Fruit and Vegetable Cleanse

In the world we live in, it's no wonder that cleansing is the need of the hour. It's such an all consuming affair - cleansing covers all manner of sins, doesn't it? Whether it's too many drinks, more fat units than advisable, night after night of Chinese takeout, slices of cold pizza for breakfast or worse still, no breakfast at all, we're all victims of believing, that the damages that unhealthy eating habits leave in their wake, are all reversible. Not to say that they're not - if you were to exercise, eat healthy and live sensibly that is. But as the saying goes, it's better late than never, so if you're planning to ditch the donut for breakfast, now's a good time to do it. Get started with a step in the right direction. Let me state at the outset that I'm not a fan of diets, and crash diets, liquid diets, and diet pills and potions, scare the living daylights out of me. I belong to the old school, where no pain equals no gain, or perhaps more appropriately, no pain equals more gain as far as weighty issues are concerned.

All of a sudden, diets have begun to equal denial, instead of the sensible eating pattern they should indicate. Getting started on a fruit and vegetable cleanse is more than just a good idea, it's way more sensible than the crazy ideas that masquerade as new age fad diets that promise weight loss, a new life and probably spiritual enlightenment as well. When you switch to a fruit and vegetable diet, you're doing your body more than just a favor - these are, for the most part easier to digest, and cutting back on processed food and the additives that go hand in hand mean you give your body the chance to detoxify, in fact, this is a fruit and vegetable detox, as much as it is a cleanse. Take a look at what exactly it entails.

Fruit and Vegetable Detox Diet

Before you start off with a full body cleanse, there are a few things you'd need to do. To begin with, reduce the intake of caffeine, alcohol, salt, sugar and other seasonings, till you feel you can taper off to a complete stop. Staying off these is an important part of getting the best results out of a fruit and vegetable cleanse, and it may be entirely too much to stop at one shot, as caffeine withdrawal symptoms may hamper your efforts. In addition, decide the duration you'd like to do this for - some people can only manage a day - which is fine, listen to your body and learn to respect it. Most people will advise that you'll see results only if you stick to this diet for at least a week, but remember that nobody understands your body the way you do, and stay in it as long as you feel comfortable.

There are no hard and fast rules that dictate the inclusions that are allowed in a fruit and vegetable wash. Your best bet is to make your own juice if that's an option, and eat as much as you feel the need to, while staying hydrated by keeping water levels high. The following are some fruits and vegetables that you should include.

• Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Avocado
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Green beans
• Zucchini
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Bell peppers
• Asparagus
• Oranges
• Papayas
• Pineapple
• Berries (of all kinds)
• Apples
• Grapes
• Watermelon
• Mangoes
• Peaches
• Plums
• Cherries
• Melons
• Pears
• Kiwi
• Grapefruit

As far as possible stick to seasonal fruits that are fresh, if you can make it organic, great, but you're bound to experience good results even without. Any vegetables that you can consume raw or in the form of a juice can be included, and should you feel the need, you can include some green tea as well.

When coming off the fruit and vegetable cleanse, remember to introduce foods slowly into your diet. Start off with whole grains and nuts, then gradually increase to include dairy, protein and finally fats. You can perform a fruit and vegetable cleanse as often as you feel the need, and adjust the stringency to suit your body's ability. Even after you come off this diet, you can ensure you up the health factor by eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and enough water to stay hydrated. Get out into the fresh air, get some exercise regularly, and not only will you feel great, you'll look great too!