Detoxification (aka 'det
oxing') is a popular activity in our culture, and it's not surprising that we think of ridding ourselves of so-called 'toxins', what with the knowledge that industry has polluted and continues to pollute our environment so. But are these different detox diets really necessary? Do we need to starve ourselves with chicken broth-only diets or drink apple cider vinegar and lemon juice until we're nauseous? Certainly to an extent these ideas have some merit, but I'm not so sure they're really all that healthy.
A detox diet tends to be geared towards weight loss as much as it is meant to rid you of chemicals and pollutants in your body. The premise is essentially that your body is incapable of processing these toxins on its own, and that once you are free of them you will have more energy, feel better, and shed unwanted pounds. Most detox diets are very low in calories, and sometimes require taking herbs and/or supplements.
But do the diets work? Sort of - if you limit your caloric intake for a long enough period of time, you will surely lose some weight and feel better. But they are not long-term solutions for better health, because you can't sustain such an extreme way of eating. Once you go back to eating the foods you eat on a normal basis, you regain the weight and end up back where you started, or in a worse place from where you began.
Unfortunately, there are dangers associated with a detox diet, including dizziness from low blood sugar, and much more serious issues caused by fasting, such as problems with pregnancy and your ability to get pregnant, as well as your brain and heart processes, muscles, joints, bones, kidneys, intestines, and even your skin and hair. In addition, colon cleanses can rid your body of important electrolyte and fluid balances, leading to even more issues.
What should you do? Well, there are much healthier ways to lose weight, if that's your concern. Speaking with a nutritional counsellor can help a great deal, and getting on a regular exercise plan is extremely helpful as well. The key is to look at improving your health in a long-term scenario, and not with a 'quick fix' mentality. In terms of simply ridding your body of toxins, exercise can help tremendously, as can a natural medicine like acupuncture, which works on your body by unblocking energy pathways. This blocked energy can make contribute greatly to feeling poorly, so consider this great therapy as a good start for bettering your health.
Finally, since your body naturally detoxifies you via your liver, lungs, colon and kidneys, look at ways you can improve the health of these organs, e.g. by quitting smoking and drinking alcohol, eating more fiber (especially from whole grains), drinking more water, and getting better sleep. The detox diets are pointed in the right direction: be simple. Just be smart about it as well!
By Richard Lobbenberg, Acupuncturist and TCM Practitioner
