Essential Newborn Care Protocol: a Must Know for Parents and Would-Be Parents

My adrenaline level is high....as I am challenged by my husband to come up with a natural body cleansing detox diet plan so we can keep our pledge of health, which is vital in ensuring that both of us will be together longer for our children and for each other. For sure I am not choosing the flight response because I am 100% ready to fight preventable lifestyle diseases head on. You may say that this ultimate objective is quite corny, but this is unarguably true to us and to other parents who have come to realize that once we become parents, we do not live just for ourselves anymore. Utmost care of our own selves become more imperative so we can be there for our offspring for the duration that we're needed. We have no major health concerns at the moment, but both of us deemed it necessary to fight our genetic predispositions to hypertension, diabetes and cancer. Prevention is always better than cure.

As I enriched my knowledge on cleansing and detoxification and as the principles became clearer, I was pleasantly surprised with what I found out. I learned that detoxification is not all about deprivation and starvation; instead it involves total indulgence of the body’s needs for proper nourishment, cleansing, relaxation and regeneration.

Basically, when under a body cleansing detox diet plan, (i) the amount of chemicals ingested is minimized (use of organic products as much as possible, no preservatives), (ii) foods that provide nourishment, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants necessary for detoxification are emphasized (raw vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts and seeds), and (iii) fiber and water intake are improved to increase the frequency of bowel movement and urination, which are the main passages of toxins away from the body.

Having all these in mind and looking at sample cleansing detox diet recipes, I am progressing on our own personalized diet plan. My research on detoxification, health and nutrition continues, but it is becoming clearer that our current diet doesn’t need a complete overhaul to qualify for a detoxification regimen. Though some favorite dishes will be missed, it looks like our upcoming detoxification journey is not to be dreaded; instead it is something to look forward to with all the health and wellness we expect to gain from it.

I intend to update you with the progress of this journey and provide more enlightenment on the subject. But for now let me share two of our favorite vegetable salads which are bound to be incorporated in our natural body cleansing detox diet plan.

Radish and Tomato Salad

4 pcs Radish

4 pcs Tomatoes

1 pc Green Bell Pepper

1 stalk Spring Onion

6 tbsp White Vinegar

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Muscovado Sugar

¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

Peel and slice the radish thinly crosswise. Slice tomatoes longitudinally. Mince green bell pepper and spring onion. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small glass or bowl and stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Put the mixture together with the vegetables in the large bowl. You can let the mixture cool for 30 minutes in the refrigerator or serve immediately. This is good for 4-5 people.

Modifications made from the original recipes to suit a body cleansing detox program are the following (i) reduction in salt, (ii) use of Muscovado instead of brown sugar, and (iii) inclusion of more greens: green bell pepper and spring onion.

Ampalaya (Bitter gourd/Bitter melon) and Tomato Salad

2 pcs Ampalaya

4 pcs Tomatoes

1 pcs White Onion

6 tbsp White Vinegar

1 tbsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Salt

¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

2 tbsp Olive Oil

Cut ampalaya into half longitudinally. Remove the white pith and seeds in the middle using a spoon. Cut thinly crosswise. Put in a bowl, add the salt and squeeze the bitter juice out. Slice tomatoes and onion longitudinally and mix with the squeezed ampalaya. Add vinegar, fish sauce, olive oil and black pepper, then mix. Makes 4-5 hefty servings.

Modifications made from the original recipes to suit a body cleansing detox program are the following (i) reduction in salt, and (ii) addition of olive oil as source of monounsaturated fatty acid.