Image Source: Naturalguru

Known for their value among movie stars and other celebrities, detox diets have become quite a fad among diligent fans and those looking for weight loss, the common belief being that we need relief from the toxins constantly entering our body such as cigarette smoke, pollution, fats, processed foods, fast foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Typically detox is used for maintaining health, removing toxins and avoiding bloating, weight gain and other related complications. It is a good idea to detox once in a while however caution must be exercised when maintaining this over a sustained period of time as it encourages unhealthy eating habits especially among teenagers and causes:

• Fatigue
• Loss of essential nutrients
• More cravings
• Changes in dietary pattern over a long period of time may cause other health complications.

Can detox diet help in weight loss?

No, detox diets do not help in weight loss. Although initially you will lose weight, this will be mostly because of loss of water. A detox diet is essentially to remove toxins from the body, it should not be used over long periods of time. The lost weight will be gained again as soon as regular food practices are resumed. The essence is to allow your body to relax off the toxins for a while. Although it is a good idea to reduce toxin intake as a general rule for sustained periods instead of detox.

What are the advantages of a detox?

Some aspects of a detox can boost your health and fitness. Although the human body is capable of detoxing itself and many organs such as liver, skin and digestive track are fully equipped to detoxify all toxins entering the body, it is good practice not to over load with toxins or at least, avoid them for a fixed period. Also, this will make you more health conscious and aware about the foods you do consume. A set detox can remove triggers to eating; for example, if you are a stress eater, detox will help you overcome it.

How and when is a detox harmful?

There is no evidence to suggest that a body actually needs a detox since the body is fully capable of detoxification. The human body normally repairs itself quite well and a detox may jeopardize this ability by depriving it of essential nutrients and proteins, especially when pregnant, ill or otherwise requiring essential nutrients.

What is the detox diet?

The detox diet may range from fasts comprising only of fruits or simple abstinence from toxic substances (such as caffeine, alcohol, sugar in excess etc.). A wide variety of detoxes are available, most popular of these being detox teas.

How to detox your body

• Identify your requirement. Identify the problem you are going to be working on. For example, if you have an excessive sweet fetish which can be harmful, try cutting down on it.
• Select the time period you will be following the detox. Do NOT extend it beyond a couple of days as it can be detrimental to your health.
• Do not fast extensively. Try simple things like cutting down on sugars, caffeine, processed food and alcohol.
• Do not cut off all food. Instead of cutting down on all toxins and simply fasting, replace then with other substitutes such as diet snacks or sugar-free goodies.
• It is a good idea to drink plenty of cleansing fluids. Try detoxing teas/herbal teas to repair the lining of your intestines. It’ll definitely aid your detox process and you will feel much healthier.

• Try organic nutrition supplements instead of the chemical versions. Although many over-the-counter ones are available, take good care before selecting organic supplement that suits your particular requirement.

• You can also try external detox. Use herbal oils to ease up cellulite formation with gentle massages. This will help ease blood circulation and ease the process of detox.

Over all

It is always best to diet for short periods of fixed time and not sustain it over longer periods. Drinking plenty of fluids will definitely boost your health and it is always advisable to avoid intake of too many toxins. Mix it up with your parties and occasional binge and it will help you maintain a good balance.