How To Detox

Detox diets are a dietary regimen used in an attempt to remove toxic substances and other contaminants from the bloodstream. Many claim that detox diets will improve energy, mental health, our immune system, digestion and overall health, including aiding with weight loss. There are still many questions as to whether detox diets are good for the human body with doctors on both sides of the fence in the argument.

There are many methods of dietary modification for the purpose of detoxification. Fasting is a frequently prescribed detox diet for individuals with conditions influenced by environmental factors such as cancer. Fasting is one of the oldest therapies in medicine with many great doctors of ancient times and old healing systems recommending the process as a vital part in healing and disease prevention. Nearly every religion in the world, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam, use methods of fasting for spiritual, physical and mental rejuvenation.

The principle of fasting is simple. The intake of food is temporarily stopped and many systems of the body are given a break from the work involved with digestion. The extra energy and resources are said to give the body a chance to heal and restore itself. This includes the rejuvenation of the body's natural detoxification process through the liver, kidneys and lower gastrointestinal tract.

Since our digestive tract is so easily exposed to environmental threats, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins, it requires the most immune system support to fight off these predators. Food is broken down in the intestines and travels through the blood to the liver, the largest defense mechanism in the body's natural detoxification system. The liver's main duty is to break down and remove the toxic substances that are produced by digestion, drug/alcohol intake and the air that we breathe. Fasting enables the liver and immune system to be freed from the burden placed on them by the digestive process and concentrate on detox and healing.

With today's modern lifestyle and many Americans subjected to fatty diets, overeating and the constant exposure to processed foods, sugars, additives and chemicals, many alternative weight loss practitioners consider detox diets, including fasting, as the most effective means of toxin removal. It has been said by many experts that the average individual could potentially be carrying five to ten excess pounds of toxins alone.

Some partake in water fasting as part of their detox diets. Water consumption curbs the appetite with very little to no energy spent on the digestive process. While this is sometimes considered a bit extreme, with no vitamin, protein or carbohydrate consumption, there are success stories. In his book 'Triumph Over Disease', Jack Goldstein outlined his true story of overcoming ulcerative colitis by rotating water fasting with a very strict vegetarian diet.

Juice fasting is another type of fasting within detox diets. With this method the individual will only consume fruit and vegetable juices. These vitamin filled carbohydrates require only a small amount of digestive work. People choose to undergo juice fasts for various reasons and via various methods. Juice fasts are often marketed together with supplies, supplements and support groups. Diabetics need to be especially careful with the sugar content in fruit juices. Medical experts agree that while there are certainly health benefits to juice fasting it may be somewhat overrated in terms of weight loss. Any shock to the system is going to initially result in weight loss but the weight eventually comes back as the body adjusts.

Detox diets may also include 'cleansing boosters', including herbal laxatives, colonics, probiotics and antioxidants. Relaxation techniques such as massage therapy, yoga or deep breathing exercises, sauna, aromatherapy baths and walking are also instrumental in rounding out the cleanse.

Detox Juice |