Advantages and disadvantages of detox diets

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The detoxification process involves flushing the body of various harmful toxins from our system. It’s very tempting in the modern world to try to save ourselves some time by rushing through our meals. This means we spend less time on food preparation. This in turn means we are likely to eat more junk-food or foods that have a high sugar content, giving us a quick buzz as we move onto our next task. Caffeine and alcohol are also increasing in popularity in these stressful times and it’s of little surprise that many of us have overindulged on the kind of stuff that our body isn’t too fond of.

If these habits persist over the long-term, then many nutritional experts recommend a full detox diet. However, the effectiveness of these types of diets should be examined before we commit ourselves to them.

Types of Detox Diets

There are a whole variety of different types of detox diets and you can choose full body detoxes or those diets that target a specific organ like the liver or colon. Some detox diets involve taking pills or applying drops to water or even placing patches on your feet. The goal of all of these processes is exactly the same, to eliminate harmful toxins from your body and help in the detoxification process of cleansing the colon, lymph glands, kidneys, lungs, liver, and skin.

The argument for detox diets is that the body requires a lot of energy to remove the toxins naturally and expending all that energy can leave your immune system feeling weak, tired and irritable, along with other symptoms such as bloating, constipation and stomach pain. The helping hand of the detox diet is designed to help you in the quest to rid itself of harmful toxins. But do they actually work?

Benefits of a Detox Diet

Most detox diets last seven to 10 days and involve a certain degree of fasting. However, it is hardly a revolutionary idea that fasting can be of benefit; even the ancient Greek physician and father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, acknowledged its benefits.

Many people do report feeling rejuvenated and reenergised after completing a detox diet. However, there is debate over whether those positive feelings are as a result of a kind of placebo affect or as a result of the benefits of the detox diet. Nonetheless, the very fact that undertaking a detox diet means refraining from eating or drinking substances that might be harmful to your body is a benefit in itself. The scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the supplements, herbs or liquids that you take while on a detox diet is again an issue that’s open for debate. I would suggest that it’s worth doing some research on the benefits of the particular herbal or liquid preparations a detox kit is offering before deciding which detox kit you should purchase.

Dangers of a Detox Diet

Regarding the dangers of a detox diet, like everything in life, anything that you take to excessive levels is potentially dangerous and if you fast for too long and only live on herbal or liquid supplements for a long period of time, this can place stress on the heart and liver. Warning signs that you may be taking things too far include symptoms such as extreme dehydration, dizziness, nausea and fatigue.

Do Detox Diets Work?

The human body is a truly magnificent thing and most of the time it works wonderfully in keeping us in good health as much of the nasty ingested toxins is efficiently removed by the kidneys and liver. But if we have been straying from the recommended balanced diet of lots of fruit and vegetables, then I’d have no hesitation in stating that detox diets can help you get back on track as long as you don’t become too dependent on them and take things too far. Fasting while taking a combination of ingredients as per the Master Cleanse diet can help maintain our energy levels while we shed the pounds, but only for a limited time.

Overall, I’d say detox diets are a positive as they motivate us to return to healthier eating habits. Do not ever use them as kind of “get out of jail card” that allows you to binge on various unhealthy food and drinks with the idea that the detox diet will return you to full health at the end of your binge. That kind of destructive thinking will cause problems in the long run. However, despite the contrasting reports about how scientifically proven the benefits are, they are certainly worth trying and you can find out for yourself how effective they are. I would conclude by saying that a balanced diet (fruit, vegetables, wholegrain, lean portions of protein, fish oils) is the best remedy of all in terms of keeping harmful toxins from your body, but sometimes we’ve all had one burger or one beer or one slice of cake too many and the detox diet is certainly worth a try as the very minimum it does is offer fasting benefits.