Do Detox Diets Work?

Detox diets are incredibly popular since they are thought to not only facilitate weight loss, but also improved health and wellbeing. Massive and instant weight loss, better skin, hair and nails and improved digestion are just some of those benefits. Fasting and the master cleanse/ lemonade diet are detox diets.

Detox Diet Theory?

Advocates of detox diets believe that our body is constantly assaulted and overloaded by toxins in the form of pollutants, pesticides, food additives, alcohol and cigarette smoke. These toxins are thought to accumulate in your body and cause problems such as weight gain, headaches, decreased immunity, fatigue, bloating, cellulite, acne, cravings and lackluster skin.

A detox diet to eliminate these toxins may help you recover from a wide variety of minor, albeit chronic ongoing health problems. Proponents of juice fasting believe that it can help improve serious ill health. Detox diets are intended to improve health and well-being. However, due to the nature of the diet, significant weight loss is a “side-effect”.

How do detox diets work?

Detox diets usually center on eating organic whole foods or natural foods, as they contain few if any toxins and therefore help the detoxing process. Fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, herbal seeds and water usually make up the bulk of detox diets, though it can vary. Generally meat, fish, eggs, wheat, dairy, salt, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods are strictly off-limits.

Often additional practices to removing toxins from your body are recommended, such as such as saunas, massages, colonic irrigation, bowel enemas, fasting. Herbal supplements, such as milk thistle and liver tonics, to remove toxins from the body, are also oftentimes used to improve the detox.

Detox Diet Verdict?

Although the mainstream medical profession has dismissed detox diets, they have been used for millennia (Ancient Egypt and Greece) to improve health. Health professionals tend to point out that healthy persons should be able to rid themselves of toxins without the aid of detox diets, as eliminating organs (liver, lungs, kidneys and skin) are specifically designed for this purpose.

However, health professionals in countries such as Germany tend include alternative therapies in their patient care and are well known to send patients on retreats. Some detox diets can lead nutritional deficiencies if followed too long. Weight loss tends to be substantial and detoxing can break the pattern of overeating and binge eating. Consult your doctor before embarking on a detox diet.

Explore these Topics:

Related

Trending

You Might Like

Wellness your inbox

Subscribe to our newsletter

Others are Liking

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here