Detox diet: Determining the value of a cleansing diet

detox diet

When people hear the word detox, they instantly believe that it must be something good. After all, eating raw vegetables and drinking water have always been backbones of good health. The popular belief is that people are inundated every day with harmful chemicals that could cause disease in the body, and detox diets are thought to rid the body of unwanted toxins and extra waste in the intestines.

Ridding the body of extra waste has also been thought to help encourage weight loss. There are different detox diets that promise a person can lose 15 pounds in less than two weeks. However, weight loss cannot be achieved through a colon cleanse detox. Calories from food are already absorbed into the body before it even gets to the intestines, so using a colon cleanse to lose weight is an effort in futility. Also, what many people do not understand is that the body is already naturally equipped to get rid of harmful toxins.

Healthy Detox Cleansing Diets

Raw vegetables and fruits make up the menus of some of the more popular detox diets. Juicers are used to blend fresh produce such as carrots, apples, lemons, and oranges. Blending raw vegetables is a very healthy choice for a beverage. Juicing raw vegetables and fruits as part of a short-term detox and as part of an overall healthy diet can be a good long-term plan for health.

Unhealthy Detox Cleansing Diets

What makes a detox diet unhealthy is when a person uses this method as their only food source for too long a period of time or too frequently. Although there is strong evidence of health benefits for some people who engage in periodical detox diets, any diet becomes unhealthy when it is taken to the extreme. Detoxing can make people very sick; nausea and even vomiting are common occurrences for most people on a detox diet.

Moreover, the colon and the intestines are naturally created to get rid of harmful chemicals and waste, so it is really a personal decision, rather than a medical necessity, to try out a detox diet, and it should only be an occasional process, not a regular or habitual part of your diet. If you think a detox diet is something you could benefit from, be absolutely sure to discuss your intention with your doctor beforehand; he or she will tell you if there are additional risks for you based on your current health and any preexisting medical conditions you have.

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