Detoxing

In the past couple of weeks, I have been asked a couple of times how do I feel about detoxing. I must be honest, whenever I hear that word, my right eye starts twitching involuntarily. It’s safe to say that personally, I just don’t believe in it. I am obviously not referring to medical detoxification of people with life-threatening drug addictions. I am referring to those where you drink nothing but water, lemonade, fruit juice, apple juice, vegetable juice, apple cider vinegar & baby food for a week, sometimes even longer. 

So what exactly is detoxing suppose to do. In short, detoxing refers to a program of “diet”, liquids, herbs, and other methods of removing environmental and dietary toxins from the body. Some goes as far to say that it cleans your blood. Dirty blood? If toxins did build up in a way your body couldn’t excrete them, you’d likely be DEAD or in need of serious medical intervention. 

The human body is just incredible. Our body detoxes naturally on an ongoing basis by a process of neutralising and eliminating toxins that can be potentially harmful to the body. The liver, intestines, kidneys, lungs, skin, blood and lymphatic system all work together to ensure that toxins are excreted from the body.

Detoxing claims to have many benefits. I think one of the benefits most people are after is for weight loss. Detox diets will almost always lead to weight loss. When you drinking nothing but cucumber juice for a week, it’s inevitable that you will loose weight as you are drastically cutting your calories. And most of these diets will have a diuretic affect. BUT as soon as you switch back to your normal eating habits, the weight just comes straight back. In no way did it teach you anything about making healthy options that are sustainable. 

Some of the first steps being suggested when embarking on your detox is to cut out processed foods, refined sugars, alcohol, saturated fats, caffeine, tobacco, wheat & very importantly you must increase your water intake. For the detox diets that actually allows you to eat food, your need to add fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, unsaturated fats, complex carbohydrates & lean cuts of meat. Honestly, these are all things you should be doing anyway, so just by making healthier choices, you are in effect, detoxing. 

So there is absolutely no reason to go to these very extreme measures to have all the benefits that detoxing claims to have. Detoxing is short lived. Make healthier food choices, exercise, drink enough water and make it a lifestyle. 

And just a final note, an interesting observation when doing a little research on these crazy detox diets, they all come with a warning that you should see your physician first before starting. Makes me think twice.