Cleansing...the Puristat Way

~ by Jo Jordan

Many Puristat customers report finding it extremely helpful to tweak their eating habits while cleansing. In order to assist all of our customers in maximizing the beneficial effects of cleansing, Puristat has developed an eating plan, a guideline – including recipes, meal plans, and healthful eating tips – that we highly recommend as an addendum to your cleanse...and a companion to your overall health.

About the Puristat Eating Plan

Puristat’s Eating Plan is based on the New York Times Best Seller Fit for Life, written in 1985 by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. The Diamonds, whose book has sold twelve million copies worldwide, promote a lifestyle based on the principles of Natural Hygiene – a branch of biology that identifies the conditions upon which health depends, and how health can be sustained throughout a person’s entire life.

The Fit for Life philosophy is that losing excess weight and the maintenance of good health can be achieved through long-term dietary and lifestyle practices, rather than through binge dieting.

Decades ahead of their time, the Diamonds’ Fit for Life program included a warning against eating artificial food additives such as hydrogenated vegetable oil which is now, twenty-something years later, considered a toxic substance by health officials.

Puristat’s Eating Plan Is Incredibly Simple to Follow:

• Eat only fruit in the morning
• Do not combine major proteins such as chicken, fish, steak, etc. with major/complex carbohydrates...bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.
• Eat lots of high-water-content food (i.e. fresh fruits and vegetables)

Fruits are ninety percent water, are easier to digest than other foods, and offer less fat and more fiber. Eat as much as you want in the morning, but be sure to eat only fruit.

It takes different digestive enzymes to break down carbohydrates than it does proteins. When you combine major carbohydrates and major proteins, it’s more difficult for your body to digest them, so they take longer to digest when consumed together than they do individually.

This does not mean that you can’t have milk with your pasta! We’re talking about MAJOR carbohydrates, those contained in foods high in starchy complex carbohydrates such as bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, rice, carrots, corn, and dry beans, and MAJOR proteins such as chicken, fish, hamburger, meatballs, steak, etc.

High-water-content foods – fruits and vegetables – are low in calories, high in enzymes and nutrients, and they are a great source of colon-scraping fiber.

The Basics of Puristat’s Eating Plan

1. Breakfast:

Eat only fruits until lunchtime during your cleansing period. You may eat as much as you want, as long as it’s fruit.

2. Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks:

Do not mix major carbohydrates with major proteins during any meal. When combined, the digestive process is intensified, which can lead to bloating, gas, constipation, and other gastrointestinal issues.

An example...if you eat pasta (a carbohydrate), have it without the meat sauce and meatballs (protein); choose a meatless marinara sauce. If you eat steak (a protein), have it without potatoes and bread (carbohydrates); opt for a salad and green beans instead.

3. Bedtime:

Do not eat anything for two to three hours before bedtime. When you sleep, your body goes into a different mode, slowing the digestion and assimilation of foods.

4. Increase Your Fluid Intake:

As a rule, drink at least half your body weight in ounces each day. A 150-pound person ought to drink 75 ounces of quality water, fruit juices, decaffeinated teas, low sodium broths, and/or vegetable drinks (without sugars and added salts) every day – that’s nine to ten, eight-ounce glasses.

Caffeinated beverages are dehydrating, and CANNOT be considered as part of your daily fluid intake.

Many of us cherish that first cup of morning coffee. Know that perfection is not what we’re suggesting. Puristat is a huge advocate of small changes that will last longer, rather than rigid, strict, about faces that are unrealistic, and nearly impossible to implement and sustain. Smaller changes are easier to incorporate than cold turkey ones. Because they’re more realistic, the likelihood of success is far greater.

Puristat wants you to go ahead and enjoy that breakfast coffee and glass of wine with your dinner! In fact, there is evidence to suggest that – in small doses – caffeine may even be beneficial to your health.

But, if you’re keenly focused on doing as much as humanly possible to cleanse and detoxify, keep in mind that going all the way with dietary changes can be extremely rewarding, but challenging...a process often accompanied by negative side effects such as caffeine and alcohol withdrawal.

Caffeinated drink alternatives...

Substitute green tea for regular coffee. It’s rich in powerful antioxidants. These work to lower cholesterol, destroy disease-causing organisms, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and stimulate the immune system. The polyphones in green tea promote longevity, attacking the free radicals associated with aging.

For a change of pace, try ginger tea. It improves digestion and strengthens the immune system, warding off colds and flus. Simply peel and thinly slice a two-inch piece of fresh ginger root. Boil four cups of water and add the ginger. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for twenty minutes. Add honey and lemon.

Fruit and vegetable juices and rice milk are also yummy, hydrating drinks.

When drinking water...

Add a little fresh lemon juice for a bit of zing.

Avoid storing and/or drinking water from plastic containers. They are toxic. Glass is best for storage.

Try to drink only water that has been filtered using a reverse osmosis, charcoal, ceramic, or other high quality filtration system. Steer clear of tap water as it contains toxins, fluoride, chlorine, heavy metals, microorganisms, and other impurities.

Interestingly, fluoride – which was originally used to kill rats – is not used by Europeans to cleanse their water...do they know something that we don’t? Perhaps. In spite of a virtual absence of water fluoridation in western Europe, Europeans have been witnessing an inexplicable decline in tooth decay over the last four decades.¹

It’s also worth noting the average life expectancy for people in European Union countries is higher than that of Americans.²

5. Fiber Facilitates Proper Elimination:

When detoxifying, it is important to increase your fiber intake; it will be needed to help cleanse the colon, and keep waste by-products moving properly. Elimination of urine and stools is the body's primary way of ridding itself of toxins. Regular bowel movements decrease the likelihood of toxins being reabsorbed into your body.

There are two types of fiber – insoluble and soluble – and lots of tasty ways in which to get it. Each fiber type performs a unique function during a detoxification diet, so it’s important to ensure adequate intake of both to assist with the cleansing process.

Insoluble fiber is indigestible. It travels through the intestines completely intact, and is responsible for preventing constipation, removing toxic waste from the colon, and balancing acidity in the intestines. Insoluble fiber absorbs water and swells in the colon, encouraging the speedy elimination of stool and toxins from your system.

Soluble fiber slows digestion and helps your body to absorb vital nutrients from foods. It promotes health by encouraging the growth of bacteria that strengthen the immune system and fight infection. Soluble fiber is metabolized into fatty acids – important to the detoxification process – providing metabolic energy, helping to digest food and amino acids, producing certain vitamins, and fostering regularity.

Fiber-filled, detoxifying fruits and vegetables

It’s important during a cleanse to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. A good source of vitamin C and glutathione – essential to the detoxification process – green leafy vegetables have well-known cleansing properties. Also consider:

• Apples, regardless of the type, are low in calories and high in soluble fiber.
  
• Artichokes are high in insoluble fiber, and contain plant compounds known as caffeoylquinic acids, which increase the flow of bile and help to digest fats. Simply wash, pull off the outer and lower petals, and trim off the sharp tips of the outer leaves. Boil artichokes upright for about thirty minutes. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature!
  
• Beets are beneficial to fat metabolism, and they contain betaine, which promotes the flow of bile and regeneration of liver cells.
  
• Broccoli supports the liver's detoxification enzymes. Other members of the Brassica family – cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and kohlrabi – provide the same detoxifying effects. They are also rich in fiber.
  
• Mangoes are ripe with fiber and nutrients. Eat chilled mangoes for breakfast or dessert. Mangoes are perfect in sauces and chutneys, or serve them sprinkled with lime juice.

Psyllium husks also provide both soluble and insoluble fiber. A printable fiber chart is available on the Puristat web site. It includes more information on how to achieve your daily fiber intake goals.

Fiber and protein

In addition to fiber, the liver requires protein for detoxification. Here are a few suggestions on how to ensure you’re getting the seventy grams per day recommended for adults:

• Chicken, turkey breast, and egg whites are all excellent sources of protein.
  
• Beans and legumes are a great choice for bulk and protein.
  
• Beef – as long as it’s organic – is a good protein source in small amounts.
  
• Bulgur is high in fiber and protein, and low in fat and calories. A cup of bulgur – with its nutty flavor – offers twice the fiber of brown rice. Partially cooked, it requires little preparation time. Use in place of rice in most recipes, or in cold salads.
  
• Fish – sardines and mackerel, or flounder, cod, and rainbow trout – is a good source of protein.
  
• Flax seeds are an excellent source of both insoluble fiber and essential fatty acids. Grind them up fresh each morning in your coffee bean grinder. They’re perfect on breakfast cereals, steamed veggies and salads, or in soups and stews.
  
• Lentils are a great source of low-fat protein. An excellent meat substitute, they’re full of fiber and a variety of nutrients. The body absorbs lentils slowly, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels.
  
• Millet is rich both in fiber and in protein. Try it as a hot breakfast cereal by cooking it with apple juice instead of water. Combine it with cooked beans or peas and a few spices to make vegetarian burgers, or add it to stews and soups.
  

Additional Healthful Cleansing Food Tips

Eliminate What Your Body Can’t Use

Many of the things we ingest are unwelcome guests in our bodies. During your cleanse, try eliminating products that are known to put a strain on the body:

• Bottled salad dressing
  
• Alcohol
  
• Caffeine
  
• Candy and chocolate
  
• Soft drinks (most have caffeine and artificial ingredients)
  
• Sweeteners (i.e. refined sugar/white sugar, sucrose, brown sugar, fructose, dextrose, and artificial sweeteners)
  

But be reasonable...it’s better to eliminate some products forever versus giving everything up for a single week.

Eliminate What Your Body Doesn’t Want

Much of what we eat is devoid of any nutritional benefit, and is harmful over the long-term. Try living without things that don’t offer nutritional value to your body:

• Chips
  
• Condiments (ketchup, relish, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce)
  
• Cookies
  
• Corn oil
  
• Cottonseed oil
  
• Deep-fat fried foods
  
• Excessive salt
  
• Foods containing additives and preservatives
  
• Imitation mayonnaise
  
• Imitation sour cream
  
• Margarine and other hydrogenated fake butter spreads
  
• Non-dairy creamers
  
• Pressurized whipped cream
  
• Processed, junk, and fake foods (canned meats, cold cuts, bacon, sausage, beef jerky, hot dogs, doughnuts, dehydrated soups, instant coffee, bacon bits)
  
• Sandwich spreads
  
• Shortening
  

But remember, we’re all human and eliminating everything can be very difficult – living without most in moderation is a more realistic goal than giving everything up entirely. A cheat now and then is fine – just don’t fall too far off the wagon before getting back on!

Eliminate What Your Body May Dislike

More and more, people are exhibiting symptoms of food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies that they are unaware of. Consider eliminating one or more food groups that are known allergens to many people:

• Gluten (wheat, rye, barley, and oat products)
  
• Milk, butter, eggs, and other dairy products
  
• Mustard and mustard products
  
• Nuts, seeds, and peanuts
  
• Shellfish (clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimps)
  
• Soybeans and products (soy sauce, tofu, tempeh)
  
• Yeast
  

If you are able to eliminate just one product that affects you negatively, you’ll be healthier for it. Try deleting one food group for three to five days to see how you feel. You may find – as many people have – that a long-standing sinus infection, for example, clears up when you stop eating something you’re sensitive to.

Flavorful Food Tips

You may want to find ways to give tried and true foods a little zip, and incorporate things that will support the detoxification process. Here are a few suggestions:

• Seasoning is a great way to add flavor as well as beneficial antioxidants to your food. Cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and turmeric, for example, are believed to help destroy toxins, and they contain loads of botanical nutrients.
  
• Onions and garlic add zest to food. They are also both rich in sulfur-containing compounds, and assist with the detoxification of heavy metals.
  
• Unrefined sea salt is a fine mineral source. Know that the trace elements in ordinary table salt are destroyed during refining, rendering it completely devoid of any nutritional value.
  
• Black currant, flax seed, and grape seed oils are wonderful, healthy alternatives to salad dressing.
  
• For cooking, use olive oil or safflower and/or sunflower oils as long as they are cold, pure-, or expeller-pressed.
  

Getting Off to a Good Start
Tips for a Successful Cleansing

Here are some tried and true detoxification-cleansing tips:

• Don’t be too hard on yourself...Take one day off each week to eat whatever you want!
  
• Never skip meals.
  
• Avoid snacking after dinner.
  
• Stop eating before you are full – unfortunately, the brain doesn’t send a signal that you are full until ten minutes AFTER your stomach is full…so by the time you FEEL full, you’ve actually already over-eaten.
  
• Buy organic and locally grown and raised food whenever possible.
  
• Wash all produce thoroughly.
  
• Chew your food well, especially grains. The digestive process starts in the mouth with digestive enzymes in the saliva. Chewing helps to relax your stomach muscles and triggers nerve messages, activating the entire digestive process. The more you chew, the better you will digest your food.
  
• Get some exercise on a daily basis. A ten-minute walk after lunch will make a world of difference to the detoxification process. Or take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator…all these little baby steps will add up to one GIANT step towards better health!
  

And Finally...

If the dietary directions prove to be too difficult to follow, try them randomly for a day here and there. Or try it for two days in a row...You’ll find the gastrointestinal benefits surprising, and will likely feel so good, you’ll want to do it for four or five!

If possible, follow the three simple dietary directions throughout your entire cleansing period:

1. Eat only fruit in the morning
2. Do not combine major proteins, and carbohydrates
3. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables

By following these directions for the length of your internal cleansing-detoxification period, you can dramatically enhance your results. Try not to over complicate the eating portion of the program. If you stick with not mixing MAJOR carbohydrates and MAJOR protein groups, you’ll have a much greater chance of success.

Let Puristat Help... Product Information

At Abbott Industries we stand behind our products one hundred percent. We have developed the best colon cleanse, liver cleanse, and digestive support products on the market. Our unique blend of herbs, probiotics, enzymes, nutrients, minerals and vitamins are powerful, yet gentle.

And now you can try Puristat products risk-free for 45 days. If you are not satisfied with your purchase for any reason, simply return the empty bottles for a full refund of the product price (less shipping and handling), no questions asked. If you would like to speak with one of our Digestive Health Specialists, please call 1-800-492-4984.

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Notes:
1. Fluoride Action Network, “Tooth Decay Trends in Fluoridated vs. Unfluoridated Countries,” http://www.fluoridealert.org/who-dmft.htm (accessed June 10, 2008).
2. Central Intelligence Agency: The World Fact Book, “Rank Order – Life expectancy at birth,” https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html (accessed June 10, 2008).