Detox, Paleo-Style

The Paleo diet―or, better yet, eating plan―is not a quick-fix “diet.” Rather, it is a style of eating, based on the premise that consuming foods that are more healthful than harmful to your body is ideal. Mimicking what humans most likely ate during the Paleolithic era, the Paleo diet focuses on adding in high-quality, grass-fed proteins, unsaturated fats, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables, while at the same time eliminating refined grains, dairy, sugars and any processed foods.

When you embark on the Paleo plan, you will eliminate toxins from refined grains and legumes, sugars, preservatives and other additives. By following the diet, you very naturally undergo a process of detoxification.

Benefits of Paleo for Detox

When switching to recommended Paleo food categories, the transition is not as abrupt or harsh as with some other forms of detoxification, such as those that that limit consumption to juice or restrict your diet to one or two food options.

Additional benefits of a Paleo detox include:

• Cleaning out the digestive system with the elimination of gluten
• Promoting lean body mass
• Minimal withdrawal symptoms
• No feelings of deprivation
• Well-balanced blood sugar levels

Even if you have been eating a mostly healthy diet, the Paleo diet will require you to eliminate whole categories of food, such as grains, legumes and a large amount of refined carbohydrates. You may find that you experience some detox side effects with the sudden withdrawal of some of these foods items, especially sugar. Some side effects you may experience include:

• Achiness
• Acne
• Allergies
• Crankiness
• Digestive distress
• Low energy

All these symptoms are normal and simply demonstrate that your body is eliminating toxins that have accumulated over a lifetime. Things may be a little rough at first; however, they will improve considerably as you adhere to the Paleo eating plan.

Quick Tips on Paleo Diet and Detox

To set yourself up for success, there are many things you can put in place to help you stay on track and make switching to the Paleo detox plan much easier. It is important to think about the new habits you want to focus on with your new way of eating.

The following tips can help:

1. Clean out the kitchen

Remove any food items that are not on the Paleo plan. If you share the space with family members, move their foods to a separate designated area.

2. Restock your kitchen

Fill your cupboards with Paleo-approved foods. These include nut flours for baking, dried fruits, herbal teas, approved oils, and high-quality meats and seafood.

3. Get ready to cook

Most pre-made foods don’t follow the Paleo guidelines, so you will be doing a lot more cooking. Make sure you have all the equipment you need, from pans to good-quality knives and other kitchen supplies.

4. Plan a social event

Since you may no longer be going to as many social events focused around food (happy hours, group dinners, food festivals, etc.), create an event of your own where you know you will have safe food options. You might organize a weekend brunch, a potluck dinner, or simply a fresh-food party, allowing guests to try new fruits and veggies with homemade Paleo dips.

You may want to shed a few pounds, purify your system, or simultaneously achieve both goals while improving overall health, contact CenterMD and discover how a physician-guided Paleo detox can transform your life. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Center today.