By Jamie Yu

When people think of detoxing they think of eating no solid food or drinking boiled cabbage water all day, which to some can mean torture rather than cleanse.

One particular individual was documented to have ate no solid food for 10 days and drank a mix of lemon juice, water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, also a quart of salt water and then a laxative tea. Hence to say she suffered with acne, irritability and headaches. Her goal was to lose some body-fat and cleanse her body of free-radicals.

In this instance, she took the word ‘cleanse’ a little to far as this ultimately ended up doing the reverse of what she originally wanted.

These extreme ways to shed body-fat and detoxify the body have become more common place as of late, particularly with the younger generation due to stories coming to light that some famous celebrities have tried these extremes with great success.

Using laxatives is also another known supplement in the extreme detox process. The use of laxatives in extreme detox diets raises red flags amongst dietitians, as laxative abuse is commonly associated with eating disorders. The belief that laxatives are useful for weight control is a myth, the National Eating Disorders Association notes. In fact, laxative abuse can cause severe dehydration and heart or colon damage, the association says.

As you can see, the risk of intestinal and cardiac issues arising from malnutrition and using external aids to purge far outweigh the benefits an ‘extreme’ detox can bring.

That’s not to say that detoxing is a bad idea all together.

In modern day societies such as our own, we are exposed to many toxins that come from the foods we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. These toxins will build up over time and produce problems such as fatigue, anxiety, and other illnesses. Our bodies are resilient enough to actually produce a natural detoxification processes through our respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, dermal and lymphatic systems but sometimes this is not enough to rid the overall toxic build-up.

You can actually help maximize the body’s natural detoxification process by simply doing the following:

• Eliminate all stimulants. including caffeine.
• Eat more raw fruit and vegetables.
• Cut back on red meat, dairy, fat, sugar, salt and processed food consumption.
• Take in extra Vitamin C.
• Add herbs like Garlic, Cayenne and Red Pepper to your foods.
• Eat foods higher in fiber.
• Drink plenty of water and only water.

You can expect more energy, clearer skin, regular bowel movements, increased concentration, and mental clarity.

Note: With any massive changes to a diet, particularly if you are suffer from any medical conditions, always consult your physician first.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 16th, 2008 at 4:34 pm and is filed under Health, Nutrition.