There are many detox drinks, supplements and diets on the market. All vary in their duration and price. What are they all about? And are they good for us?
The point of a detoxification is to rid your body of toxins that can build up over time. Most of this build up is caused by processed foods and trans fats. Detox diets claim to help your digestive system function better and boost the immune system.
There are many downsides to detoxing. For one, we have an organ specifically designed to detoxify our system, every single second of the day. It's called our liver and it does a fine job. Also, detox diets significantly restrict foods that are believed to contain toxins. These foods include things like sugar, meats, dairy, caffeine, alcohol and some grains. Yes, we could easily drop a few items off this list, but there are some items that contain essential nutrients our bodies need. Detox diets carried on for an extended period of time can cause nutritional deficiencies. Also, severely restricting what we can and cannot eat can lead to highly decreased calorie intake. This can set our body into starvation mode, leading to a decline in our metabolism, something we generally do not want.
The benefit of a detox diet is that it typically points people in the direction of eating foods that are beneficial to our health, weight loss and vitality. Though it should not be used as a method of weight loss, most people will likely notice a drop in weight immediately following a detox.
If you are considering trying to detox your body, try using a natural method rather than paying for drinks or supplements. For 14 days, try the following:
Eat only organic foods. No processed foods (nothing from a box).
Exercise daily.
Drink lots of water. Minimum of three litres per day.
Eat foods high in fibre to support your body to naturally detoxify itself.
Eliminate all stimulates - alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes.
Following these simple steps will help your body rid itself of any unwanted toxins without having to add supplements to your diet. And without killing your budget! Plus all of the items you are eliminating from your diet are things that will make you feel and look better, and aid in your weight loss. Give it a try.
Say it! Mean it! Do it!
