A detox diet is a dietary
regimen to clean the body, by
removing toxins and other contaminants. We hear stories of
former addicts and celebrities who vouch for the effectiveness
of this diet. It is claimed to improve health, energy,
resistance to disease, mental state, digestion, as well as
aiding in weight loss. However, scientific research has found
that detox diet can cause side effects to the body, especially
in young adults.
The argument surrounding the detox diet is that the toxins do
not get removed completely by excretion. They tend to remain in
the digestive, lymphatic, and gastrointestinal systems of the
body. These toxins are noxious chemicals which can prove to be
very harmful for your health, causing tiredness, headaches and
nausea. So, the claims made by people and celebrities about the
effectiveness of this detox diet remain cloudy. These supporters
suggest that one should stop taking certain foods which bring
the harmful toxins to the body, thus cleaning the body of
toxins.
The detox diet mainly stresses to follow some kind of fasting,
in which you have to stop taking certain foods for some time.
After a few days you can reintroduce them in your diet. To
cleanse the toxins, this detox diet encourages the use enemas
and herbal supplements.
In a detox diet, the person is put on liquid diets for a few
days. After about a week he is given a diet of fruits, brown
rice and boiled vegetables. Other foods are also introduced
gradually, but some foods like eggs, red meat, sugar and other
junk foods have to be avoided.
People supporting this detox diet say that it helps to detoxify
all the harmful toxins from the body. But there is still no
evidence that supports this claim and moreover, there is also
no proof that shows that the elimination of toxins from the
body can keep you healthy and strong.
A detox diet should not be followed for the long term but only
for a short period for beginners. Teenagers and young adults
should not go for it because these people need a lot of
proteins and carbohydrates for proper growth. By fasting and
going on this diet may affect their health adversely.
Another disturbing factor about a detox diet is that it can be
addictive. Those going for it may suffer from eating disorders,
as they tend to keep away from food. Also, laxatives are
frequently used in these diet plans which can cause frequent
passing of urine, dehydration, mineral imbalances in the body,
and other digestive disorders. Metabolic processes also slow
down when you fast, leading to weight issues.
Although the detox diet does have certain advantages, avoiding
foods which are essential for growth and for your health is not
a very wise decision.
