Detox Diet

A detoxication or detox diet is used to rid the body of toxins, or poisons in the body.  Many alternative treatments advise this diet to cleanse the bloodstream, the intestines, and toxins in organs and stored in fat... but detoxication is not generally recognized by the mainstream medical world as essential for good health.


There are several ways used to eliminate toxins in the body:

  • Dietary supplements and homeopathic preparations are used to rid the body of toxins, each targeting the cleansing of different organs in the body.
  • Some detox diets use the nutrients you are advised to eat to cleanse the body.
  • Instead of following a cleansing diet, physical cleansing of the colon is prefered by some.



Detox diets advise you restrict or eliminate many foods.

Methods to eliminate toxins in the body by diet include:

  1. Drink plenty of water and juices.
  2. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, raw nuts, legumes, seeds, fish and vegetable oils.
  3. Eat raw foods, instead of processed/cooked food. 
  4. Eliminate alcohol, caffeine, all processed, packaged or tinned foods, salt, sugar and most meats.
  5. Eliminate deep fried food from your diet.
  6. Reduce the amount of calories you eat. See about Calorie Diets.
  7. Eat more fish.
  8. Drink special detox teas to aid digestion. 


Beliefs


  1. It is necessary to diet for a whole week once a year, or for several weekends a year.
  2. Follow a detoxication diet as your daily diet for optimal health.
  3. Eat raw meat as well as raw vegetables and fruits. 
  4. Fast for a week drinking water and juices only.
  5. These diets are also viewed as a refreshing flushing of the body, giving new vitality.
  6. The pollutants and chemicals in modern living are good reason for detoxication diets, the belief being that the body's cleansing organs cannot cope with these extra toxins.
  7. Eat a no fat diet and you not only lose fat (and weight) but also the toxins which are stored in body fat.
  8. Many doctors believe detox diets are totally unnecessary because the body automatically and continually cleanses itself through the functions of the lungs, skin, lymph glands, liver, kidneys and the colon.



Note: Fasting could result in lack of essential nutrients, cause weakness, wastage of muscles and a slowed metabolism.


Summary


  • It appears that unless you use a detox diet for too long, or are too extreme, it is a harmless diet. 
  • If you are missing essential vitamins, minerals, fats, fibre, carbohydrate and protein in your diet, a detox diet is harmful, leaving you malnourished.
  • There are many beliefs for and many against detoxication diets.
  • Many other diets advise eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and to reduce unhealthy carbohydrate, protein and fat.
  • Eating unsaturated fat and unprocessed carbohydrates is essential in every healthy diet.
  • Fasting is not always a pleasant experience.



This was an article explaining beliefs and opinions about people who follow a detox diet.