Debunking Detox Diet Myths
Countless “Detox Diets” have flooded blogs and websites, thanks to their quick fix approaches to weight loss and purported life-changing results. Hollywood icons have used such means to lose weight for movie roles, prompting us impressionable folk to follow suit, just so we can look good in time for an event, or fit in to a killer dress.
Although the word is defined as “removing toxic substances or qualities,” “detox” in the Detox Diet context is seen more as weight loss than transforming from unhealthy to healthy. Before you even consider embarking on the next detox fad, consider these Detox Diet myths:
Fallacy #1: Detox Diets are proven to be healthy and safe.
While there have been hundreds, if not thousands of testimonies claiming that their cleansing diet worked wonders for them, there still are no scientific research studies that prove that such detoxifying approaches are effective or even necessary. Our bodies do a good enough job cleansing our system by means of our liver, and kidney. Shocking them with quick fix diets may render an imbalance that may do more harm than good, like dropping electrolyte and fluid levels, which can be very dangerous.
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Fallacy #2: Detox Diets make you lose weight.
When a colleague of mine went on the Master Cleanse Diet, she dramatically lost inches in a matter of days. But experts say the initial loss is of water, not of fat. Because you deprive your body of carbohydrates in a detox diet, your body shifts into a “survival” state, burning fat as slowly as it can in order to save energy. That’s why when one is done with the diet and goes back to a regular diet, it’s easier to pack on more pounds because the body is still metabolizing slowly. Months later I bumped into said colleague, and she had gained back all the weight she lost, and put on a bit more.
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Fallacy #3: Detoxing Diets cleans your system.
We normally go on detox after we’ve overloaded on alcohol or bad food (why do you think New Year’s Day is the most popular time to embark on cleansing diet?). But what actually happens is when we stop ingesting the “bad stuff,” our bodies—particularly the liver and kidneys—flush out the junk on their own, regardless of any other special cleansing ritual performed with it.
Companies claim that taking their specially concocted herbal teas or pills help irrigate the colon, ridding this particular organ of longstanding toxins. These laxatives may flush out more than they need to, causing severe dehydration, and in some cases irritated bowel syndrome, colon infection, or a stretched colon.
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Fallacy #4: Detoxing Diets jumpstart your weight loss program.
When you want an instant solution to weight-loss (and Detox Diets are), chances are you’ll fall off the wagon and go back to zero. For a weight-loss program to be 100% effective, you have to work harder than just swigging fruit juice or popping herbal bills. Instead of fasting, you’ll need to make wise food choices. Instead of waiting for the pounds to shed, you’ll have to make them drop yourself by getting active.
We may be in an age of instant noodles and instant messaging, but there’s no such thing as instant weight loss. Approach it the healthy way: detoxify your diet of junk found in high sugar, fried food, and processed goods. Detoxify your lifestyle by quitting smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or overworking. That’s what clean living is all about.
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