Health Myth: Detoxification Diets and Colon Cleanses are Healthy
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It’s great you want to lose some extra pounds. Isn’t everyone looking for that quick and easy way to do it? Detox diets and colon cleansing often are used to jump-start a weight loss plan. The truth is that any weight lost generally is water weight, and not permanent fat loss. There are no short cuts when trying to lose weight, and trying to do so can be risky for your health and end up causing more problems than you bargained for.
According to the Sparkpeople.com article online, “Detox Diets: Helpful or Full of Hype?”, Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian, said your body is designed to detox itself on its own. These types of diets and cleanses can disrupt your body’s normal processes and cause you to have diarrhea, stomach upset, or feel excessively tired.
Your liver and kidneys are the purification centers of your body, filtering out toxins and pushing them out in waste products like urine and fecal matter. Did you know that you can exhale and sweat out toxins? Your body is designed to cleanse and protect itself.
The best way to lose weight remains adopting a healthy lifestyle including frequent exercise and healthy, nutritionally-sound eating.
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Resource:
Sparkpeople.com: Detox Diets: Helpful or Full of Hype?
EmpowHER: Detox Diets: Are They Beneficial?
Christine Jeffries is a writer/editor for work and at heart, and lives in a home of testosterone with her husband and two sons. Christine is interested in women’s health and promoting strong women.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
Add a Comment4 Comments
This article is full of gross generalizations and half truths. Yes, the liver is where most detoxification takes place but if it doesn't have the nutrients necessary for conjugation of toxins in Phase 2 of detoxification then detoxification will be compromised and excess toxins will be shuttle to the fat cells to be stored.
March 24, 2011 - 7:45pmSupporting the liver, cleansing the gut and enhancing the immune function with detoxification is an incredible opportunity to enhance your health.
Dr. Joseph Esposito
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This Comment
I agree that detoxing is not the way for losing weight especially if you have health challenges.
Our bodies are designed to detox on it's own but when the body is challenge with the toxins in todays world it needs.gentle support.
Do you know that we are exposed to more toxins in one day than our grandparents were exposed in their lifetime! We wonder why our health is in such a state.
With my clients education is key. Supporting, nourishing and sometimes detoxing is how to achieve optimal wellness.
My way of detoxing does not rob the body of vital nutrients or create more challenges.
There is a right way to do everything and fad cleansing and detoxing is definitely not the right way.
In Health
March 26, 2011 - 6:35amChalyce
Detox diets are popular nowadays, most are claiming that they are for weight loss. While detox diets can really help you lose weight, it's not mainly for that. Detox diets can help remove toxins and poisons from the body which can be achieved in a number of ways.
April 14, 2011 - 7:51amNow a days every weight loss medicine contains Detox in high quantity, so it's our responsibility to be careful always. Well glad to know all this stuff.
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January 4, 2012 - 12:50am