If you’ve ever considered going on a detox, then perhaps it is time to reconsider your options. The promises and benefits of a detox may seem appealing to you, but have you ever considered that the benefits may not be entirely truthful? Today, we will be going through some of the claims that companies post about their “detox” program and break down the claims through scientific research.
For one, detox has no fix definition according to the medical dictionary and is merely an unregulated term which marketing companies freely use. These companies claim that detoxing will basically remove toxins or certain food types from your body, accumulated through a bad diet, external lifestyle and even aid in weight loss. All of these claims have no form of scientific backing and assume one point: that our bodies are not capable of removing toxins on its own. However, according to dietitians and research journals, the body is naturally designed to remove waste materials, old hormones and even toxic products that cannot be absorbed by it. The ‘detoxing’ that companies claim to have on your body is, in fact, unnecessary and really just a marketing tactic that they adopt in order to appeal to the public.
The reason why our body doesn’t need a detox is because it has its own detox system in place, developed through years and years of evolution to what it is today. Our liver, the main support of our body, filters toxic substances in our food that passes through our bloodstream while our kidneys filter through our blood to remove toxic waste through our urine. Finally, our colon has colonies of bacteria that work to regulate the waste and food that we take in. Food that isn’t digestible or contains contents that our body can’t utilise is in turn flushed out through our bowels. All these natural processes work layer after layer to ensure that our body is functioning at its highest capacity and should you feel lethargic or uncomfortable, then detox is not the direction you should head for. Instead, you should be seeing a doctor as one of the bodily functions may not be performing their duty well.
What does work, however, is a change in diet, as opposed to a “detox” drink. Many people suffer from a dysfunctional lifestyle where they consume unhealthy amounts of alcohol, cigarettes and even drugs. Detox programs won’t remove these toxins any better than your body already can, but a clean diet and exercise probably will. Medical practitioners and nutritionist stand by a long-term and sustainable approach whereby people should limit the amount of fried and processed food, instead of going for clean and healthy fresh food. Exercise does play a part in ensuring your hormones and body functions at optimal capacity too. The bottom line to remember is that anything that involves limiting your food options to that of a specific genre like fruits or pills will not result in any sustainable benefits in the long term. If there’s anything that you should take away from this article, is that a balanced diet and exercise will go a long way compared to a detox program.