Authors: Mark Hyman
Tags: #Health & Fitness / Diet & Nutrition / Diets, #Health & Fitness / Body Cleansing & Detoxification
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet: Activate Your Body's Natural Ability to Burn Fat and Lose Weight Fast (16 page)
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for ten days of nightly baths (you’ll find the exact instructions for preparing the UltraDetox Bath
here
in
Part IV
):
Epsom salts (approximately 160 ounces total, enough for 2 cups each night)
Baking soda (approximately 40 ounces total, enough for ½ cup each night)
Pure lavender oil (one small bottle should be enough; you can find this at most natural food stores)
Your Detox Journal will be your constant companion throughout the ten days. Purchase a blank notebook or journal that appeals to you to record your results, thoughts, and experiences. Or you can use the online journal at www.10daydetox.com/resources, which provides all the questions for you to write about.
I’ve made it easy to get the exact supplements I recommend to my patients at www.10daydetox.com/resources. You will need to be on the 10-Day Detox Basic Supplement Pack. (Please note that you will need to order these packs one week before beginning the 10-Day Detox, to allow for shipping time.) These will be very helpful during the detox but are also great basic nutritional support for most people and are designed to be taken long-term. Or you may find equivalents at your local health food store. I recommend the following (see the chart
here
for a quick summary):
A high-quality multivitamin and multimineral supplement. This contains all the B vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals you need to help run your metabolism and improve blood sugar and insulin functioning.
2 grams of purified fish oil (EPA/DHA), an anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, blood-sugar-balancing, heart-disease-preventing, brain-boosting supplement.
2,000 units of vitamin D3, which helps insulin function. Up to 80 percent of the population is deficient in this important vitamin.
Additional blood-sugar-balancing and insulin-balancing nutrients, including (total daily doses) 500 to 1000 micrograms of chromium, 15 to 30 milligrams of zinc, 300 to 600 milligrams of alpha lipoic acid, 500 to 1000 milligrams of cinnamon, and 100 to 200 milligrams of green tea catechins, which are often found combined in special supplements that optimize insulin levels, blood sugar balance, and metabolism.
PGX (in powder or capsule form)—a superfiber to slow blood sugar and insulin spikes that can also cut cravings and promote weight loss. Take 2.5 to 5 grams just before every meal with a large glass of water. This can be taken in powder form (½ to 1 scoop) or in three to six capsules; the powder form tends to work better. If you have night cravings or night eating, you can also take a dose after dinner.
200 to 300 milligrams of magnesium citrate, once or twice a day, if you are experiencing constipation. This is essential to manage constipation, which can be caused by extra fiber such as PGX if you are not used to it. If you don’t have a bowel movement once or twice a day, you may feel ill on this program, so be sure to pay attention to how often you are eliminating and do what’s needed to enable you to go every day. Magnesium is also the relaxation mineral and helps reduce anxiety, improve sleep, improve blood sugar control, and even cure muscle cramps.
| Supplement | Total Daily Dosage |
|---|---|
| Multivitamin | Take as directed on the label |
| Purified fish oil (EPA/DHA) | 2 grams |
| Vitamin D3 | 2,000 IU |
| Chromium * | 500 to 1000 micrograms |
| Zinc * | 15 to 30 milligrams |
| Alpha lipoic acid * | 300 to 600 milligrams |
| Cinnamon * | 500 to 1000 milligrams |
| Green tea catechins * | 100 to 200 milligrams |
| PGX (powder or capsules) | 2.5 to 5 grams just before each meal; optional additional doses taken throughout the day if needed to control cravings |
| Magnesium citrate | 200 to 300 milligrams (2 to 3 capsules) 1 to 2 times daily |
Most Americans don’t eat enough fiber. As a species, we have gone from eating almost 100 grams a day as hunter-gatherers to eating 8 to 15 grams a day or less on a processed-food diet. Fiber helps fertilize the good bacteria in your gut, improve your bowel movements, and prevent cancer and heart disease. But it also helps you lose weight. A special superfiber called PGX (polyglycoplex) has been extensively researched over the past few years. A
unique complex of super polysaccharides from konjac root (glucomannan) and seaweed fibers, it slows the rate at which sugar (and fat) is absorbed into the bloodstream, and it has the overall effect of balancing blood sugar and insulin, reducing appetite, and helping with weight loss.
One of my diabetic patients got off 100 units of insulin just by using this special fiber, and another lost forty pounds. That is why I recommend taking PGX before every meal during the 10-Day Detox. If you choose to use only one supplement, PGX is the most important for the detox process.
Please note: To ensure that the fiber moves through your system the way it’s meant to, it is essential to drink the recommended eight glasses of water each day. Otherwise, you can get constipated. If you tend toward constipation, please see Day 3 (
here
) to learn how to safely clean out your bowels and stay ahead of this problem. The worst thing you can do during the 10-Day Detox is to be constipated. Taking fiber, magnesium, and vitamin C as explained in Day 3 should resolve the most stubborn cases of constipation.
