Day 5: Broccoli

Roasted Broccoli

• 2 heads broccoli (cut into florets)
  
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
  
• tamari
• pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place broccoli florets on a baking sheet. Sprinkle on garlic, tamari, and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

There are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to detoxifcation vs. cleansing. A quick google search of cleanse will pull up a multitude of options for colon, liver, kidney or a combination of all. Detoxification is specific to the kidneys and liver. Detox is simply normalizing the body's ability process and excrete toxins. Cleansing often means herbal concoctions that make lovely green stuff come out of your caboose or fasting on lemon juice and cayenne cocktails.

Many people swear by their cleanse programs, but what is achieved? Were heavy metals removed or other potentially deadly pollutants? Has it been studied through years of clinical research? Does the company guarantee potency and purity of their product? I wager that the answer is a resounding no. Each year more than 4 billion pounds of chemical compounds and pollutants from plastics, pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, and medications are released into the environment. Many of these then find their way into our air, soil, and food and water supplies. With the toxic burden that we encounter day to day, safe and effective removal of toxins needs to be the focus.

Proper nutrition is vital to a healthy detox. Restriction in calories, protein, and those with low quality protein or high sugar lead to ineffective and unsafe detoxification. A program that utilizes well-researched nutrients, vitamins, and herbs to balance and support the body's detoxification pathways is critical. To bring it all home, a functional medicine minded practitioner to support that patient through the process can make all the difference. I am ardent on this topic because I've seen where other programs have fallen short and where the 7 day detox excels. When in doubt, detox and detox right!