Thread: reversing the effects of a crappy diet

I had a few weeks of eating too much junk food (sugar, caffeine, fat, salt) and it's caught up to me - I feel sick.. not like a stomach ache, just a general "bleh" that I'm sure is from not eating what I'm supposed to.

Is there anything I can do to get the ucky stuff out of my system? (I hear stuff about "cleansing" or "detoxing" but there's so much varied info out there, and some people sat it's not safe). Or do I just have to wait? I am trying to eat better stuff but I still feel bleh.

water, water, water. Good, clean water. Maybe a little lemon juice.

When I get like that, I usually end up craving veggies too, kind of go on a carrot/spinach/tomato binge for a while. No data whatsoever to back that up, it's just what MY body usually craves, so that's what I do.

I was going to say the same thing as Lara... lots of water, and veggies seem to help. Get some more protein in your diet asap too... nuts, beans, and meat wherever you can get it and the veggies in your diet.

I totally sympathize... hate that bleh feeling after eating poorly for a while.

Probiotics have been helpful for my family: our tummies feel better and in general we feel perkier (speaking of kefir here). Take a good multivite and if you feel adventurous extra B vitamins couldn't hurt. I take extra vitamin D to keep the winter blues away and notice that I feel 'blah' in general if more than a few days is missed though you might want to discuss that one with your doc since it's a fat soluble vitamin (the others are A, E and K if I remember correctly). Easy to overdo those.

Good advice about water! Being even mildly dehydrated brings you down.

On the days I feel really run down carrot juice fixes me up. It's also one of my weird comfort foods, lol. Maybe that's why it helps.

Originally Posted by Doozer

Probiotics have been helpful for my family: our tummies feel better and in general we feel perkier (speaking of kefir here).

Oh, yeah- when I eat poorly, it usually means too much sugar and stuff that messes with my gut, so that does help too. I do kombucha (fermented tea) since I can't do milk products.

Plain Veges and rice and lots of water.

My ex used to make this AMAZING salad - that I never make because I am too lazy - but that was like mouthfuls of health IMO. He would chop raw spinach, grate raw beetroot (this is VERY good), sometimes add sprouts, use olive oil and apple cider vinegar for a dressing (not too much) and toss in very finely chopped raw garlic. It is good stuff.

Grated raw beetroot is fantastic for making me feel less sluggish. It's nice mixed with grated carrot as well.

Originally Posted by Zumarrad

Plain Veges and rice and lots of water.

My ex used to make this AMAZING salad - that I never make because I am too lazy - but that was like mouthfuls of health IMO. He would chop raw spinach, grate raw beetroot (this is VERY good), sometimes add sprouts, use olive oil and apple cider vinegar for a dressing (not too much) and toss in very finely chopped raw garlic. It is good stuff.

Grated raw beetroot is fantastic for making me feel less sluggish. It's nice mixed with grated carrot as well.

brown rice now! white rice turns to sugar !

Originally Posted by Zumarrad

Plain Veges and rice and lots of water.

My ex used to make this AMAZING salad - that I never make because I am too lazy - but that was like mouthfuls of health IMO. He would chop raw spinach, grate raw beetroot (this is VERY good), sometimes add sprouts, use olive oil and apple cider vinegar for a dressing (not too much) and toss in very finely chopped raw garlic. It is good stuff.

Grated raw beetroot is fantastic for making me feel less sluggish. It's nice mixed with grated carrot as well.

I eat salads very similar to this every day. I never seem to get tired of it. I am really quick with peeling carrots and grating beets these days. I buy Bragg's natural apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. I don't usually do raw garlic, but that sounds good. I sometimes squeeze limes or lemons onto it.

What works for me after overindulging in sweets or bread:

Egg whites
fresh fruit
veggies
water

Pretty much to the exclusion of all else, for a few days. Definitely clears me right up.

Pretty much like everyone suggested:
lots of water
as much natural, raw food as possible. It's up to you which fruits and veggies you crave / like, but keep it raw.
I would vote for more veggies than fruit, though.
But the main point is: no processed food. no added sodium, sugar, fat, preservatives, etc.
Maybe even a 2 day fast (water only)

Thanks so much for the advice... sometimes we make things so complicated, when really they need to be simple. Water, fruit, veggies, etc. I am going to get some water now...

It's already been mentioned, so I'm going to repeat water with half a lemon squeezed in it. Here's a rather humorous take on it:

http://www.babyassface.com/babyassfa...k-younger.html

Mentioned down in that blog post is a mention of this site:
http://life.gaiam.com/

Put "detox" in the search box at the top of that site and you'll get tons of articles on that. Good luck!

Greens, greens and more greens. Green smoothies are the best =) And whatevery one else said.

You can try a desludging dring every other day for 1 week made from:

1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup grated diakon radish
1/2 tsp. umeboshi plum (can get at Asian market)
1 cup water
splash shoyu (organic soy sauce)
shredded nori for garnish (just a bit of it)

Combine first 3 ingredients. simmer for 10 minutes covered. remove from heat. add umeboshi and a dash of shoyu. Drink/eat while hot. The diakon radish breaks down fat in your system. Only do this for a week at a time then a week off. It's a potent drink.