Life and Greatness

Detox Diets - Good? Bad?

Let's start with, "What are toxins?" Toxins are chemicals known to have unfavorable effects on the human body. They can be found in food (or substances used in growing food), water and even in the air. Toxins are processed through organs like the liver and kidneys and are eliminated through perspiration, urination and bowel movements.

Those that promote detox diets believe that toxins don't entirely leave our bodies through these natural processes and instead they linger in the digestive or lymph systems and can cause harmful effects such as headaches or fatigue. These type of diets require giving up specific foods that may contain toxins to purge the body of them, and initially involve a fast; you are required to completely go without food for two days and then you gradually introduce specified foods back into your diet. Most detox diets also encourage some sort of "cleansing" process via a colonic irrigation or by the use of enemas. Some detox plans may also recommend the use of supplements or laxatives to aid in the purification process. It is believed that these types of diets do anything from increasing energy levels to preventing... or even curing... health conditions.

This sounds great! But do Detox Diets help you lose weight?

Many people believe they can lose weight with detox diets, but these plans are not the best method for healthy, permanent weight-loss results. Diets that involve fasting or restriction of entire food groups are not ideal for everyone. While people who fast do seem to lose weight, this weight is water loss, not a fat loss (which is what you need to achieve to permanently reduce your weight). This type of crash dieting can lead to muscle loss, and if done on a regular basis can cause the metabolism to slow down.

Children, teenagers, diabetics, pregnant women, those with heart disease, or anyone suffering from medical conditions should not follow a detox diet. Anyone with an eating disorder should not follow this type of diet. Additionally, these diets are not appropriate for people who are very active, have physically demanding jobs or participate in sports, because they do not provide sufficient energy or nutrition.

A detox diet is a short-term diet, often three to 21 days, focused on removing toxins from the body. Although detoxification is ongoing in the body, toxins and stress prevent us from doing it optimally, which can eventually affect other systems in the body. This diet allows our bodies to focus on self-healing, with the goal being to raise energy levels, stimulate digestive health, clear headaches, remove bloating, improve concentration and mood, avoid getting allergies, regain our natural ability to ward off colds and flu and prevent premature aging and disease.

Considering the touted benefits, it's easy to see why a detox diet may appeal to some.

Is a Detox Diet Right For You?

If you're considering a detox diet, it's important to consult with your doctor before starting. Keep in mind that these foods are not intended to cure disease. Instead, they are designed to make obstacles to health and allow all body systems to run more efficiently.

Although there are many types of detox diets, most eliminate foods that contain potentially harmful substances and allow foods that support the body's natural ability to rid itself of toxins, such as dark, leafy green vegetables. Overall food intake is usually reduced, ranging from small meals to full-fledged juice fast:

The Master Cleanse: Also called the "lemonade diet," is a fast that involves drinking only lemonade, grade B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.

Juice Fasting: A type of fast that calls for consuming only fresh vegetable and fruit juices, such as beet juice and wheatgrass juice, and water. Juice fasts include the Blueprint Cleanse.

Smoothie and Shake fasting: Involves drinking pureed or blended vegetable and fruit smoothies, especially green smoothies.

Commercial cleanse programs: Specially designed protein powders, vitamins, nutrients for detoxification. Examples include the acai cleanse, Colon cleanse, and Bowtrol.

Raw food detox diet: Based on the raw food diet. Involves only eating food that is raw or hasn't been heated above 118 degrees.

Ayurvedic detox diet: An Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation plan called panchakarma.

Other menus can be used on their own as detox diets, including the brown rice diet, elimination diet, a candida cleanses, macrobiotic diet, and a digestive cleanse.

Common Questions About Detox Diets

The following are some answers that alternative medicine practitioners typically give in response to common questions about detox diets. Be sure to speak with your health care provider if you have questions about detox diets or about making a change to your own regimen.

How should I prepare for the detox diet?

Start removing certain foods such as coffee. Following this step minimizes and reduces unpleasant reactions such as headaches, tiredness, and nausea.

Find out how to prepare for a detox diet.

If you work from Monday to Friday, it’s a good idea to begin the detox on a Friday, so that you are at home for the first few days, which are usually the most difficult.

Who shouldn't try a detox diet?

Consult your health care provider before starting a rehab. People who have health conditions such as liver disease, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease or eating disorders should avoid detox diets and should only modify their diet after consulting their doctor. Children and women who are pregnant or nursing should not try the food.

Should I continue taking my prescription medications and my supplements?

Speak with your doctor, but discontinuing prescription medication is not recommended. Medication should never be discontinued or reduced without consulting the prescribing doctor and/or your primary care provider.

What should I do if I get a headache?

If you have followed the guidelines on how to prepare for the detox but still get a headache, be sure to drink lots of water, massage the temples, try aromatherapy, or have a cup of green or white tea, which both contain less caffeine.

Can I work out?

Exercise boosts circulation, which can help the body to eliminate waste products. Try light exercise such as walking, gentle yoga, or stretching or exercises but don’t push yourself, especially if you’re tired. Also, if you don’t exercise regularly, talk with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

How can I expect to feel?

The first few days are usually the most difficult. If a person is accustomed to drinking coffee in the morning, he or she may get headaches. People often feel tired. By day 4 or 5, people may begin to feel more energetic and notice that their digestion is improving.

What should I do if I’m constipated or bloated?

There are some foods that can help to prevent or relieve constipation while on a detox diet. Ways to Getting Constipation Relief Naturally

If you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber, it may take a few days for the body to adjust. Try herbal tea such as ginger tea, peppermint tea, caraway tea, or cinnamon tea to ease digestion. If you’re suddenly eating beans, try Beano® or try adding a piece of kombu seaweed to the soaking water (if you’re using dried beans).

How often do people go on it?

Proponents of detox diets generally recommend one to two times a year to improve health and prevent disease. In some cases, however, alternative practitioners may recommend a detox diet more frequently or may recommend a longer detox diet.

What do people eat afterward?

After the detox diet is over, alternative practitioners often suggest gradually easing back into a healthy, but less restrictive diet. Many people use a detox diet as a springboard for a healthier lifestyle and continue eating many of the vegetables and fruits they ate on the detox diet.

How to End a Cleanse?

A health practitioner can help to systematically reintroduce food groups (wheat, dairy, gluten, corn) and note reactions to identify the food groups that may be aggravating health conditions such as sinus congestion, fatigue, skin conditions, arthritis and bloat and constipation. Flare-ups may occur, so supervision is recommended.

A qualified practitioner can help design a long-term dietary plan to maximize health and well-being and prevent disease.

The Top 8 Cleanses of 2016

2016 was the year of the cleanse diet. Celebrities swear by them and more and more people have been getting in on the action, whether it's to detox diet, brighten skin, lose weight, or get a fresh start. And nowhere is that more evident than in Yahoo's Year in Review, where different health cleanses consistently topped the site's most popular stories lists. Here, the year's top 10 most popular cleanses:

1. A Colon Cleanse. Our colons have the important, albeit kind of icky, job of taking digested food from our stomachs, pulling the nutrients out, and excreting waste. While for most of us, our colons perform their duties just fine, every once in a while you might feel like giving a helping hand, er, enema. Colon cleanses come in many different types, methods, and prices, but the main idea is to use water, fiber, and/or supplements to flush all the gunk out of your intestines so you can start fresh. Considering a colonic? 

2. A Liver Cleanse. Just like our colons, our livers play an important role in ridding our bodies of unwanted toxins. The three-pound organ sits just under your ribs and is responsible for cleaning your blood. Some people believe that eating certain foods or taking certain supplements can help your liver perform better—or help it when it's overwhelmed by too many trips through the drive-thru. However, experts caution that most "liver detox" products don't work as advertised. Some can actually cause harm to your liver as the organ is responsible for metabolizing any drugs, medications, or herbals supplements. In fact, diet supplements are the number two cause of hospitalizations for liver damage—and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning against these types of detoxes. There are some healthy ways to support your liver in its important detox work, however.

3. The Master Cleanse. While the Master Cleanse has been around for decades, it was Beyonce who made it mainstream. She used the diet to drop some serious weight for her role in Dreamgirls. To do it, you drink a concoction of lemon water, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper, along with an herbal detox tea, daily for at least 10 days—and nothing else. While it may work in the short term, experts say it isn't safe long-term. And even Miss B said it was "awful" and made her "cranky." Before you try it, get the facts about the Master Cleanse and what it entails.

4. The 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse. Pictures of green smoothies have probably been all over your Facebook feed for months as this popular cleanse has spread through social media. Participants say they drop up to 15 pounds by drinking only smoothies made of blended fruits and veggies for 10 days, as outlined by J.J. Smith's favorite book. While the diet is high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it lacks other essential nutrients, like protein. To reap all the benefits of a green smoothie cleanse while still eating a balanced diet, check out our Clean Green Food and Drink Plan. http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/clean-green-food-drink-cleanse 

5. A Juice Cleanse. Juicing has long been used as a way to get lots of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables without having to, well, eat all those fruits and vegetables. So juice cleanses, of which there are many different types, take advantage of this vitamin mega-dose by having people replace all (or part) of their solid food with specially formulated juices. While the cleanses can be an excellent way to get your daily produce in, experts warn that many juices are high in sugar and lack the fiber that whole fruit has. Try our Non-Juice Detox for all the health benefits of juicing without the blood sugar spikes.http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/your-non-juice-detox-7-day-clean-eating-plan

6. Detox Cleanse. Detoxing—or removing unhealthy toxins from the body—is one of the main reasons people give for wanting to do a cleanse. Toxic overload can make you feel sluggish, lead to acne, and can cause allergic reactions—among a host of other ills. But most experts warn against pill- or drink-based detox cleanses. The body's own mechanisms for cleansing using the liver, kidneys, and colon are sufficient to rid your body of most toxins, they say. Thankfully, there are lots of healthy changes you can make to support your body while it does all the tough detox work. Try our post-weekend detox plan to get back on track after a long weekend of office parties and holiday goodies.http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/your-weekend-detox-meal-plan

7. Forskolin and Garcinia and Natural Cleanse. Forskolin (coleonol) is a labdane diterpene that is produced by the Indian Coleus plant. Forskolin is commonly used as a tool in biochemistry to raise levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in the study and research of cell physiology. Forskolin activates the enzyme adenylyl cyclase and increases intracellular levels of cAMP. cAMP is an important second messenger necessary for the proper biological response of cells to hormones and other extracellular signals. It is required for cell communication in the hypothalamus/pituitary gland axis and for the feedback control of hormones. Cyclic AMP acts by activating cAMP-sensitive pathways such as protein kinase A and Epac. For the Right Forskolin Formula Recommended by us visit:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DIZ5OQI

Garcinia Cambogia is a supplement made from the tropical fruit that bears its name (also known as a tamarind). It's high in fiber and boosts serotonin levels in your brain, possibly helping you feel full faster and longer. A Garcinia cambogia supplement that is often combined with a larger cleansing plan involving "natural" laxatives and diuretics. Most experts advise steering clear of laxatives and diuretics, physical or otherwise unless your doctor advises you to take them for a particular reason. Long-term use can be very harmful to your body. However, both Forskolin and Garcinia Cambogia extracts may offer a boost for dieters.

8. Blueprint Cleanse. A celebrity favorite and "2015 diet of the year," the Blueprint Cleanse is a pre-packaged juice cleanse in which you are sent six bottles of vegan juices made from fruits, vegetables, and spices, customized to your health goals. You drink the juices—and nothing else—for periods ranging from three days to two weeks. The company says their plans range from 860 to 1,040 calories per day. While this is not specifically billed as a weight-loss cleanse, you probably will drop some pounds. Interested in a DIY juice cleanse?http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/best-juice-whats-bugging-you

Again, please do not start a fast or detox plan, or eliminate food groups from your diet, without talking to your healthcare provider.