Roni DeLuz's Diet Detox Plan

From the book, "One Pound a Day: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox and Plan for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating" Red Soup Recipe

Steps:

1. Combine water, beets, carrots, and sage in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes until the beets and carrots are barely tender.
2. Add cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
3. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon. Transfer the veggies to a blender or food processor. Add ¼ cup to ⅓ cup of the broth and puree until smooth. Do not overfill the food processor or blender. Add more broth if you like the soup thinner.
4. Set aside one quarter of the soup for your dinner portion. Refrigerate or freeze the remaining soup for later use.
5. Divide the remaining broth among storage containers. Let the broth cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

WHY DO WE NEED TO "DETOX"?
Toxins are everywhere. They are in our food, water, and grooming products. They accumulate in your organs and make your body sluggish and effect how we metabolize food and eliminate waste, resulting in unwanted pounds. I'm going to show you a daily plan today that will revitalize your body and give you a glow for the rest of the summer.
About Roni DeLuz:
Roni DeLuz, RN, ND, founded the Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat in Vineyard Haven in 1997 to help others discover the optimal health she herself achieved after years of debilitating chronic illness. She has a PhD in natural health and a certificate as a naturopathic doctor from Clayton College of Natural Health/ American Holistic College of Nutrition. She is also a registered nurse and a colonic therapist recognized as a leading expert in the field of holistic health.
While people may associate detox cleanses with weight loss, research proves that these vitamin-packed beverages can completely transform the body from the inside out -- we're talking clearer, blemish-free skin, thicker hair, and stronger nails. From anti-aging aloe vera to acne-curing carrot juice, Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat Co-Directors Roni DeLuz, RN, ND and James Hester can attest that the right body cleanse can actually put your body into a "healing mode" that can dramatically improve your appearance. In their new book, "1 Pound a Day: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox and Plan for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating," DeLuz and Hester share recipes for top cleanses and combinations that can help fade age spots, restore a healthy glow and leave people feeling like plastic surgery is not the only answer to looking and feeling refreshed.
Experts warn of detox diet dangers:
Fasting programs are getting more popular, but watch out for the risks. Popular detox diets promise to flush poisons from your body, purge pounds of excess fat, clear your complexion, and bolster your immune system. But experts say there's little evidence that extreme regimens such as the Master Cleanse or Fruit Flush do anything more than lead to unpleasant, unhealthy side effects. Still, these super-restrictive eating plans are hotter than ever, thanks to being linked to lanky celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. Beyonce Knowles attributed her 20-pound weight loss for the movie "Dreamgirls" to the Master Cleanse — a starvation diet whose adherents swallow nothing but a concoction of lemon juice mixed with maple syrup, water and cayenne pepper, as well as salt water and a laxative tea for 10 days. The idea of detoxifying or purifying the body of harmful substances has been around for centuries and cycles back into popularity now and again. There are no hard numbers on how many people have tried the latest fashionable plans, much less stuck with them, but dozens of new do-it-yourself fasting books are glutting bookstore shelves. That's what has nutrition experts sounding the alarm over possible risks from lengthy or repeated fasts. Vitamin deficiencies, muscle breakdown and blood-sugar problems — not to mention frequent liquid bowel movements — are some of the seriously unpleasant drawbacks to these plans, which are skimpy on solid foods and often call for laxatives. "Long-term fasts lead to muscle breakdown and a shortage of many needed nutrients," says Lona Sandon, a Dallas dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Depriving the body of the vitamins and minerals we get from food can "actually weaken the body's ability to fight infections and inflammation," she says. Because the crash diets can upset blood sugar, potassium, and sodium levels in the body, people with diabetes, heart, or kidney disease or women who are pregnant or nursing shouldn't try them, experts say. Children, teens, older adults or people with certain digestive conditions should also steer clear.

Detox Diets:

The scores of detox diet books and kits out there each have their own take on how to cleanse the body — one calls for spices and fruit juices, another for only vegetable purees — but most of them boil down to extremely low-calorie, primarily liquid diets. The idea behind these plans, which can last anywhere from three days to about a month, is to rid the body of toxins absorbed from the environment and the less-than-healthy foods we eat. This cleansing is supposed to leave you feeling energized. Some plans restrict all solid foods and instruct dieters to survive on only low-calorie beverages for days at a time. The Joshi holistic diet involves an elaborate list of so-called acid-forming foods to avoid for three weeks, including seemingly healthy veggies and grains. Many intestinal experts say we don't need an extreme diet to cleanse our insides. "Your body does a perfectly good job of getting rid of toxins on its own," says Dr. Nasir Moloo, a gastroenterologist with Capitol Gastroenterology Consultants Medical Group in Sacramento, Calif. "There's no evidence that these types of diets are necessary or helpful." While there are medical conditions that interfere with organ function and prevent the body from clearing toxins, healthy people already have a built-in detoxification system — the liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin, says Moloo. And by attempting to flush out the "bad stuff" from our intestines, Sandon warns, you're also "flushing out the good bacteria that keep the intestines healthy."
Lots of bathroom time:
The side effects from prolonged, severe calorie restriction can include headache, fatigue, irritability, aches and pains. Because many rely on aggressive laxatives, these diets can also get pretty messy. Frequent bathroom visits can lead to irritation and breakdown of skin on your bottom, as well as dehydration. Video: Do detox diets really work? ( www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/18061051)

While believers claim they feel lighter and more energetic, studies on starvation show the longer you fast, the more lethargic and less focused you become. Because most of these diets contain very little protein, it can be difficult for the body to rebuild lost muscle tissue. Although people can quickly drop pounds on these diets, the majority of people regain all the weight they lose on any diet, especially the highly restrictive varieties, according to recent research published in "American Psychologist," the journal of the American Psychological Association. While people can lose 5 to 10 percent of their weight in the first few months of a diet, up to two-thirds of people regain even more weight than they lost within four or five years, the researchers found. Cutting back on high-fat foods, eating in moderation, and consuming more vegetables and fruits may not seem as glamorous as starving yourself like a celebrity for days, but it's healthier for you in the long run and certainly sexier than rushing to the bathroom all day. Susan Moores, R.D., is a nutrition consultant and spokesperson for The American Dietetic Association. For more information, please visit mvdietdetox.com.