And dont ya just love the ads on TV telling you to "increase the friendly bacteria in your stomach"

They actually have more of a claim to work than any of the detox diets - there are friendly bacteria in your stomach - they help to break the food down for digestion.

And speaking on a personal note, they worked very well for me when I had a bad case GERD (gastro enteric reflux disease).

There are many reasons why your stomach may need some help, and these drinks certainly helped me.

I won't do my normal 10,000 word post on this one, but I agree that Detox diets are often misrepresented and cost more than many other proven methods which support the body's own response to certain stimuli. In general there is some evidence both ways, and I am familiar with some medial studies indicating a correspondance in the amount of pesticides consumed and the human body being able to filter out these chemicals. In the case of the Detox diets I am of the belief that a reduction in the amount of potentially harmful chemicals one consumes with their food will always lead to positive results. In other words, eat as healthy as possible and with as few chemicals as possible, but continue to consume products that cause naturally occuring mechanisms in the body to kick in (such as healthy bacteria and chemicals).

On a personal note, I only buy my fruits and vegetables from farmers markets and natural COOP's, keeping myself as-near-to pesticide free as possible and with the added benefit of supporting local small business. Why shop at organic grocery stores, which are often overpriced, instead of either growing it yourself or buying it directly from local organic farmers? I also consume only purified water or well water that does not contain large amounts of lime deposits or chemicals. I do not agree that diets are effective, or that "natural remedies" do any good, but I do promote a healthy lifestyle which means simply eating correctly and not ingesting harmful substances. Do this, and you can forget about buying overpriced "natural remedy" books and overpriced food.