Gourmet Without Guilt

Television is full advertisements for products that promise to cleanse your system.  There are lots of places that a person can go to and spend a lot of money to accomplish this feat also.  Research on the ineffectiveness of these plans is still throwing doubt on them.
Like other fad diets, detox diets promise quick weight losses that are ultimately unsustainable, and many other benefits that can occur naturally because they are based on junk science rather than a true understanding of how the body works, but worst of all, extreme diets like the Master Cleanse can cause serious side effects to people who are in vulnerable groups.  They give a person a feeling that they have been protective of their health.  A cleansing system is a short term program and people will return to what they did before they started the program.  The bad habits are the reasons that a person sought out a detox plan to follow.
Detox proponents say the body is under constant assault from toxins such as smog, pesticides, artificial sweeteners, sugar, and alcohol and without a periodic cleansing trough a detox diet, these poisons accumulate in the body and cause headaches, fatigue, and a variety of chronic diseases.
The science behind the detox theory is flawed.  The body already has multiple systems in place for eliminating toxins from the body.  It occurs soon after a person eats anything.  Research has been unable to prove that following one of these detox programs will help a person get rid of any more toxins.
Most detox regimens urge dieters to strip down their diets to the basics of water and raw fruits or vegetables.  The use of supplements is another popular way for people to cleanse their systems.
There’s a grain of wisdom in detox diets since it is true that the average person doesn’t drink enough water or consume enough fruits and vegetables, but the problem is most detox diets are so restrictive that they’re ineffective for long-term use, and the weight loss that occurs is usually temporary unlike a plan that will help a person lose fat naturally.
For people who follow these programs there have been some good things reported.  None can be traced to the idea of detoxification.  Clearer skin can result from improved hydration, and less bloating could be a result of eating less food.
During a cleansing system a person might find that they have more energy than before.  This is actually a reaction to starvation.  Our body is actually going into a survival mode that has been developed over thousands of years.
A good part of a cleansing plan is that a person often times must give up habits that are harmful to them in their regular lifestyle.  For most people they should not do anything in excess.  Most of these regimens are anything but moderate.
There are some people who have reported bad side effects due to a cleansing system.  These groups are especially vulnerable to intestinal and even cardiac problems stemming from malnutrition.
Research about how a person uses laxatives to clean the toxins has given some people concern.  Some people begin too think that doing this is a substitute for eating the right food.  The belief that laxatives are useful for weight control is a myth.
Many people think that a cleansing system will perform miracles.  In fact they are just another round on the diet treadmill.  Eating right and exercising is a short process also.  There is no simple way to a healthy body. It would be better for a person to start to replace their bad habits with good habits to help them feel better.  Keep the good habits in your life forever.