When you read information about cleanses and detoxes you might think they are the solution to many health and nutrition issues. Detoxes and cleanses promise to remove “toxins” from your body and help people lose weight. There are toxins in our environment, but do cleanses and detoxes really rid your body of these substances? Do they help people lose weight? Do they really do what they claim? Let’s take a look at some basic information on detoxes and cleanses.
Ways to Detox
Right now, there is no one cleanse or detox on the market. There are many ways one can detox or cleanse:
- Fasting
- Juicing only
- Only eating certain foods and avoiding others
- Using certain dietary supplements
- Using laxatives, enemas or colonics
- Some detox/cleanses may use more than one of the above or other methods.
Do Your Homework!
Some cleanses and detoxes can be harmful depending on:
- The ingredients in the product used — detoxes and cleanses are not typically tested for safety and effectiveness.
- Diseases/health issues one may have — if you have certain diseases or other health issues a cleanse or detox may be dangerous. For example, if someone with diabetes, who is taking medications that lower blood sugar decides to start to fast, they may wind up with a dangerously low blood sugar.
- Interactions with certain medications — prescription or over the counter. The ingredients in a cleanse or detox may interact with any medications you take. Check with your doctor or pharmacist and read all labels carefully to avoid any dangerous reactions.
- Interactions with other dietary supplements — (vitamins/minerals) you may be taking. People may not realize that certain vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements can react badly with one another. Once again, be an educated consumer and read labels on everything you take to avoid any dangerous interactions.
Do your homework! Just because something seems healthy and “all natural” does not mean it is harmless or effective. Don’t just try something because your friend or family member used it or you saw it on TV. The internet is a great place to find information on just about anything, but unfortunately it is hard to tell what information is from a reliable, objective source or just a slick advertisement masquerading as a nutrition and/or science article. Research the product and make sure you are reading articles that are NOT written by people or companies who sell the product you are trying to learn more about. Look for articles written by major medical centers, universities and the government (National Institutes of Health) for non-biased information.
Keep Toxins Out
Currently, there is little or no credible evidence to support the safety and effectiveness of detoxes and cleanses. The good news is your body has built in systems to get rid of toxins: your liver, kidneys and lungs all help rid your body of toxins and keep you healthy. The best thing you can do to keep toxins away:
- Stay well hydrated by drinking 64 or more ounces of water daily to flush your body
- Eat healthfully — choose whole, fresh, less processed foods whenever possible
- Cook foods healthfully — limit fatty, greasy or fried foods
- Stay physically active
- Do not smoke — if you do, quit!
- Do not abuse alcoholic beverages
Good news for weight loss surgery patients — doing the above will also help with weight loss and weight maintenance. Before you do anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist to check the ingredients to make sure that they are not harmful and do not interfere with other medications, vitamin/mineral supplements or other health issues you may have.
Sources:
Are We Contaminated With Chemical Toxins?, Science Based Medicine, by Scott Gavura, 2/22/18
Detoxes and Cleanses, NIH, Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 9/24/17
The Dubious Practice of Detox, Harvard Health Publishing, 5,2008.
Diet and Detoxification, Today’s Dietitian, Julie Schaeffer, 3/2014
Dietitian’s Corner by Lori Skurbe
Dietitian’s Corner is a monthly column for post-op and pre-op patients of bariatric surgery in NJ written by Prime Surgicare’s Lori Skurbe. Lori has been a dietitian for over 20 years with an extensive background in weight management, bariatric nutrition and diabetes education.