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When thinking of detoxing your body from your poor eating habits, resist the call of juice diets, fasts, and other trendy but potentially dangerous cleanses. Self’s plan involves “eating clean”— focusing on naturally nutrient-rich whole foods, and cutting back on processed bites.

1. Abstain From Alcohol (kind of)

“Alcohol is taxing on your liver, plus it lowers your inhibitions, making it harder to resist unhealthy foods,” says nutritionist Joy Bauer. Drinking too much not only increases your risk of high blood pressure and obesity, it also messes with your skin!

What to do? Stick to water, seltzer, tea and coffee most of the time, but do indulge in an occasional glass of red wine. Resveratrol, the potent antioxidant in red vino, may help prevent cancer, keep your heart and brain healthy, reduce inflammation, and even help stave off diabetes!

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2. Pump up proteins

Lean proteins from sources such as chicken and wild salmon preserve your lean body mass, and having some at every meal stabilizes blood sugar levels and helps you feel fuller longer. Divide your body weight in pounds by 2—that’s how many grams of protein you should aim to get each day, Bauer says.

What to do? Pumping up your intake of protein from non-animal sources such as whole-grain cereal, tofu, unsalted nuts and beans may also lower your blood pressure. These foods are also rich in fiber and magnesium, which can help reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 5 percent.

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3. Skip added sugars

“White sugar, brown sugar, honey—all sugar pumps calories into your diet and spikes your blood sugar,” says nutritionist Joy Bauer. Consuming too much of it also promotes inflammation, which can increase your risk for heart disease and certain cancers and make you feel foggy and fatigued.

What to do? Stay away from foods that list sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or dextrose on the ingredients label. High-fructose corn syrup sweetens many processed foods, including cold cuts and ketchup, and food makers often add it to reduced-fat foods to make them tastier. Just like table sugar, HFCS can cause spikes and dips in your blood sugar, and some research suggests it may mess with the hunger and fullness signals the hormone leptin sends out, leaving you less satisfied. READ THE REST HERE!