Detoxing At Home

I know a lot of people go to spas to detox, but it's also possible to start a detox program at home. To help you on this path, I recommend "The Inside-Out Diet: 4 Weeks To Natural Weight Loss, Total Body Health and Radiance" (Wiley, August 2007, $24.95). It's by Dr. Cathy Wong, who is About.com's Guide To Alternative Medicine. The key to losing weight and achieving optimal health, she contends, is a diet that supports the liver.

"If the liver is overburdened by constantly eating the wrong foods (and not enough of the right ones), fad or crash diets, or the increasing level of chemicals in our food and environment, it has to work overtime to detoxify the body and is less able to carry out its other important functions," says Wong.

I read this book and was impressed by the depth of Wong's knowledge and the practical, common-sense advice she gives. It's also a diet that most people will be able to follow. She even lets you keep your coffee (though I'll admit I've given mine up.) It also has more than 50 delicious recipes created by Maui chef-to-the-stars Sabra Ricci. You can get it at bookstores or by calling 1-800-225-5945.