The Myth Of Detox Diets

I'm sure we've all seen the advertisements on TV, in newspapers and throughout the various forms of media, about "miracle" detox plans and the health benefits you can enjoy if only you would part with your hard earned cash (often endorsed by celebrities).

Claims range from promoting longevity, to perking you up through a combination of natural products, drinks, fasting etc.

Some claim that they can reverse years of abuse in a matter of weeks, others say that you need a detox if you have been overdoing it a little.

The only thing they have in common is this - They all cost money.

I would question any of the claims made based on one simple fact - they don't work any better than your own natural detox process.

The liver and kidneys are two marvelous organs - they will remove impurities from your body at a constant rate until the body's natural equilibrium has been restored, and all they need to do this is a reasonably healthy diet and water.
The liver can even regenerate, providing it has not been damaged beyond repair by drug or alcohol abuse.

So I say this to anyone considering a commercial detox plan:
Don't bother - eat healthy, drink plenty of water and your body will do the rest, and save your money for the next time you want to party!

Some reading for:
chetday.com...

altmedicine.about.com...

www.everydiet.org...

And against:
www.weightlossresources.co.uk...

www.msnbc.msn.com...

www.bbc.co.uk...

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.

I agree 100% - I always try to buy only fresh local produce organically produced, straight off the farm.
I'm quite lucky in that I now live in a rural area where organic local produce is available and fairly cheap - I can buy my fresh veg for the week for about £5 - of course some of the fruit is imported, but again, the local shops try to stock as much local organic produce as possible.
The climate where I live is classed as sub tropical, so we do get a reasonable amount of local fruit.
A side note is that this also supports the local economy.

I've also got another thread about food, produce, healthy eating etc here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

These detox programmes are, to me, a waste of money - let your body do what it does best - an awful lot of studies have shown that the amount of toxins in your body are not reduced at a greater rate by using expensive detox diets - and some can even be harmful.

A well balanced, healthy, "colourful" diet will be just as effective - just don't forget to wash your produce