After the usual snacking and junk eating during the festivities and vacationing, more often people opt for a detox. Going on a fruit juice diet or drinking herbal teas are the usual ways in which many try to cleanse their colon and liver and lose those extra kilos added during the holidays. However, this sudden move to detox can also prove harmful and can hit back in a negative way.
You must know certain things before you start that detoxification process that is so common nowadays.
What is detox?
The process involves using some products, diets or fad methods for getting rid of toxins. From different brands to social media groups, there are so many people advising about detox. But what is the ideal way to do it? The first thing to know is that detox is not a new thing and for centuries therapies and remedies have been developed to eliminate the fluid imbalance in the body caused due to toxins.
However, one of the most common forms of detox methods that was traditionally used and is prevalent even today is that of fasting. Enema was also one of the ways commonly used earlier to remove unwanted waste deposits from the body.
Nowadays, the focus is on clean eating which means including nutrient-rich, low-carbohydrate, almost no oil foods in the diet. Avoiding sugar, dairy and meat can also be an option.
Does detox works?
Sadly even after trying all types of detox processes, the truth is that detox does not work. According to a review published a year ago, detox diets do not offer a plausible pathway to ensure that the toxins can be completely eliminated from the body. Importantly, it is also not possible to remove specific toxins by adopting a certain diet.
The study says that the general principles of human physiology indicate that the liver and kidneys are highly efficient in removing waste from the body and hence there is not much need for detoxes. Secondly, earlier studies have also shown that there is no sufficient evidence that suggests that detox diets are effective.
Detoxing can be Dangerous
Relying on detox products and avoiding your regular diet can lead to a sudden weight loss but it may not be sustainable. Once you get back to your eating routine the weight will bounce back very fast. Losing and gaining weight quickly can be dangerous for health in the long run.
Many times diet restrictions also make you nutrient deficient which ultimately leads to irritation, weakness, fatigue and sometimes anemia.
Also, people with chronic health conditions, pregnant women and children should avoid detoxing.