Spring Cleaning for Your Body – How to Do a 10-Day Detox

Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes the urge to do a little spring cleaning. During the winter months, we find ourselves almost hibernating. Days are spent indoors, cozy with our favorite comfort foods, and before we know it, we’ve packed on a few extra pounds. Spring is the perfect time to do away with those habits and welcome some new, energizing ones. A whole body cleanse is the perfect way to welcome the warmer weather and reveal a healthier, happier you.

Table of Contents

What Can I Expect From a Detox?

A 10-day detox is great if you’re looking to “reset” everything internally. A detox will boost your metabolism, flush toxins from your body, and re-energize all of your major systems. After the 10 days are up, you’re likely to notice some weight loss, clearer skin, greater mental clarity, and more energy than you’ve felt in a while.

You don’t need to adhere to a strict juice cleanse to reap the benefits of a detox. In fact, depriving yourself and being overly restrictive is likely to create a rebound effect, leading to binging. A simple diet plan that focuses on wholesome, home-cooked meals is the best way to go. It will encourage you to maintain more healthy eating habits long after the cleanse is done.

So without further ado, let’s hit that reset button by reviewing a few key principles of the detox protocol.

The Naughty List

First up, here’s a list of the things you’ll want to avoid during your 10-day detox. Of course, all of these things can be enjoyed in moderation otherwise, but for these 10 days, we’re cutting them out completely. Be sure to avoid:

Alcohol
Processed food (hot dogs, wheat meats, doughnuts, twinkies.. you get the idea)
Refined carbohydrates
Red meat
Fried food
Dairy products
Soda

So, What Can We Eat?

Vegetables

During this detox, vegetables (preferably organic) will be your best friends. While almost all vegetables are good for you, some contain a higher concentration of detox-friendly properties. Notable veggies to load up on include artichokes, asparagus, arugula, broccoli, beets, bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, collard greens, green beans, kale, spinach, and wheatgrass.

Vegetables should make up around 60% of each meal. Adding these superfoods to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner will nourish your body, help stimulate your liver to drive toxins from the body, improve circulation, and boost your immune system responses. If you’re not too keen on eating this many leaves, you can juice them or throw them into a shake.

Fruits

Aside from being packed with antioxidants, fruits are great as a snack on-the-go, or for satisfying a sweet tooth. Some of the most beneficial fruits include grapefruits, blueberries, raspberries, lemons, bananas, kiwis, limes, apples, pomegranates.

Around five servings of 80g per day is the recommended daily intake.

Lean Protein

Many detoxes exclude meat?and going vegetarian is a great choice for both yourself and the environment?but if you’re okay with eating meat we’re okay with it during this detox. If you’re doing vigorous daily exercise, it’s a good idea to consume lean protein for optimal recovery. Chicken, turkey, and fish are great options to add to your meals (and again, organic is best, whenever possible). We’re avoiding red meat on this detox plan, but lean beef is also a great source of protein in your normal diet. Women need approximately 46 grams of protein per day, while men need approximately 56 grams to meet daily requirements.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are an absolutely essential part of our diet and can be found in nuts, avocado, fatty fish, and certain oils. Good fats will help you feel satiated, kick-start your metabolism, transport vitamins throughout your body, and improve cognition. It’s actually quite difficult to consume a sufficient amount of Omega-3s from diet alone, so a good Omega-3 supplement really goes a long way.

Unprocessed Carbohydrates

There’s a common misconception that cutting carbohydrates is healthy. While it’s true that pasta and bread are not the most nutrient-dense foods, consuming some carbs is vital to your health, and absolutely essential if you’re very active. Natural oatmeal, sweet potatoes, legumes, and quinoa are great alternatives to rice, bread, and pasta. Adding a small amount of healthy carbohydrates to each meal will help you feel fuller for longer, and you’ll get an energy boost.

Water

Sufficient hydration is absolutely essential for proper physical and mental functions. Most of us fail to drink enough water on a day-to-day basis, opting instead for coffee or soft drinks. Water is one of the best things you can consume during your detox, to flush out all the nasties. Ideally, you should be drinking around 2-4 liters of water per day, depending on your activity level. Your body will thank you endlessly for doing so.

Supplements

On top of a great diet, the right supplements can really aid in the detoxification process. Some supplements contain a concentrated blend of antioxidants, which have been shown to provide numerous health benefits. Others help us get enough of certain nutrients that are lacking in most diets?like vitamin D, which is important both for internal, cellular processes, as well as for protecting the body against acute diseases. When choosing detox supplements, look for those that contain ingredients harvested from natural ingredients, and avoid those that are synthetic.

What An Average Detox Day Looks Like

An average day spent “living the detox life” may look something like this:

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with almond milk, blueberries, and bananas, with a side of green juice
Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter
Lunch: Grilled chicken or fish with a large serving of leafy greens, some sweet potato, and a green juice
Snack: Celery or carrots with hummus
Dinner: Turkey meatballs with leafy greens, as well as fruit for dessert
Drinks: 2-4 liters of water throughout the day

The first few days of your detox will likely seem the toughest. As such, it’s wise to start your cleanse on a Friday, so you can have the weekend to relax and adjust. If boredom strikes midweek, try integrating different eating patterns, new recipes, supplements, and ingredients you’ve never tried. A natural diet is highly flexible, so there’s no need to be restrictive or deprive yourself of nature’s goodness!

Once you’ve made it through the 10-day period and figured out the best wellness strategy for you, you’ll be awaiting the next cleanse with open arms. Detox proponents recommend that you do a detox diet several times a year, to improve overall health and keep diseases at bay.

Please keep in mind that not all detox plans are appropriate for everyone. Do consult your health provider before radically altering your diet, especially if you have chronic health conditions like diabetes, kidney issues, or liver problems.

— Update: 11-03-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet by Mark Hyman (2014): Food list from the website www.chewfo.com for the keyword 10-day detox diet food list.

The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet (2014) is an unprocessed, low-carb detox diet.

Preparation phase: Come off caffeine, alcohol, sweetened beverages, and processed foods.
10-day detox: Eat unprocessed foods, no gluten, grains, dairy, or beans (basically a paleo diet).
Transition phase: 3 alternative ways to transition out of the detox.
Plan for life: unprocessed, low-sugar; test your reactions to gluten and dairy and reintroduce if nonreactive.

Below is a description of the food recommendations in the diet. Prep phase | 10-day detox | Transition phase | Long-term plan | Guidelines for vegetarians and vegans. There’s a lot more in the book.

Use this page as a cheat sheet alongside the book. Send this page to friends, family, and anyone else who you want to understand what you’re eating on this diet.

Get a copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet for toxicity questionnaire, exercise guidelines, supplements, journaling, relaxation, daily rhythms, breathing exercises, daily tips, cooking basics, daily menus, and recipes.

Get The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook for more than 150 more recipes.

See also Dr. Hyman’s earlier book, The Blood Sugar Solution.

The reasoning behind The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet

The author says that what makes you sick also makes you fat, and what makes you fat makes you sick. Health is a state of balance, and disease is a state of imbalance. When you begin to put on weight, especially belly fat, your biology shifts out of balance, veering into the unstable and unhealthy territory of disease – which in turn makes you fatter. Imbalance occurs along a continuum, and the farther along that continuum you are, the more problems you have.

The factors that cause your symptoms are the very same factors that cause weight gain, pre-diabetes, and diabetes. Those factors include inflammation, hormonal imbalance, toxicity, and more. As it’s all connected, your excess weight problems very likely share many of the same root causes as your other health complaints. As you follow the program, you’ll come to understand how the ways you eat, move, relax, live, and think can quickly create either an environment of healing or an environment of toxicity within your body, and set the stage for weight gain or weight loss.

Foods that spike blood sugar are biologically addictive. In order to break free from addictive substances and reprogram your biology, you need to detox from the druglike foods and beverages you’ve been hooked on.

The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet plan – what to eat and foods to avoid

Prep phase | 10-day detox | Transition phase | Long-term plan | Guidelines for vegetarians and vegans

If you are on prescription medication (including blood pressure pills or insulin), you must work with your doctor to carefully monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar, and adjust your doses as necessary.

Note that you may get some withdrawal symptoms while detoxing, including bad breath, constipation, achy flulike feeling, fatigue, headache, hunger, irritability, itchy skin, nausea, offensive body odor, sleep irregularities, brain fog. It usually takes only a few days for this to pass. Strategies for relieving detox symptoms include: give yourself some downtime, embrace the symptoms as proof that the detox is working, flush your symptoms, make sure your bowels are clean and working well, exercise gently, take vitamin C and plenty of fluids.

10 Day Detox Diet Prep Phase

Set aside 2 days to prepare:

Detox your kitchen – remove foods listed in “Foods to avoid in the 10-Day Detox” – anything that is not real food, unless it is a canned whole food, such as sardines or artichokes, with only a few real ingredients, such as water or salt; any food or drink that contains sugar of any kind, anything that contains hydrogenated oils or refined vegetable oils, any foods with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, additives, coloring, or dyes, all gluten products (including bread, pasta, bagels, etc.), all grains (even those that are gluten-free), all milk products (including milk, yogurt, and cheese), all beans
Gather your supplies – see “Foods to eat in the 10-Day Detox” – foods in the 10-Day Detox Staples Shopping List, other non-food recommendations listed in the book such as bath supplies, detox journal, supplements, testing tools, etc.
Taper off caffeine, alcohol, and sugar
Align your mind and intentions – see guidelines in the book
Measure yourself – see guidelines in the book
Join the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet online community (http://drhyman.com/programs/10-day-detox)

There’s a preparation checklist in the book.

Foods to eat in the 10-Day Detox Diet Prep Phase

There are no guidelines of anything special to eat – just reduce/stop the foods listed below

Foods to avoid or limit with the 10-Day Detox Diet Prep Phase

Caffeine
- Drink half your normal dose on the first prep day, half of that reduced dose on the second day, then quit on the first day of detox
- Gentle exercise, lots of water, a hot bath, and extra vitamin C can help reduce withdrawal headaches
Alcohol
- Go off alcohol cold turkey
- Don’t taper, just stop
Sweetened beverages
- Stop drinking any sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages
- Don’t taper, just stop
Processed foods
- Stop eating all processed foods
- Don’t taper, just stop

10 Day Detox Diet

What to eat | Foods to avoid

This stage lasts for 10 days, and you’re told in the book what to eat on which day.

Foods to eat in The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet

These foods boost detox pathways, reduce inflammation, improve gut function, and balance blood sugar

Meals
- Each day has a specific menu plan, to take out the guesswork and make sure you get the right balance of filling and detoxifying foods and nutrients
- Eat until you are gently satisfied – 80% full. Alter the portion sizes in the book to suit your needs
- Breakfast – Choose your favorite Breakfast Detox Shake (recipes in the book)
- Lunch – Every day, you have two Core Plan lunch options: You can choose one of the soups in the recipe section, along with protein; or Dr. Hyman’s Super Salad Bar, also in the recipe section of the book, along with protein. Alternatively, you can choose the Adventure Plan lunch option listed for that day
- Dinner – Choose either that day’s Core Plan dinner recipe (in the book) or the Adventure Plan dinner recipe (for a little extra fun if you have the time and desire to explore)
- Snacks – The morning snack each day consists of a small handful of nuts (ten to twelve nuts), such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, or macadamias. This is optional; you may not need it if you still feel full from the breakfast shake. For the afternoon snack, enjoy any one of the dips and spreads in the recipe section, to be eaten with crudités (sliced raw veggies, such as carrots, cucumbers, peppers, or celery). These dips and spreads can be mixed and matched as you like throughout the ten days. Or you can opt for an afternoon nut snack (instead of the spread and veggies) if you prefer
- If you are really pressed for time or don’t like the Core Plan or Adventure Plan recipes for that day, you have the option to prepare instead a very basic protein (chicken, fish, tofu, or lean red meat, though limit red meat to once during the ten days) and nonstarchy vegetables (steamed, sautéed, grilled, or roasted). You get unlimited refills on the nonstarchy veggies and can have as many different types as you want at every meal
- Do not eat within 3 hours of bedtime
Vegetables
- Nonstarchy vegetables e.g. artichokes, arugula, asparagus, bean sprouts, beet greens, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collards/collard greens, cucumber, daikon radish, dandelion greens, dark green leafy vegetables, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, green beans, hearts of palm, kale, leeks, lettuces, mixed greens, mushrooms, mustard greens, napa cabbage, onion, peppers (all types), radicchio, radishes, romaine, scallions/green onions, shallots, snap beans, snow peas, spinach, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress, zucchini
- Starchy vegetables: beets, carrots
- Sea vegetables e.g. arame, dulse, kombu, nori, wakame
Herbs and spices
- Herbs e.g. basil, chives, cilantro, curry leaves, dill, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme
- Spices e.g. cayenne pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, ginger, mustard seeds, onion powder, paprika, turmeric
Fruits – in moderation, low-sugar fruits, portion sizes shown in the recipes in the book
- E.g. berries, blueberries, cranberries, kiwi, lemon, lime
Proteins
- Serving size 4-6 ounces
- Where possible, use sustainably raised, grass-fed, or organic
- Meat – lean and grass-fed, e.g. beef, grass- or pasture-raised beef jerky (with no nitrates)
- Fish and seafood – wild, e.g. bass, cod, herring, salmon, sardines, snapper, (skip tuna as it has too much mercury), salmon jerky
- Poultry – organic, skinless, e.g. chicken, turkey, natural turkey jerky
- Eggs – omega-3
- Fermented soy products – non-GMO, e.g. tofu and tempeh
- Protein powder for breakfast shakes – hemp protein, chia protein, rice protein, pea protein, non-GMO whole soy powder
Nuts and seeds
- Nuts, raw, e.g. almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts
- Nut butters, raw if possible e.g. almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia nut butter, walnut butter
- Almond meal
- Seeds, raw, e.g. chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
- Tahini / sesame seed paste
Unrefined oils and fats
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil, flax oil, walnut oil
- Extra virgin coconut butter / coconut oil
- Grape seed oil, for high heat cooking
- Sesame oil, for flavoring
- Nuts and avocados
Other foods
- Canned full fat coconut milk, unsweetened hemp milk, unsweetened almond milk
- Capers, canned or jarred Kalamata olives
- Broth (low-sodium), mustard, tamari (low-sodium, gluten-free), kimchi, salt, black peppercorns, vinegar (apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar)
Beverages
- Keep hydrated
- Fresh filtered water – drink at least 8 glasses a day (especially important if you’re taking PGX), 2 glasses before you eat
- You can also drink hot water with a squeeze of lemon or noncaffeinated herbal teas (hot or iced) such as Yogi tea, Mighty Leaf tea, or Tazo throughout the day

Foods to avoid with The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet

Sugary/sweet foods
- All sugar products including sugar, agave, honey, molasses, etc.
- Liquid sugar calories in sweet drinks – soda, sports drinks, sweetened teas and coffees, energy drinks, fruit drinks, and hundreds of other sugary drinks
- Fruit juice
- High fructose corn syrup HFCS
- Foods containing sugars
- Artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes
Gluten
- Found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and oats
All grains
- Including gluten-free grains
- Including breads, bagels, flours, pastas, cereals, and snacks, even gluten-free ones
Dairy
- Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream
- Casein (found in non-dairy products)
- Note that eggs are allowed; they don’t come from a cow
Beans or legumes
- Beans, lentils, split peas, etc.
- Note that green beans are allowed
Processed foods
- All processed and factory-made foods
- Chemicals, preservatives, additives
- Artificial sweeteners
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Hydrogenated fats
- Monosodium glutamate MSG – including anything with the word “glutamate” in it, gelatin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), textured protein, hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), yeast extract, glutamate, autolyzed plant protein, yeast food or nutrient, glutamic acid, autolyzed yeast, vegetable protein extract, anything “hydrolyzed”, protease, anything “enzyme modified”, anything containing “enzymes”, umami, carrageenan, bouillon and broth, stock, any “flavors” or “flavoring”, maltodextrin, barley malt, malt extract, natural seasonings
Refined oils
- All refined and processed vegetable oils
- E.g. corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil
- Note that extra virgin oils and fats are okay
Alcohol
- Any type – it’s just sugar in a different form
Caffeine
- Coffee
- Soft drinks and energy drinks
Other stimulants and sedatives
- If you are on regular medication, don’t stop taking it without an okay from your doctor
This isn’t food but influences eating: Media overload, the incessant overexposure to phones, texting, the Internet, social media, and television that stresses our nervous system and often shapes our eating behavior and preferences.

Transition phase

Super-Advanced transition plan | Advanced transition plan | Basic transition plan

There are 3 different transitional paths to choose from: the Super Advanced Plan, the Advanced Plan, and the Basic Plan. After transition, move to the Blood Sugar Solution for Life.

If you didn’t feel much better or lose much weight, consider these issues: sugar or gluten may have found its way into your food products; you may not have had enough exercise; you may have hidden food sensitivities (see The UltraSimple Diet for an elimination program); you may have toxic overload or systemic imbalances. See the book for more details on how to address these issues.

The Super Advanced Plan

Follow this plan if you want to lose 25 pounds or more; have diabetes and want to reverse it; are on diabetes medication or insulin and want to get off it; have high triglycerides and low HDL and want to get off statin medication; have high blood pressure and want to get off medication; or just feel so great and want to keep going to experience greater levels of wellness
Follow the same daily guidelines as laid out in Chapter 7 of the book, “Your Daily Practices.”
Eat:
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal (eggs, chicken, fish, lean animal protein, nuts and seeds)
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal
Avoid:
- Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners
- Continue to avoid all processed foods
- Avoid grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), beans, and fruit (other than ½ cup of berries or kiwi in your morning shake)
- Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice)
The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements

The Advanced Plan

This plan is similar to the Super Advanced Plan, except you can add in legumes (beans and lentils). This is the same plan as outlined in The Blood Sugar Solution
Follow this plan if you want to continue to get the benefits of the 10-Day Detox and add beans back to your diet to see how you respond to them; have advanced diabesity
Follow the same daily guidelines as laid out in Chapter 7 of the book, “Your Daily Practices.”
Eat:
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal (eggs, chicken, fish, lean animal protein, nuts and seeds) or ½ cup beans or legumes per meal – note the best way to eat legumes is by pairing them with a high-quality protein such as fish or chicken
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal
Avoid:
- Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners
- Continue to avoid all processed foods
- Avoid grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), and fruit (other than ½ cup of berries or kiwi in your morning shake)
- Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice)
The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements

The Basic Plan

This plan transitions you into nongluten grains, low-glycemic fruit, and a small amount of starchy vegetables. It’s the same as the Basic Plan outlined in The Blood Sugar Solution
Follow this plan if you have normal blood sugars and blood pressure but still want to continue with weight loss or still have belly fat; you have any health conditions, inflammation, or generally don’t feel fabulous; you don’t have a history of heart disease or diabetes; your lab tests show you are a “skinny fat” person with high triglycerides, low HDL, small LDL particles, high blood sugar and insulin
Eat:
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal
- Include gluten-free grains (such as quinoa, black rice, and buckwheat) in their whole -kernel form. Ideally, stick with just one serving per day, but you can occasionally have up to two (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked). Avoid processed grains or any flour products
- Include nutrient-dense starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, ideally just one serving per day, but you can have up to two (serving size: 1 cup winter squash, ½ sweet potato)
- Include low-glycemic fruit such as apples, pears, berries, or pomegranate, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size: 1 medium piece, ½ cup berries, ½ cup mixed fresh fruit)
- Include beans and legumes, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked or canned)
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal
Avoid:
- Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners
- Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice)
- Continue to avoid all processed foods
The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements

The Blood Sugar Solution Plan for Life

Eat for life | Avoid for life | Reintroduce dairy and gluten

After the transition phase, follow these guidelines for lifetime health. Note you can reintroduce legumes, dairy, and gluten to see how you react to them.

Foods to eat in 10-Day Detox Diet plan for life

Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals or snacks. Get in the habit of filling 50 to 75 percent of your plate with nonstarchy veggies
Include 4 to 6 ounces of lean protein in each meal
Include gluten-free grains in their whole-kernel form: quinoa; black rice, brown rice, or red rice; buckwheat ; 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked)
Include nutrient-dense starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, up to 2 servings per day (serving size: 1 cup winter squash, ½ sweet potato)
Include low-glycemic fruit such as apples, pears, berries, or pomegranate, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size: 1 medium piece, ½ cup berries, ½ cup mixed fresh fruit)
Include a moderate amount of beans and legumes, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked or canned)
Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, or sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with each meal
Note – if you are trying to get healthier, lose more weight, or get better control of your blood sugar, stick to one serving (not two) of the beans, grains, or starchy vegetables
You can add back in a few treats (such as coffee or tea, alcohol, and sweets) if you choose, but all in moderation and as an occasional pleasure, not a staple of everyday life. If you notice that cravings get triggered, it’s a sign to scale back on the treats

Foods to avoid or limit with the 10-Day Detox Diet plan for life

Avoid all processed grains or flours (with the exception of the pasta you will use to test gluten according to the instructions below)
Stay away from liquid sugar calories such as soda or juices, unless you are making fresh-squeezed green vegetable juices
Continue to eliminate all artificial sweeteners
Minimize all forms of sugar, but especially avoid foods with added sugars. You can always add a little bit of sugar, maple syrup, or honey to the food you cook yourself. That way you know exactly how much you are getting. Note that you should watch to see if any sweetener (sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) triggers an addictive pattern of eating. If so, like some alcoholics or addicts, you may have zero tolerance; you’re encouraged to stay away from any type of sugar or sweetener and get your “sugar” exclusively from whole fresh fruit
Minimize inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee and alcohol). One cup of coffee and one glass of wine or alcohol three to four times a week can eventually be well tolerated by most people. Just pay attention and notice how they make you feel
Continue to avoid processed foods
The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements

Reintroduce gluten and dairy

Start with dairy
- Eat it at least one serving 2-3 times a day for three days. Stick to plain milk or plain yogurt without anything added to see how you feel
- Track your response for the next 72 hours using a food log – date, food reintroduced, symptoms
- If you have a reaction, stop dairy immediately
Next, reintroduce gluten
- Wait at least three days before testing gluten next
- Eat foods containing gluten at least 2-3 times a day for three days. Use only plain wheat without added ingredients. The best thing to try is pasta, because most breads also contain yeast and sugar, or you might try cream of wheat cereal for breakfast
- Track your response for 72 hours using a food log – date, food reintroduced, symptoms
- If you have a reaction, stop gluten immediately
Common food sensitivity reactions: weight gain, resurgence of cravings, fluid retention, nasal congestion, headaches, brain fog, mood problems (depression, anxiety, anger, etc.), sleep problems, joint aches, muscle aches, pain, fatigue, changes in your skin (acne, rashes, eczema), changes in digestion or bowel function (bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, reflux)
In general, if you tolerate gluten and dairy, it is okay to eat them from time to time, but don’t make them staples of your diet. For dairy choices, be sure to stay away from industrial processed cheese, as it is full of chemicals and additives and hormones. Also, modern forms of wheat (dwarf wheat) have much higher starch content and more gluten proteins, which make them more likely to cause inflammation. Try to find “heirloom” sources of gluten and dairy, such as grass-fed, heirloom cows and locally sourced cheeses. They may be more expensive, but they taste better and it will take less of them to satisfy your appetite. You can also experiment with other grains such as spelt, rye, kamut, or einkorn. If you are not gluten sensitive, try whole-kernel German rye bread
If you stay off gluten and dairy, you can often start eating other foods you once reacted to without having problems. In other words, once you remove the primary triggers, the other allergens simply won’t affect you as much. Limit any potentially problematic foods to just once or twice a week so you don’t trigger the same cycle of illness. If you still react after eliminating that food for twelve weeks, avoid that food entirely, or see a physician, dietician, or nutritionist skilled in managing food allergies.

The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet for Vegans and Vegetarians

The vegetarian and vegan guide can be found at http://drhyman.com/downloads/10DDVegetarianVegan.pdf

On the 10-day detox and beyond
- Omit all grains
- Focus on the glycemic load, not the calories
- Swap animal proteins for whole, organic, non-GMO soy products such as tofu or tempeh once or twice a day. A serving size of traditional soy foods is a quarter pound or about 3 ounces. This does NOT include soy protein isolates or concentrates found in alternative “meats” such as soy burgers, meatless “chicken,” soy protein found in protein bars, or even hidden in restaurant meat as filler
- Add nuts and seeds to your diet as a source of protein and good fats
- Eggs are a wonderful source of protein (for vegetarians not vegans) and if you choose whole omega-3 eggs you will be getting good fats with great protein
- You can sprout beans, seeds, and even grains to increase their nutritional value and ease of digestion
- Always combine a carbohydrate with fiber, protein or anti-inflammatory fats: never carb it alone
- Eat green carbs freely, yellow carbs in moderation, red carbs in limited amounts, and avoid forbidden carbs completely (processed carbs, gluten-containing whole grains, dried fruit, resistant starch)
On the lifetime plan
- Keep grain portion sizes small

Health benefits claimed in The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet

The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: acne, allergies, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disease, belly fat, bloating, brain fog, bronchitis, canker sores, chronic coughing, constipation, depression, diabetes, pre-diabetes, diarrhea, dizziness, earaches, eczema, fatigue, food addiction, food cravings, gas, headaches, heartburn, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high insulin, hives, hot flushes, hyperactivity, inflammation, insomnia, insulin resistance, irregular heartbeat, irritability, irritable bowel IBS, joint pain, mood swings, overweight/obesity, rashes, reflux, sinus problems, underweight, water retention

As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, not endorsing it.

10-Day Detox Diet Book
Get The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook for more than 150 more recipes.

Cookbook
See the book’s website, http://drhyman.com/programs/10-day-detox, for an online community group, supplements, events, coaching, quizzes, tracking tools, a weekly newsletter, and more. Dr. Hyman’s website is http://drhyman.com, he’s on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/drmarkhyman, Twitter at https://twitter.com/markhymanmd, and Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/markhymanmd. But remember that during the 10 day detox you’re supposed to be avoiding media overload!

How has this diet helped you? Please add a comment or question below.

— Update: 14-03-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article 10-Day Detox Diet Shopping List: The Beginner’s Guide To Shopping For A Healthy Diet from the website betterme.world for the keyword 10-day detox diet food list.

Chronic fatigue, digestive issues, and poor sleep have you on edge. Going on a 10-day detox diet seems like the best solution – it’ll help you get rid of toxins, boost your metabolism and give you a burst of energy. The thing is you’re not sure that mainly drinking juice for 10 days is something you can do. The good news is, you don’t have to go on a restrictive diet to detox. Forget the Master Cleanse and other crazy diets that are impossible to stick to long-term. Instead, revamp your food choices with healthy foods and change your eating habits. This is the best way to detox. You’ve probably read your fair share of diet plans, so here’s a shopping guide that will make your meal prep and diet so much easier. It includes a for a 10-day detox diet shopping list and expert tips on how to get the most bang for your buck.

About The 10-Day Detox Diet Plan Shopping List

This dieting plan gives you many healthy eating options to choose from. Furthermore, it’s flexible enough to include your preferences. And the best part — it has some advice on how to choose the best foods without breaking the bank.

Here’s what you need to know about stocking up on healthy, healing foods before going on a 10-day detox.

Foods To Eat

First up, here’s what should be in your shopping cart as you prepare for your detox:

Healthy Meats (Grass-Fed Beef, Lean Poultry, Salmon, Tuna)

Some meats are high in fat, especially saturated fat. Eating a lot of saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in your blood, and having high cholesterol increases your risk of coronary heart disease (13).

The type of meat product you choose and how you cook it can make a big difference in the saturated fat content.

While on this detox diet, choose lean meats. A rule of thumb is that the more white a cut of meat has, the more fat it contains. So for bacon, for example, you’ll choose back bacon because it has less fat than the streaky bacon.

For fish, you’ll choose the fatty kind like salmon. It is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which support heart health, boost immunity, lower inflammation, and promotes weight loss by decreasing fat stores and increasing serotonin production (10). You’ll need to be wary of fish that might have high mercury levels like swordfish.

Other tips to help you buy healthier options:

Buy more seafood (salmon, tilapia, etc.) than red meat (beef, lamb, pork).
Buy skinless chicken and turkey.
Limit processed meats such as sausages, beef burgers, and salami as they’re rich in fat and salt.
Check nutrition labels on pre-packed meats to see how much fat it contains.

Leafy Greens (Kale, Spinach, Lettuce, Chicory, Collard Greens, And Mustard Greens)

They’re one of the most nutrient-dense forms of vegetables available so they should be in every diet. Spinach is best for detox diets because it’s high in magnesium (14).

Leafy greens are also rich in calcium, folate, and iron (7). Because of their very low-calorie count, you can eat as much as you want without adding unnecessary calories to your daily intake.

Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage)

They’re loaded with vitamins and minerals that promote good health and contain sulfur compounds that eliminate toxic heavy metals from the body (4). Cabbage is one of the best detoxifying foods because it contains chemicals known as glucosinolates, which help cleanse our bodies’ carcinogens (5).

Try eating cruciferous vegetables at least twice a week.

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Fruits (Apples, Pears, Oranges)

They’re rich in vitamin C which supports the immune system and contains antioxidants that neutralize harmful toxins inside your body (16). Apples are rich in fiber and they lower cholesterol levels so you’ll be better able to fight off inflammation and disease. Pears are also rich in fiber so they’re a good choice for the detox diet (6).

Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries)

They contain high levels of anthocyanins which prevent cancer by neutralizing free radicals that cause cell damage. Berries are highly acidic which helps get rid of old, calcified plaque from the body (1).

Root Vegetables (Carrots, Beets, Parsnips)

They’re suitable for your digestive system because they have a lot of fiber. They are also low energy-dense foods and are rich in antioxidants. Be careful not to over consume them as they are high in carbs and overeating can cause blood sugar spikes (8).

Eggs (Pastured Eggs)

They contain all of the essential amino acids necessary for building muscle and also support the immune system while boosting energy levels (15).

Olive Oil

It lowers blood pressure, fights cancerous cells by inhibiting tumor growth, and improves blood circulation, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes (11). Use olive oil liberally as you cook to enjoy all of the health benefits it has to offer.

Nuts And Nut Butters (Almond, Peanut, And Cashew)

They’re high in protein and fiber which is great for weight loss (9). They also contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats so they lower cholesterol levels and prevent clogged arteries.

Dark Chocolate (At Least 70% Cacao)

It’s full of antioxidant-rich cocoa which lowers blood pressure, helps reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack and improves mood by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. It also contains magnesium which is needed to produce energy for your body and it increases serotonin levels to help with cravings (2).

10-Day Detox Diet Shopping List: Foods To Avoid

Cut these foods out of your diet to enjoy the benefits of a detox:

Artificial sweeteners
Coffee and caffeine (including decaf)
Processed foods with artificial ingredients, preservatives, or high-fructose corn syrup
Alcohol
Refined sugar
Foods that contain trans fats

Shopping Tips For Healthy Eating

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be stressful, or expensive. Use these tips for successful shopping:

Eat Before You Go

Never go shopping on an empty stomach. It will make it harder to resist temptation, and your healthiest choices may not be the first thing you grab off the shelf. Instead, eat a healthy snack before heading out.

Read Labels

Since the Nutrition Facts label sometimes isn’t enough to know what’s really in a packaged food, you should also take the time to check out the ingredient list (12). If you recognize only one or two of the first several ingredients on an item’s label (and maybe not even those), don’t buy it. You probably won’t like whatever mystery ingredients are lurking in there.

Plan Ahead

Go with a shopping list, and stick to it. An easy way to blow your healthy eating plan is to wander into the store without any idea of what you’re looking for – or worse yet, stop somewhere else after leaving the supermarket because “you just have to pick up something.”

Stick with your original plan by making sure that everything on your list can be found in one place: as soon as possible. That means no impulse buys at an extra store, and no saving “just one more thing” for another trip.

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Go Seasonal

One way to make healthy eating cheaper is by sticking with what’s fresh and available seasonally— foods that grow when the weather permits. For example, watercress is popular during the winter months, while citrus fruits like oranges are peak in the summer. Seasonal produce is not only cheaper but also packed with more nutrients.

Buy The Rainbow

If you want to get vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants all at once, aim for color-coded varieties on your next trip to the supermarket. Aim for red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, and brown (or black) produce: think cranberries next time you’re buying cranberry juice and dark leafy greens like mustard greens or kale instead of iceberg lettuce.

Buy Frozen Produce

If you need produce that’s not in season but don’t want to go over your budget, then stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen foods are often just as nutritious as fresh produce, but can be more convenient to keep around. There are many ways to incorporate frozen fruits and veggies into your diet — you can use frozen blueberries and frozen spinach for blended smoothies.

The Bottom Line

Navigating the supermarket aisles can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to make healthy food choices. But with this 10-day detox diet shopping list, you can skip the stress and leave the market with bags full of healthy options.

DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!

SOURCES:

Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits (2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease (2011, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Coconut oil: what do we really know about it so far? (2019, academic.oup.com)
Crucial facts about health benefits of popular cruciferous vegetables (2012, sciencedirect.com)
Cruciferous Vegetables and Human Cancer Risk: Epidemiologic Evidence and Mechanistic Basis (2009, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Effects of Intake of Apples, Pears, or Their Products on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2019, academic.oup.com)
Green Leafy Vegetables – an overview (n.d., sciencedirect.com)
Grown to be Blue—Antioxidant Properties and Health Effects of Colored Vegetables. Part I: Root Vegetables (2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Health Benefits of Nut Consumption (2010, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Consumer Fact Sheet (2021, ods.od.nih.gov)
Potential Health Benefits of Olive Oil and Plant Polyphenols (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Reading Food Labels | National Institute on Aging (2019, nia.nih.gov)
Saturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: Modulation by Replacement Nutrients (2010, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The bioavailability of magnesium in spinach and the effect of oxalic acid on magnesium utilization examined in diets of magnesium-deficient rats (1995, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The Impact of Egg Nutrient Composition and Its Consumption on Cholesterol Homeostasis (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Vitamin C in Disease Prevention and Cure: An Overview (2013, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)