The new-age diet gurus of the world have given us plenty of terrible advice over the years. These white-shoe hucksters have made millions showing you how to lose 10 pounds in three days (hopefully without enduring organ failure in the process) and how to starve and poison yourself by eating unlimited quantities of your least-favorite foods.

But in this Super Bowl of garbage advice, the detox plans advocated by these pseudo-health gurus really stand out.

Every time I hear of someone drinking juice for three days or more, eating only broth, or choking down a terrible mixture of lemon juice and maple syrup-all in the name of "detoxing" their bodies-I want to hook them up to a sanity meter.

These detox plans are foolish for people of any age-but for older or immuno-compromised folks, they can be downright deadly. After a day or so of fasting, your body actually slows down the production of the enzyme proteins in your liver that metabolize and get rid of toxins!

Here's the advice I give my patients: Reducing toxic substances in your body can be healthy, but you don't have to resort to some stunt or gimmick to do it.

The first thing you can do is reduce your exposure to environmental toxins, such as allergens (molds, foods, pollens, dander, dust and chemicals) and heavy metals (lead, mercury, aluminum and cadmium).

Also, cut down on the toxins you ingest. Those packaged food products are conveniently sized portions of toxic trash.

They're doctored with trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup sweeteners, artificial (and questionable) colorants, pesticides and hormonal and antibiotic residue. Do a cupboard cleansing of all the aforementioned junk and restock with whole foods.

If you want to reduce the toxins that are already in your body, the best thing you can do is give your body's natural detoxification system the tools it needs. Here are 10 ways to do that:

Get on the green team

Chlorella and cilantro when used in combination can make a dent in your level of aluminum, a metal notoriously difficult to remove from the body.

Once cilantro binds to aluminum, the chlorella will then hasten its excretion through your kidneys. Chlorella also supports your liver's detoxification enzymes while supplying plenty of glutathione-a key detox player.

Go nuts for selenium

Selenium is a valuable mineral that protects against mercury by binding and inactivating it. Brazil nuts are a primo source of selenium: Just three or four nuts will yield in excess of 200 micrograms-enough for your day's needs.

Other good sources include egg yolks (I hope you haven't fallen for that old egg-white-omelet bull that many docs like to preach), liver, kidneys, and indeed all muscle meats, such as lean beef, lamb and pork. Plant-based sources include onions, broccoli, asparagus, garlic and tomatoes.

Eating enough of these foods and getting the 50 micrograms of selenium that are tucked into most multivitamins should be enough.

Crunch up toxins

Crunchy, cruciferous vegetables provide a boost to your liver's detoxification enzymes. They also cut your cells' vulnerability to cancer-causing substances.

You have a smorgasbord of cruciferous choices: kale, Brussels sprouts, radishes, bok choy, cabbage, turnips, collard greens, kohlrabi, rutabaga, cauliflower, and, last but by no means least, broccoli.

Grant yourself immunity

Glutamine is an amino acid that keeps intestinal immune cells healthy-and your gut holds 70 percent of your immune system. Low levels of glutamine are associated with impaired detoxification.

To get enough glutamine, I recommend you emphasize food sources that include beef, chicken, fish, beans, eggs, spinach, and two excellent detoxifiers-cabbage and beets.

Get it by the clove

Garlic contains large amounts of sulfur, a hard-working element required for successful detoxification of unwanted chemicals in the liver.

What's great about garlic-apart from its being a delicious addition to just about any food-is its ability to aid your detox system by safely reducing harmful gut bacteria and parasites. If you don't want to eat it by the clove (because your friends and neighbors may raise an objection), you can take Garlic Force, a product made by New Chapter.

Other sulfur-containing foods include meat, fish, chicken, and the cruciferous vegetables that I mentioned above.

Try this healthy liver duo

To support your liver in its detoxification efforts, try milk thistle and alpha lipoic acid.

Milk thistle's active ingredient, silymarin, has been used to reduce the toxic effects from a wide variety of liver poisons such as death-cap mushrooms, alcohol, and acetaminophen. It also reduces liver inflammation, is useful in fatty liver disease (which now affects over 70 million Americans), and improves glucose metabolism.

Alpha lipoic acid, the "universal antioxidant," recycles other important antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione. It has been used in its high-dose intravenous form to treat acute liver failure and can also help with blood- sugar control.

Nature's Way Super Thisilyn Plus has milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid, and other liver-supporting elements, including n-acetyl cysteine, a building block of glutathione. Go to www.naturesway.com to locate a store near you.

Get more of these nutrients

Over 90 percent of Americans are not getting their fair share of healthy omega-3 fats, which are found mainly in deep-sea, cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines. And over 50 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, which you can get from the sun and from the same marine sources that supply omega-3s. By taking care of these nutrient deficits, you'll help your body run better-including your detoxification system.

Watch for food sensitivities

There's a big argument going on in the mainstream medical world about the difference between food sensitivities and food allergies.

Except in the case of gluten sensitivity, most mainstream docs are inclined to deny the existence of subtler food sensitivities that may stress your system and rob you of energy.

Others docs-and I'm one of them-believe there's plenty of evidence showing people can be sensitive to corn, soy products, dairy products, and eggs, among other foods.

To find out what's toxic to your system, consider an elimination diet. Most people will feel more clearheaded and energetic while on one -even if it doesn't uncover any obvious offenders. For a well-designed, easy-to-follow method, go to www.cfids.org.

Try mini-fasts

There is emerging evidence to support the health benefits of 12- to-24-hour fasts as often as once a week.

For example, for a 12-hour fast, you might wake up Saturday morning and just sip herbal tea and water until dinner, which could be a light meal of chicken or fish, salad and a piece of fruit.

The key here would be to consider your short fast as an opportunity to slow down. Ignore the television and the morning newspapers.

Plan ahead and get your chores done before your day of fasting. This will give you more time for prayer or meditation. It's a ritual that can help you work in a much-needed break-without having to book a flight to the islands.

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