In their book, 1 Pound a Day, Roni DeLuz, RN, ND, PhD, and James Hester, suggest that we "gauge our need to detox. We are exposed to so many toxins in our lives. Some things are beyond our control, but we have the capacity to change some of our lifestyle choices. This test will give you a sense of the toxic burden your body carries."
 

Answer the following questions and write the answers in a notebook or your phone. Then read the explanation of the results below the questions.

1. Where do you live?
a. City
b. Suburb
c. Country

2. How is your weight? Are you:
a. Obese
b. Overweight
c. Average to lean

3. Do you have a hard time losing weight and keeping it off?
a. Yes
b. Sometimes
c. Never

4. How much processed food do you eat a day?
a. 5 to 9 servings
b. 2 to 4 servings
c. 1 serving or less

5. How much water do you drink each day?
a. 3 glasses or less
b. 4 to 7 glasses
c. 8 glasses or more

6. What is your level of stress?
a. Extreme
b. Moderate with some spikes
c. Usually minimal

7. Do you use commercial household cleaners and personal grooming products?
a. Use conventional products b. Use a mix of conventional and chemical-free
b. Use a mix of conventional and chemical-free
c. Use organic and nontoxic products

8. Do you lose energy or get tired during the day?
a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Never

9. Is your mental state:
a. Cloudy and fuzzy more than 50 percent of the time
b. Mostly clear with occasional fog
c. Sharp and crystal clear

10. Do you suffer from indigestion, stomach problems, frequent gas, bad breath, or irregularity?
a. Frequently
b. Sometimes
c. Never

11. Do you experience food intolerances that give you postnasal drip, blurred vision, burping, headaches, itching, burning eyes, sneezing, swollen eyes, or a swollen face?
a. Yes, from specific foods
b. Sometimes
c. Never

12. Do you experience insomnia?
a. Yes
b. Sometimes
c. Never

If a is your answer to six or more of these questions, you urgently need to detox. Your current situation and your choices are increasing your toxic load and are already affecting your health and well-being. If you select b most often, toxins are probably draining you of energy and causing you discomfort. You should detox to keep poisonous chemicals from accumulating in your body and intensifying the physical symptoms and problems you might have. If you have a mix of a and b choices with very few c's, your need to detox is more urgent. If your response to eight or more of these questions is c, you are on the right track to health. You could benefit from the 1 Pound a Day Diet Detox to increase your vitality and longevity.