Diet

This is the first thing you absolutely have to change before you start to detox. I urge all of you to switch to an organic diet if you can. Personally, I have found that eating plenty of:

• organic vegetables
• greens
• berries
• some fruits (in moderation--you want to eat a diet low in sugar)
• raw dairy (in moderation),
• whole grains (not bread, pasta, cereal, etc. but actual whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, whole grain oats are extremely beneficial)
• organic poultry (in moderation)
• wild fish (not farmed)
• Healthy fats like nuts, seeds, fish oil, using oils like olive oil, sesame oil, pine oil, ghee are extremely beneficial to your health and will make a big difference in how you feel.

To stay away from:

• Refined sugar (any sweets, chocolates, etc. but also yogurt, juice, anything that has sugar in it. The less you eat the better mentally you will feel)

• Anything packaged or processed (like granola bars, frozen dinners, bread, pasta, etc. even if it says on the box it's healthy, trust me, it's not)

• Caffeine (it's everywhere, so no coffee, tea-only herbal, energy drinks, etc. It's found in a lot of meds too like Excedrin so be careful before taking any)

• Gluten I had gluten intolerance and didn't even know it. This means no wheat, rye, barley. Buy gluten free grains if you can.

• Dairy that's not organic (Get raw goat dairy if you can but if not opt for organic dairy. Eat dairy in moderation at this time. For some it's best to cut it out completely)

• Meat that's not organic (this is big-you don't want the hormones that the meat industry injects the animals with)

• White salt (Switch to sea salt or better yet Himalayan salt)

Really Helpful Foods

These things have helped me regain my health and sanity.

• Organic greens (try to eat everyday either in salad, juice them yourself, or make into a green smoothie. They might seem gross but are very important to detox your body, esp. dill, oregano, cilantro which are great for detox.)

• Organic berries (so many antioxidants. Blueberries are esp. great for brain function).

• Garlic and onion (lots of sulfur, great for detox)

• Organic pumpkin seeds (great for killing parasites,

• Practically all vegetables (you should be eating as much vegetables as you can. This will give you nutrients and help with detox).

• Organic fruit (apples have lots of pectin, bananas for potassium, add lemon juice to your herbal teas, eat 1 cup of berries + 1-2 servings of fruit per day)

• White fish

• Organic free range eggs (high in sulfur)

• Ghee (you can get this at health food stores or Asian stores. It is like butter but slightly different. I suggest cooking with it)

• Nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts...almost every kind of nut. Watch out for allergies though). Stay away from peanut butter because of additives, this is why it’s always cheaper in the supermarkets!

• Seeds (chia seeds are power seeds, flaxseeds are great, sesame seeds, you name it, these are so beneficial for you).

• Raw honey-use instead of sugar with tea, in baking, etc.

• Raw cocoa-who doesn't love cocoa? It's packed with antioxidants (avoid if you are copper toxic though)

• Ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, curry, other spices are great for digestion and improving your mood. Incorporate these into your meals as best you can.

Eating regularly is good to improve your mood and energy levels as well as gets those toxins moving out of your body. Try to have a balance of healthy carbs, proteins, and healthy fats with each meal. Also, try to steam or bake or stir fry your food. Avoid any frying or greasy, fattening foods. These put stress on your liver.

Detox

This is very important. I believe the only reason I got better was because I have done some very serious detoxing, as well as fasting later on. Start slowly and see how you feel, expect to feel worse before you feel better because detoxing is very hard on the body and mind.

Ways to Detox

• follow the suggested diet
• Take charcoal capsules (I took up to 20 most days for several months)
• Take the psyllium husk and bentonite clay shake. (It doesnt taste bad at all)
• Take detox baths (Epsom Salt baths are great for relieving tissue pain from detox). You can also take foot baths instead for gentler detox.
• Saunas (try to go as much as you can. They can be found in gyms or you can invest in one online)
• Drink herbal teas (try liver or kidney detox teas, dandelion tea, kombucha, etc.) These will help flush toxins out.
• Hydrotherapy of the colon (this is HUGE. No one wants to do them. I never did. But as soon as I tried once I noticed an amazing difference in my mood and energy level)
• chlorella (also great for detox)
• Supplements (it is important to supplement your body accordingly to your body and what you are familiar with but not go overboard taking 100 different supplements either. Avoid anything synthetic)
• Exercising (this could be very good or very bad. In general, when you are going through detox do not do resistance training, weights, anything hard core because you don't want to put too much pressure on your body. Walking outdoors and stretching is something I recommend doing every day, even if it is just a few minutes.
• Filter your water. You might want to switch to distilled which you can buy for the first month or so. Then, you should try to invest in a filter. Clean water is a must for good health, tap water is full of toxins.
• Dry skin brushing, massage (improve the lymphatic system)
• Acupuncture (helps many people, but I would avoid it if you're on meds or are withdrawing from meds because you could have an adverse reaction like I did)
• Green your life. Avoid any chemicals, whether it is in your makeup, body products, home products, etc. If you can, buy the organic version of these things. If you can't, then do without. I know because I have had severe aluminum toxicity (there is a lot of it in conventional deodorant, toothpaste, and psychiatric drugs). Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's. I've also had copper toxicity and others.
• Look into liver flushes, kidney detox, parasite cleanses, and fasting (ONLY after you have been detoxing for several months, preferably 6 months to a year. This all depends on how healthy/sick you were when you started detoxing. The slower you go the easier it will be for your body to adapt)

Detox Considerations:

• DURING DETOX you are bound to feel worse, maybe a hell of a lot worse. It is just your body responding to the excretion of toxins from your liver, brain, blood, and other organs. This is very normal. This is why I urge you to do enemas everyday; if you're feeling extra horrible like I did (nauseas, fainting, throwing up everyday), then do enemas 2x per day for a while.

• AFTER DETOX you will be a brand new person. My personal experiences: better mood, better energy level, happiness, weight gained from meds was lost and then some, muscle tone, way sharper intelligence, great memory it all comes back people! :), and so much more.

• YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT UP TO KEEP IT UP TO KEEP FEELING GREAT. This is a lifestyle change. The diet I have mentioned is something I do EVERY SINGLE DAY. I also take charcoal and Bentonite daily in smaller doses and certain sups as well. I also do daily exercise, deep breathing, and only surround myself with positive, God centered people.


Supplement Suggestions

Basics:
• fish oil (very, very important)
• flaxseed oil (if you're not eating flaxseeds)
• probiotics (will help your intestines heal and will improve your digestion and mood)
• multi vitamin (natural, not synthetic)
• bee propolis
• bee pollen
Possible Additions:
• vitamin B complex
• magnesium (great for relaxation)
• melatonin if you need it for sleep
• glycine (an amino acid if you need it for sleep)
• glutheionine or taurine (aminos, have lots of sulfur)
(If you drink raw whey protein, don't take any amino capsules)
-chugga mushroom (something to look into)


I've had experience with many food and vitamin brands and can recommend some good ones if you ask. :). Also, I suggest researching the quality of what you're going to buy online before you buy it.


Don't do too many supplements at one time. Take it slow and see how you respond to them. Also, try to take a blood test and see what vitamins you are missing. You can look into getting a hair analysis done to see whether you have heavy metal toxicity too. However, as you eat well and detox, your body will bring itself into balance and you will see that you won't have to supplement as much anymore.


Important: It may make things worse to do a detox if you are taking any medications at this time. If you are withdrawing or tapering, detoxing helps but be very gentle. Also, if you want to get off your meds, do not I repeat do not cold turkey. I did and it was a huge mistake. Taper slowly instead. Look for forums with tapering support ( I used to use BenzoFriends, a yahoo group that was very helpful).



Body-Mind Connection:

Tips to Change Your Life and Healthy Living

• Surround yourself with as many positive things and people as you can, even if you don't feel like it. Don't read, listen to, or watch anything negative on TV. Listen to calm, classical, or relaxation music. If you can read ( I know many of you can't concentrate like I couldn't), then read positive health articles or visit forums where you can bond with people going through the same thing. If you watch TV, avoid the news and any depressing information. If your friends or loved ones invite you out somewhere, try to go. I know it's hard but getting away from the house is useful even if it just makes the time pass faster.

• Try to explain to your friends and family what you're going through but not in great detail. Trust me, they won't understand. Just say you're going through a hard time and need emotional support. Let your close ones know of your intention to live a healthier lifestyle.

• Reach out to God. I know this is hard because most likely you don't believe in God after what you've been through. I didn't either. I was the most hard core atheist you'd ever meet. However, during this rough time I started going to church anyway at the insistence of my mom and soon enough a way to healing was found when I least expected it. If you can make it to church or to some other religious affiliation, please do. If not, I suggest watching Joel Osteen's sermon or listening to his free podcast because his message is very easy to understand and inspiring.

• Spend as much time outdoors and in nature as you can. Being outdoors has shown to improve mood dramatically.

• Make small goals for yourself and try to write them down. I know it's hard. It doesn't have to be anything big. Things like cleaning your room, doing laundry, and preparing healthy meals already sounds like a marathon but try to keep busy. You now have hope. You will get your life back soon and it is time to start your journey.

• Do positive affirmations and visualizations. Talk positively to yourself. Imagine yourself healthy and radiant. It helps to cut out pictures from magazines that illustrate what you want to look like, how you want to feel, etc. and pasting them in a notebook. Also, carrying around a piece of paper with positive thoughts will help.

• Take quick showers often, at least 2-3x per day when you're detoxing. They are very relaxing. Baths are great too.