With such a large number of overweight people struggling with diets that don't work and trying to live a healthy lifestyle, it gets harder and harder with all the diet fads and new programs that pop up every other day to stay focused on one plan.

A holistic detox will and can aid you in not only losing weight but maintaining a healthy weight as well. Unfortunately most people can't relate to that, but that's exactly what it does.

A holistic detox focuses not only on your diet to help you lose weight but also on a change of lifestyle. That means lowering your stress, manging your environment at home and work and the amount of activity you engage in.

The focus here is to unlearn the bad eating habits by avoiding the food you eat that are loaded with toxins. It's not all about how much weight you can lose. It also means keeping a good state of mind and working on what can be improved upon.

This program helps you focus on the needs of your body by learning the difference between good and bad food. In other words, what foods are rich with nutrients and what foods are not. Part of the holistic detox will help your body get back to a slightly alkali state and speed up the process of removing harmful toxins and helping to break down fats much quicker.

The Top 7 Elements Of A Holistic Detox

First is Colon Hydrotherapy - This is a therapeutic treatment using water to cleanse the colon and remove the harmful materials in your body. This is very helpful in getting your bowel to return to normal functions.

Second is a change in your diet - There are certain foods you need to avoid when starting a holistic detox. Beginning with enriched wheat, red meats, sugar, fruits, artificial flavorings such as ketchups and vinegars and mushrooms, tobacco, alcohol, caffeine to name but a few.

The foods you should be eating during your detox include white meats and fish, soy products, leafy green vegetables and salads, vegetable juices, olive oil, brown rice and lentils. Also plain yogurt, goat’s milk, soy products and bananas are okay to eat.

You may experience symptoms such as nausea and headaches in the first 48 hours. This means your body is starting to adjust to the toxins being released that have been trapped in your body.

Third is using herbal cleansing enhancers - This helps support your body as toxins are being removed. The most effective outcome you'll get is from EFA-rich fish, flax or borage oil cleansing kits.

Fiber flax seeds are also excellent since they are part soluble and will absorb toxins while insoluble which will help clean your colon.

Fourth is cleansing the liver - Do this by combining multivitamins, chelation and water along with your diet. Go out of your way to avoid environmental contact with toxins.

Fifth is the use of supplements - Vitamins A, C, E along with the minerals selenium and zinc and don't forget antioxidants. All of these will help you while your body removes the harmful toxins.

Sixth is to remove toxins through sweat - Saunas and steam baths are an excellent way to remove toxins since you body can excrete them from sweat.

Seventh is exercise - Don't neglect the importance of exercise. Exercise stimulates lymphatic fluid in your body by removing the harmful toxins from deep breathing.

When you experience holistic detox you will discover a new sense of control plus self-discipline when it comes to overcoming your cravings for food not to mention all the positive changes to your health from this diet.

By the time you finish this diet, you may find some things are not as sweat as they once tasted, like sugar for example. This is because of the change in your behavior. This type of diet will give you long term results and a much healthier lifestyle.