One of the most popular trends of the 21st century is detoxification of a body. Kit is widely spoken about the way our bodies are suffering from various toxins present in the environment, cosmetics, food, clothes, medical products and anywhere else. There is nothing strange people are willing to do something about it and make their bodies clean. According to some nutritionists and practitioners, this will help people to get rid of some chronical health issues such as acne, allergies, various forms of dermatitis and much more. Others are claiming it is essential for losing weight.
It is high time to understand whether it is a good idea to spend money on the products which are supposed to help one to detoxify a body.
What are detoxifying diets?
Detoxifying diets can be rather diverse. Some of them are based on complete fasting, others resemble of mono diets with one product which is supposed to help you get rid of all of the possible toxins in your body. Others have different nutritional plans, for example, based on the refusal from any possible products which might cause allergies even if a person is absolutely sure there is no allergy to this product. They might be sugar-less or fat-less or be as simple as any other diet while supported by some special detoxifying products. Liquid diets based on smoothies and juices are also widely advertised as detoxifying diets.
Are there any positive effects of detoxifying diets?
Everything depends on the exact type of a diet and how long it is practised. For example, if your detoxification is a mono diet which lasts for just one day in a week, it might be actually good for your health since you can give your body a chance to have a rest from an energy-consuming process of digestion and regenerate. Some supposedly detoxifying products might be actually good for supporting one’s digestion system and make the work of kidney or liver more efficient. Still, there are serious issues regarding such diets which one should understand very well.
What are the negative sides of detoxifying diets?
The problem regarding such diets is the fact they actually do not have any practical effect. In fact, if a person is healthy, his or her organs are already cleaning the body from toxins and other unwanted substances. Skin, kidneys, liver and other organs are participating in this task. Thus, a detoxifying diet will simply not change anything.
At the same time, if a person suffering from some real issues, it is better to have a thorough check-up by a physician rather than rely on a detoxifying diet. A physician has more tools for identifying the underlying problem and treating it.
At the same time, some detoxifying diets can have rather serious effects. Any mono diets taken for a longer time can lead to nutritional deficiencies, can cause digestive problems including constipation, diarrhoea, ulcers or the inflammation of the stomach tissues. The same goes for liquid diets and many other diets which are supposed to be detoxifying.
Some of the diets also include medical procedures such as enemas which cannot be performed without any particular reason. This can cause a serious imbalance in the gut microbiome and lead to even more health issues.
I am convinced that everyone’s body will react differently to a diet. I need to try a detox diet!