You Don't Need to Detox
We all know someone who has done a juice cleanse, or totes the power of the detox tea they've been using. Cleanses and detoxes are a hot commodity, and one of the biggest trends in the wellness industry.
It all sounds great, natural, and pure. It's also total bullshit.
Everyone loves a magic pill or a quick fix, and the companies selling detoxes and cleanses have exploited that for marketing purposes. But there is no quick fix to health and wellness. The truth is detoxes are completely unnecessary-- and potentially harmful.
Let's dig in to why detoxes and cleanses are overrated, and what to do instead.
What is a Detox?
Here's how the logic goes:
Because of the world we live in and the diet we eat, we have all been exposed pollutants, chemicals, pesticides, additives, and processed foods that have built up in the body. These are called "toxins." Toxins accumulate in the body and contribute to disease and illness, and only by ridding the body of these toxins can we be healthy. A detox or cleanse is a process of removing certain foods from your diet, or only eating or drinking certain things, in order to remove those toxins.
The Master Cleanse is one of the most popular examples, where you only drink a type of "lemonade," a salt water drink, and an herbal laxative tea for at least 10 days. Fit Tea is another popular example, marketing itself as a "detox tea" that will help you rid your body of chemicals and lose weight.
Why Is It Bullshit?
Here's what's true: We absolutely do live in a world and eat a diet that is full of chemicals and ingredients that are not good for us. That is obvious. We would all do well to be more mindful of how we eat and what we put into our bodies in order to be healthier. But you absolutely do not need to do a detox or cleanse in order to fix that problem.
1. "Toxins" is fear-mongering.
"Toxins" is a buzzword that creates a panic that isn't justified. Literally anything can be toxic to the body in a high enough dosage, including water. Generally, the very small levels of chemicals found in our food are not toxic to the body. Apples and broccoli contain arsenic, which is something that can kill you, but no one is saying you shouldn't eat broccoli.
There is a fear surrounding big words we can't pronounce that we find on the nutrition label on our food, but there shouldn't be. For example, "lactobacillus acidophilus" is a probiotic that is good for digestion, "oligosaccharide" is a fiber found naturally in asparagus and artichokes, and "gluconic acid" is an organic acid that is found naturally in fruit, honey, and wine. There is no need to be afraid of chemicals just because they look scary. In reality, the most harmful ingredients you should be looking to avoid in your food are high fructose corn syrup (also labeled as HFCS, corn syrup, glucose syrup, and glucose-fructose syrup), partially hydrogenated oil (another name for trans fat), aspartame (often found in low-cal and "light" foods), sodium, and sugar.
This isn't to say there isn't a major problem in our food industry. There is. The sugar, sodium, antibiotics, and other additives found in our food is harmful over time, and we should all make an effort to be more conscious of what we put in our body. Not to mention the pollutants found in the air we breathe. But there is no science that backs up the claim that doing a detox or cleanse will rid the body of these toxins any faster or more efficiently than your body does already.
2. The body already has a way of ridding itself of toxins.
You have a liver and kidneys, which do a great job of cleansing the body on a daily basis. Your liver filters toxins and bacteria through a process called phagocytosis, where toxins are engulfed, digested, and excreted. The kidneys get rid of toxins by transported them from the blood to your urine. The body is highly efficient at cleansing itself, and all of this is backed up scientifically.
In a 2009 study, 15 leading detox and cleanse companies were asked about their products. Not only could they not show any science to back up their claims, they couldn't even explain what a toxins are, or what toxins their products were targeting. Most importantly, they had no data to show the safety or effectiveness of their product. The good news is, plenty of science backs up the effectiveness of your own liver and kidneys in cleansing the body. And your own organs are as "natural" as you're going to get.
3. Detoxes and cleanses are too extreme to be healthy.
Most detoxes and cleanses involve severely restricting your calorie intake, limiting nutrients and vitamins your body needs, and basically making yourself poop the weight off. Most detox teas are literally just laxatives. Is it possible to lose weight when doing a detox or cleanse? Sure. But most of the weight lost is water weight, and the weight will likely come right back once you're done. Not to mention, you'll be miserable the entire time.
An unsustainable diet is a useless diet. While most detoxes and cleanses are meant to be a short term solution rather than a long term diet plan, they rely on extremism, restriction, and unsustainability. You should be ridding your life of those things, rather than relying on them to lose weight. It simply doesn't work, isn't necessary, and it's the best way to reach your health goals. It can be harmful both mentally and physically to swing from extremes instead of getting healthy slowly and steadily.
What to do Instead?
The keys to weight loss and general health are simple:
A non-restrictive diet that includes healthy carbs, fat, and protein
A calorie range that is appropriate for you body (the average is 2,000 a day, or around 1400-1600 in order to be in calorie deficit for weight loss)
30 minutes of exercise a day
8 glasses of water a day
8 hours of sleep a night
Minimal alcohol and tobacco
As we said earlier, everyone wants a magic pill or weight loss secret, but there isn't one. A healthy diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lots of water is the best way to see results (alongside of a regular exercise routine). It's not secret, or new, or sexy, but it works and is better for your body long term.
Conclusion
Detoxes and cleanses are wellness industry marketing tactics, nothing more. There is no reason the average person needs to do a detox or cleanse. They simply don't work, as the body rids itself of toxins already. Creating a sustainable lifestyle change regarding exercise and nutrition is the healthiest way to go.
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Fire + Voice coaches people on-the-go on how to overcome busy days, yo-yo diets, and unsustainable fitness fads in order to stay fit from anywhere in the world-- and live a life of freedom rather than restrictions-- through online personal training, yoga, life coaching, and global retreats. We show our clients how to be fit and free. Most importantly, we give each client the tools they need to reclaim their body and life.