Detoxification, or detox, has become a trendy topic in health and wellness circles. There are techniques from the ridiculous to the dangerous that claim to help clean your body of toxins and improve your health, but what really works? Let’s talk about what detoxification really is and clear up a lot of the confusion and nonsense.
Many people think of fasting, juice cleanses, colon cleanses, and the “lemonade diet” cleanse when they hear about detox. But I know a lot about science and nutrition and I have plenty of questions and doubts about these and other popular ideas.
First, let’s talk about fasting, which means not eating food for a certain amount of time. Although many people believe fasting is good for detox, it may not be as helpful as we think. Detoxing requires nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to work properly. When you fast, you’re not getting important nutrients that actually help our bodies get rid of toxins.
Fasting can actually make it harder for your body to detox. Yikes!
Next, juice cleanses are another common detox trend. This usually involves drinking only fruit or vegetable juices and leaving out the pulp, which has fiber. Fiber is actually a detoxifier but you’re getting rid of it!? Without fiber, a juice cleanse actually makes it harder for your body to detox, not easier.
Again, this trendy idea does more harm than good.
Colon cleanses focus on physically clearing out the colon by taking a pill, powder or liquid cleanser or getting your colon irrigated. The cleanser literally gives you diarrhea and who wants to volunteer for that!
But detoxing actually starts long before things even get to the colon. If you’re putting things in your body that contribute to your toxic load, flushing them out faster isn’t going to solve the cause of the problem.
Lastly, the master cleanse or “lemonade diet” is a controversial detox method that doesn’t have scientific support. It combines many of the worst aspects of fasting and the juice diet as well as the colon cleanse. Talk about a 1-2-3 punch!
I’ve said many times that “dilution is the solution to pollution.” Start by examining your water intake. Yes, good old fashioned water. Add a few more sips and swallows throughout your day (here are some ideas to help you drink more water).
If you still feel fatigued, have brain fog or struggle with constant digestive issues, call my office and let’s see how we can help you get Detox Done Right™.
Photo by Mariah Hewines on Unsplash
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