrary to what you may think, body detox isn’t actually all that hard to implement. In fact, you may find it a lot easier than you thought initially, and it could even be quite enjoyable. In any case, body detox is tremendously important in ensuring that your body functions at tiptop condition for as long as possible, and that you have enough energy as well as stamina against diseases. Here are a number of body detox methods that can improve your general health.

Body detox for your digestive system

• Don’t eat when you aren’t really hungry
• Avoid eating heavy meals in the evening
• Chew your food slowly and thoroughly with every bite
• Avoid foods that are heavy in refined carbohydrates and fat
• Don’t drink too many fluids while eating to prevent dilution of your digestive juices
• Drink fruit juices or have some fruit early in the morning to enhance your digestive functions

• Add herbal teas such as chamomile to your diet

• Eat low-fat yogurt regularly
• Use herbs and spices that are known to aid digestion such as bay leaf, caraway, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, mint, and parsley

Body detox for improved liver health

• Drink at least 8 to 9 cups of water every day
• Add a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. Good choices include apples, citrus fruits, beets, carrots, broccoli, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, beans, ginger and garlic.
• Avoid eating processed foods or foods that are high in salt, sugar, fat and spices
• Try to eat more organic foods
• Reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake
• Start up an exercise program

Body detox tips for the kidneys

• Drink adequate amounts of water
• Reduce your meat and dairy consumption
• Reduce your alcohol intake
• Include tea made from dandelion leaves in your diet

Body detox for the skin

• As always, drink plenty of water.

• Include generous amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables in your meals. Good choices are foods that have high betacarotene or vitamin A content and vitamin C
• Eat more whole grains, protein, and a small amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as those found in certain types of fish, vegetable oils and nuts
• Get some zinc in your diet. Good sources for this mineral are lean meat, poultry, shellfish, nuts, yogurt and skimmed milk
• Avoid foods hat are high in saturated fats
• Reduce your intake of foods such as chocolate, sweets, salty snacks and sugared drinks
• Reduce your alcohol consumption
• Exercise regularly and perform routine skin maintenance
• Get plenty of sleep
• Get plenty of fresh air