Down With Detox Diets
Google trends show a spike in searches for “detox cleanse” and “detox diet” every January for the past few years. Examples of popular interest are Dr. Oz’s Ten Day Detox Diet Jump Start Guide, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Cleanse, and Beyonce’s Master Cleanse. Companies such as Herbalife and Flat Tummy Tea market detoxifying products like smoothies, supplements, powders, and teas. They flaunt images of thin girls with sun-kissed skin and carefree smiles, poised with green smoothies on a beach.
A detox diet supposedly gets rid of toxins from the body, helping you to cleanse your system and to lose weight in the process, according to the School of Public Health of University of California, Berkeley. The British Dietetic Association includes more claims from proponents such as boosting your energy levels and immune system, as well as giving new life to your skin, hair, and nails, even getting rid of cellulite!
Convinced to give it a go? Detox diets differ from one to another, but most advocate for at least a short-term fast paired with lots of raw vegetables, fruits, and water. Dairy, wheat, processed foods, alcohol, and caffeine are usually outlawed. Does this concoction really work, or is it time to leave it in the past?
To understand this, it’s important to understand how the human body works. Your body already has several ways of removing harmful substances: your liver, skin, intestines, kidneys, and lungs. For example, the body recognizes alcohol as a toxin. Without your liver, you would not be able to breakdown the alcohol. Without your kidneys, there would be no way for alcohol to leave your body. These major organs allow you to have a few drinks without being rushed to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.
What about less “obvious” toxins like pesticides or heavy metals? Don’t they hurt your body too? If you actually reached levels of insecticide toxicity, you would experience heart problems, tearing of your eye tissue, coughing, and breathing difficulties according to doctors Gerald F. O’Malley and Rika O’Malley on Merck Manuals. This requires real medication like atropine as treatment, not drinking fresh juices or avoiding pizza.
Scientist Yvette D’Entremont of Scibabe.com, a website with a focus on science-based information, brings another angle to the discussion. Despite detox diet creators maintaining that their methods expel toxins and encouraging or selling organic products, many people are unaware that organic produce still contains pesticides. Yes, these are different pesticides from “natural” sources, but no, it does not mean they cannot be just as harmful as “regular” pesticides. Christie Wilcox’s Scientific American article “Mythbusting 101: Organic Farming > Conventional Agriculture” goes into much more detail on the subject.
Dietitians of Canada adds that detox dieting often or for extended periods of time can cause dangerous side effects. Their list includes changes in electrolyte levels, dehydration, low blood sugar, low or high blood pressure, medication interactions, and vitamins/mineral deficiencies.
So is there any truth to a detox diet? Those who follow one may feel good because they’re cutting out some junk foods and eating less. However, it is a restrictive diet to maintain, is misleading, can be unnecessarily expensive if you buy useless products, and may actually hurt your body.
You don’t need detoxifying diets or special detox drinks- there’s no evidence to back up this trend. Instead of trying to do things your body is already taking care of, here are some other ways to help yourself feel good if you’re feeling the “almost February” blues:
Get enough sleep. When you’re sleep deprived, everything feels terrible and you feel like you’ve aged ten years overnight.
Get some fresh air. Move a bit. Change up your surroundings! I live in BC, a province with great trails and parks to explore.
Get social- spend time with people who encourage and uplift you! Friends and family are there to support you when you need it most.
Get hydrated and go for more fruits and vegetables! Sound like a detox diet? Just don’t cut out whole food groups- keep grains, lean protein, dairy, and beans/legumes in your life.
In summary: Your body can get rid of bad toxins just fine by itself- instead, focus on helping your body by living a healthy lifestyle and avoiding extreme diets that don't last.
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