Detox Programs/Diets

By Lieu Pham

About Detox Diets/Programs

Detox programs’ health claims of improving bowel health, revitalising the skin and liver, increasing energy levels and aiding in weight loss, have got everyone from Madonna to your mum doing them.  Detox programs range from a simple diet of raw vegetables and the elimination of caffeine, alcohol and refined sugars, to a stricter diet of calorie restriction.  Others can include complimentary treatments such a reflexology, lymphatic drainage massage, eating charcoal, or taking vitamins, minerals and supplements such as milk thistle and flax oils.  However, despite the popularity of detoxes, sceptics argue that people are better off drinking tap water and going to bed early than wasting time and money on false detox fixes.

The Detox Theory

Detox advocates believe that certain foods are toxic to the body, particularly refined and acid-forming foods. When our bodies break down these refined sugars, they produce a by-product of acidic deposits (toxins) that accumulate to cause a sluggish digestive system.  By ‘detoxing’, you eliminate these toxins from your diet, giving the digestive system the chance to function more efficiently, helping you to burn off more calories.  Detoxes help reprogram your body so that it does not demand an immediate and addictive ‘hits’ of sugar and salt.  A good detox will change the way you eat for good and make you lose cravings for things such as caffeine, chips, chocolate and alcohol.

The Detox Method

The detox process can last anything from one to 90 days.  A standard detox will involve a clean-up of your diet.  The revised diet is then based on fruit, vegetables and water, while cutting out meat (optional), alcohol, caffeine and processed foods.  On a detox, you should try to eat as much organic and raw food as possible.  You are also encouraged to eat plenty of dark green leafy vegetables, pulses, brown rice, soups and vegetable juice.  Water also plays a prominent part; and it is recommended that you drink two litres of water a day to keep the skin hydrated and to flush out toxins.  Furthermore, on waking, sipping a cup of hot water with lemon is the best way to kick start the digestive system.

Do Detox programs really work?

As detox programs have not yet been clearly defined, it is impossible to judge whether or not they work.  Advocates assert that detox programs encourage healthy eating patterns however critics argue that there is no evidence to support the belief that such detox regimes help remove toxins from the body and claim that the lungs, kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract and immune systems already remove or neutralise toxic substances.  Toxicologists and dieticians warn that protracted starvation (a feature of some detoxes) pose a serious health hazard and warn that detox regimes can slow down your metabolism.  They explain that reported weight loss is simply a result of consuming less calories and that weight will go straight back on as soon as the detox gives way to a more regular diet.  Despite criticisms levelled at detox diets for being a waste of time and money, fast results and celebrity endorsements are making them a growing trend.