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Planning Your 21-Day DermaDetox™

How to prepare and plan for your 21-day DermaDetox™ program

Before beginning the DermaDetox™ program, we have some suggestions for how to make the experience as beneficial and pleasant as possible. Our 21-day program is designed to help systematically clean out the colon for 7 days, push the liver to unload toxins for 7 days, then flush the colon of liver toxins again for 7 days. Each DermaDetox™ canister is clearly labeled. Most individuals benefit from detox once or twice a year, and those with severe skin or other issues may want to consider a quarterly detox. There are no other programs providing this exact coordinated methodology, and we are confident you will see an improvement in how you look and feel by adhering to the plan!

Detox side effects

Sometimes our bodies have a strong response to the detoxification regimen, and some may experience mild side effects. The most common side effects are nausea, fatigue and diarrhea. If you experience any of these symptoms simply decrease the amount of the program you are using and drink plenty of water until your condition improves. In some instances, individuals may have very strong reactions such as severe abdominal pain, fever, bloody stools, persistent vomiting, rashes or allergic reactions and should stop the program and consult their doctor if conditions do not rapidly improve.

Tips for a great detox!

The following suggestions are to be considered before, during and after the DermaDetox™ program. Not only will they help you achieve maximum benefit from DermaDetox™, but they are also good practices for increasing your overall health!

Drink water! We cannot say enough how important it is to drink plenty of water. It is critical to hydrate well, consuming at least 8-10 glasses each day for at least a week before starting the 21-day cleanse and continuing throughout. We often suggest a pH-enhanced ionized water such as Essentia or Trinity brands. Water with a higher pH promotes better absorption and hydration of our tissue and cells. If you already drink the recommended amount of water—great, keep it up! If you are a heavy caffeine or coffee drinker, you may need to tackle the step of weaning off coffee prior to starting DermaDetox™. We suggest using Teecino, an all-natural caffeine-free coffee substitute that can be phased in over a two-week period with minimal caffeine withdrawal side effects.

Eat your fiber! You need fiber intake to push things through and out of your system. Fiber also binds to the toxins we are encouraging your system to unload. Therefore, eating a good amount of fiber every day is crucial. Research indicates that the average person consumes far less than the recommended 20-30 grams of fiber each day. If you do not currently have a good fiber intake, you need to increase it gradually for a week before the cleanse and continue it through the 21-day process. Adequate fiber consumption is beneficial for your long-term health as well. Initially when increasing fiber you may feel bloated and gassy, but this too shall pass!

Replenish key nutrients! We strongly encourage those who are looking to do the cleanse to consider using our DermaEssentials™ nutrient packets twice a day, to boost and replenish key nutrients needed to feel your best. DermaEssentials™ contain potent, high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, omega-3 fish oil, acidophilus and other probiotics.

Eat good food! We want you to honor what you eat for at least a few days, preferably a week before you start the cleanse, and continue to do so during the cleanse so not to aggravate your system. Fiber and nutrient-rich foods are needed, as well as clean proteins for the liver, so just think "greens and clean proteins, plus fiber-rich carbohydrates." One common flaw of juice fasts and other cleanses is a lack of protein needed by the liver to detoxify to the best of its ability. Aim for three healthy meals a day with some clean protein, high-fiber carbohydrates, low-starch vegetables, and healthy fats in every meal. Eat slowly, and chew your food well. Fruits are probably best eaten as a snack or dessert, not too close to a heavy meal or proteins.

Please review the list below for additional suggestions on foods to include or avoid doing the detoxification process. We recommend strict adherence to the diet suggestions for those with psoriasis, severe bowel issues, or allergies. Those with fewer or less pronounced symptoms or concerns are still encouraged to adhere to the diet, but can use it as more of a guideline if they choose. Obviously those with known food allergies or sensitivities will need to adjust accordingly as well.

Excercise! A little exercise will make a big difference. We suggest 30-45 minutes of walking. Allow for 15 minutes of walking after each meal. We find that this works best. If you have been physically inactive for a long period of time, consult your doctor before introducing extreme exercise.

Wellness is important! If you are under a physician's care, consult with him or her prior to a cleanse. When detoxifying your liver, you may not receive full benefit from pharmaceutical medication; in some cases they may be flushed out with the cleanse. This could limit their effectiveness. Follow your doctor's instructions concerning your medications. Don't cleanse if you are ill, pregnant or lactating.

When to eat and what to eat

Schedule wisely. Plot your 21 days with care. Choose three weeks on your calendar that look relatively stress-free. We recommend staying away from family gatherings, holidays and major work deadlines.

Breakfast: We recommend you eat only fruits and fiber until noon during your cleanse. Fruits are easier to digest and offer less fat and more fiber. You may eat as much as you wish.

Lunch, dinner and snacks: Don't skip meals. Your body burns fuel during the day when you are busiest. This is the best time to give your body the nutrients it needs. Take a rich multivitamin with these meals. Consider taking a quality probiotic twice a day, a few minutes prior to your meals. We recommend buying fresh flaxseeds, plus a coffee grinder so that you can grind the flax fresh to get its full benefits. Sprinkle freshly-ground flaxseed on breakfast items and salads. Flaxseeds are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and fiber. Our DermaEssentials™ is a great supplement during a cleanse (offering vitamins, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and DHA/EPA).

Bedtime: Stop eating three hours before bedtime. Strive to go to bed by 10:00 p.m. This will help your body reestablish a natural circadian rhythm, which helps greatly with detoxification.

EXCLUDE or LIMIT the following during your cleanse:

All alcohol
All soft drinks
Cocoa and chocolate
Condiments
Milk and dairy products, including butter and cheese
Soybean products, including soy milk
Eggs
Shellfish
Beef
Pork
Venison
Most whole nuts
Whole seeds
Peanuts and peanut butter
Wheat and wheat-based breads (except spelt)
High-gluten grain products
Pasta (all types)
Citrus fruit, including grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, clementines
Berries with seeds, including raspberries, blackberries
Plants from the nightshade family (e.g., potatoes, eggplant, peppers)
Hydrogenated oils and high-heated oils
Soybean oil, corn oil, and other vegetable oils, except those listed below
Deep-fried foods
Most mayonnaises
MSG
Preservatives and preserved foods in general
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame/Splenda
White sugar
Coffee and black tea

INCLUDE or ENHANCE the following during cleanse:

Rice milk
Rice-based protein powder shakes
Almond butter
Almond milk
All non-citrus fruits, e.g., apples, pears, bananas, nectarines, peaches
Berries without large seeds, such as blueberries, strawberries, cranberries
Organic cranberry and pomegranate juices
All greens, yellow and red vegetables, cooked or raw
Root vegetables such as parsnips and yams (limit white potatoes)
Brown rice, wild rice, teff, quinoa, millet, brown rice pasta
Spelt and brown rice breads—with no gluten or low gluten
Whole oats
Beans and other legumes (except soy)
Freshly ground flaxseed meal
Poultry (e.g., chicken and turkey breast, preferably free-range, organic)
White fish (flounder, cod, and farm-raised rainbow trout and tilapia—preferably organic)
Most fish (except fish that feed on the bottom such as catfish)
Fish oil products
Olive oil, grape seed oil, canola oil—preferably COLD expeller-pressed oils from health food stores
Green tea of any kind; any herbal, caffeine-free teas

As part of our DermaDetox™ and DermaEssentials™ kits we include Your Healing Diet: A Quick Guide to Reversing Psoriasis and Chronic Disease with Healing Foods, by Deirdre Earls, RD, LD. Broken down into short, easy-to-read chapters, Earls stresses the importance of whole foods as the core fuel your body needs to reduce inflammation and function properly. She emphasizes fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, and suggests adding fish, whole grains and nuts as a regular part of your diet. Although highlighting the benefits of this diet for psoriasis sufferers, Earls notes that this diet has benefits for anyone interested in making a positive change! After six months of being on this "Healing Diet," Earls became nearly symptom-free from her severe psoriasis. We suggest strict adherence to Deirdre Earl's dietary guidelines if trying to rid yourself of severe skin conditions.

How We Help

At DermaHarmony, our goals are to educate chronic skin care suffers about dermatology, share what contributes to health and wellness, and support our readers in any way we can. Our programs promote healthy skin with nutritional supplements, topical treatments and dietary guidance. Learn more about our programs or call us toll-free at 1-800-827-3730. Our Support Desk is open 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday.

Our skin assessment is designed to help us get a better understanding of your symptoms and to make diet and lifestyle recommendations for you. It is simple, free, takes just five minutes to complete. Take our skin assessment.

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