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To go on a detoxifying, colon-cleansing diet, or not to go on a detoxifying, colon-cleansing diet ... that is the question.
With apologies to Shakespeare, I am letting that question stew in my mind as I hear from friends and relatives about their successes with such cleanses.
I like to weigh pros and cons, and to start, here are a few pros I have come up with:
- The potential to feel less bloated and constipated, even if only temporarily.
- The idea of releasing toxins from my body, if that’s what really happens.
- The thought of losing a pound or two and possibly increasing my energy level.
- The adventure of selecting a colon-cleansing product from my neighborhood natural foods store, which has a ton to choose from.
- Knowing that some of these detoxifying diets involve juice, and I like juice.
- Realizing that I could make my own detox cocktail from ingredients such as lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup.
Before I employ my usual “What can it hurt to try it?” philosophy, however, here are a few cons:
- Detoxification diets are not scientifically proven to have any health benefits, say the Mayo Clinic and other medical websites.
- Colon cleansing can rob the body of needed nutrients, such as iron and potassium, and cause fatigue, irritability and dehydration if a lot of fasting is involved.
- The weight loss might actually occur with lean body mass, not fat.
- It's probable that naturally occurring digestive processes are engaged in the “cleansing” task just fine, without need for an over-the-counter product or herbal supplements.
A recent article on dietary cleanses in the Los Angeles Times spoke to that point in an interview with Dr. Adrienne Youdim, medical director of the Weight Loss Center at LA’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
“The body actually has a very intricate way of detoxing on its own,” Youdim said, adding that various organs rid the body of harmful bacteria, chemicals and viruses.
Further complicating my detox-or-not decision was Youdim’s statement:
"The weight loss is often not the kind of weight that you want to lose.
Add a Comment3 Comments
Colon cleansing can rob the body of needed nutrients, such as iron and potassium, and cause fatigue, irritability and dehydration if a lot of fasting is involved.Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Scam
April 17, 2013 - 4:11amThis Comment
Deborah, instead of doing a complete detox for multiple days you can incorporate juicing into your everyday diet....just make the caloric adjustments to your diet to compensate for the juice calories, albeit minimal. Best of luck!
August 22, 2012 - 8:20amFrank
http://www.iblogjuicing.com
I like the Women to Women detox diet because it also is an elimination diet to uncover hidden food sensitivities. Already, think I have found that I am gluten intolerant! http://www.womentowomen.com/detoxification/detoxdiet.aspx
August 14, 2012 - 6:17am