The Detox Diet Lowdown. What is all of this cleansing hype and is it worth it?

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From fasting, to making vegetable smoothies, to eating strictly organics, some people will go out of their way to detoxify their bodies for a clean start to the New Year.

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season sometimes makes us forget about the food we shovel into our mouths this time of year. Here and there we tend to indulge on an extra slice of apple pie or sugar cookies but sometimes the extras can add up. Sure people worry about gaining weight from eating but what about the long-term effects

Toxic Sludge
A person who is 50 years old has spent 50 years eating, drinking, and breathing in the air around them. The more exposure to life, the greater the chance that toxins have entered their body. A toxin is anything that is irritating or has harmful effects in our bodies and can be anything from pesticides from fruits and vegies, air pollutants, refined sugar and salt, alcohol, and caffeine.

Relentlessly our bodies work to eliminate these toxins through the liver, the lymph system, kidneys, skin, and the digestive system. These processes work together to detect harmful chemicals in our blood and body fluids and expel them. Over time, these organs can accumulate a bunch of toxic gunk and become over-worked. This is the purpose of a detox diet. Many claim that once the majority of the detox is completed you will have renewed energy, a cleaner liver, a leaner and healthier body, a better sense of self, and even eliminate some chronic diseases.

Types of Detox: No Food, Some Food, or Organic Food

No Food
The most common kind of detox is a fluid diet where no food is consumed. There are a number of types ranging from a ‘do-it-yourself’ liquid diet to specially developed products which contain the necessary nutrients and other ingredients to enhance the body’s ability to expel toxins.

People who have claimed to last more than ten days on these programs complained of hunger and headaches in only the first two days, but have also claimed to feel better than they have in years after reaching the six-day mark.

Some Food
For those who want a little more substance there is an option of drinking purees. There are a variety of cleansing programs that incorporate pureed fruits and vegetables into a routine without the salt flushes and laxatives.

A cleanse called “The PH Miracle,” incorporates vegetables like kale, spinach, parsley, celery, cucumber, broccoli, wheat grass, etc. into smoothie-like drinks and raw soups. This cleanse also promotes the use of supplements to avoid any nutritional deficiencies.

Organic Food
The third type of detox program consists of a minimising diet of simple and pure organic foods. No alcohol or caffeine can be consumed and only small amounts of sugar and salt. The diet recommends using sea salt and sugar in-the-raw if used at all.

The diet focuses on the detoxifying benefits of  “superfoods” which are mostly vegetables, fruit, wheat-free grains, nuts and seeds, and fish. In eliminating meats, wheat, and dairy from daily consumption stomach acidity changes and allows food to digest easily. The body’s energy can then be used towards other processes in the body such as healing and restoration.

Whichever you choose, if you decide that a Detox program is just the ticket to start the year of with glowing health, discuss your options with a qualified Naturopath who can provide you with a clear picture of the best products to use and which approach may be the most suitable for you.