DETOX DIET

A 'detox diet' is a dietary regimen involving a change in consumption habits in an attempt to "detoxify" the body by removal of "toxins" or other contaminants. It is claimed to improve health, energy, resistance to disease, mental state, digestion, as well as aiding in weight loss.
"Detox" diets usually suggest that fruits and vegetables compose a majority of one's food intake. Limiting this to unprocessed (and sometimes also non-GM) foods is often advocated. Limiting or eliminating alcohol is also a major factor, and drinking more water (which helps curb appetite) is similarly recommended.

Contents

Detox diets

Criticism

References

External links

Detox diets

Various methods of modifying the diet for the said purpose of "detoxification" include but are not limited to:

★ Fasting, including water fasting and juice fasting.

★ Increased consumption of fish such as salmon

★ Food combining.

★ Calorie restriction.

★ Herbal detox (if one considers herbs food and not a form of drug).

★ Master Cleanse also known as the ''lemonade diet'', terms coined to refer to the fasting paradigm penned by Stanley Burroughs

★ Natural hygiene holds that the true cause of disease is toxemia, or poisoning, in the blood. Natural Hygiene claims that these toxins are a normal product of metabolism or living.
Some proponents of "detox" diets would emphasize it as a lifestyle, rather than a diet. It has made some appearances in the media, such as in Morgan Spurlock's 2004 documentary film ''Super-Size Me''. Literary references include "Ultimate Lifetime Diet" by Gary Null advocating veganism as a (lifestyle) method of "detoxification".

Criticism

The human liver, kidneys, lungs and skin have evolved to adequately expel environmental contaminants and are equipped to continue to do so unassisted. ^[1]
Some fruits and vegetables may contain more natural toxins than animal substances such as meat, fish, and milk.
Dr John Emsley said:^[2]
:"Many of the detox diets and supplements really aren’t that good for you, nor have they been properly tested. These alternative remedies are currently being looked at by chemists on account of the toxic natural chemicals they contain"
The potentially high mercury content in some fish argues against increased fish consumption.
Sudden changes in diet have been linked to fainting and other medical issues.
Detox diets may not be the safest form of weight loss if they are one of the restrictive ones (such as water fasting or the Master Cleanse) that may result in nutrient deficiencies. The lack of protein (due to omitting animal products and legumes) may result in diminishing muscle mass due to insufficient amino acids for repair. With less lean muscle tissue, the body's metabolic needs decrease, which hampers weight loss efforts unless calories are lessened further in the diet.
While many people have provided testimonials to their health improvements in following a "detox" diet lifestyle, some of these people may have started the detox diet after coming off an unhealthy diet high in sugar and processed food that may lack nutrients. Any improvements cited from such people would only prove the effectiveness of a detox diet over an average diet, and not that it is the ideal diet that doesn't carry its own unique health risks.
Some of the changes recommended in a "detox" lifestyle are ones that agree with mainstream medical advice- such as consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Separating the beneficial effects of such changes from the rest of the recommendations made in a "detoxifying" diet is difficult. Determining whether supposed results of a "detox" diet come from "purfiying" the body of "toxins" or simply due to improving one's intake of fruits and vegetables is not possible.

References

#The Master Cleanse, Stanley Burroughs, 1976, ISBN 0-9639262-0-9
# Gary Null, "Ultimate Lifetime Diet"
1. Prof. Alan Boobis said in Sense about science press release, accessed April 04 2007[1]
:"The body’s own detoxification systems are remarkably sophisticated and versatile. They have to be, as the natural environment that we evolved in is hostile. It is remarkable that people are prepared to risk seriously disrupting these systems with unproven ‘detox’ diets, which could well do more harm than good."

2.

External links

★ BBC Health - Do detox diets work?