Detox diets are supported by traditional medicine systems -- such as traditional Chinese medicine, or naturopathic medicine -- as a means to eliminate toxins and therefore allow the body to heal. A min-detox diet could last from a few hours to a few days and would typically involve fruits, vegetables, water and fresh-pressed juices. Despite a long tradition of use, there is no conclusive clinical evidence that detox diets are beneficial and they may lead to symptoms such as fatigue or nausea. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children, the elderly and people who are emaciated or anemic should not attempt a detoxing diet. Talk to your doctor before beginning a detox diet.
Detoxing
Detoxing is the process of removing some harmful substances, toxins -- such as chemicals left from alcohol or cigarettes or wastes from partially digested foods -- from your body. There are many ways to detox, including teas, enemas, saunas and special diets. Any detoxification process may result in detox symptoms, including sore throat, runny nose, headaches, weakness and fatigue. The severity of the symptoms may be related to the amount and types of toxins in your body as well as how quickly they are eliminated. Talk to your doctor before attempting a detox diet to be sure your plan is safe for you.
Planning
A mini-detox diet can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The length should be set according to the goals of the detox. However, it is wise to monitor symptoms and end or modify the diet if they become too severe, says the book "Diet and Nutrition" by Rudolph Ballentine.
Overnight Detox
According to "Diet and Nutrition," a daily mini-detox may keep your body in good working condition because it allows your digestive system to rest. The book recommends eating an early dinner and then having nothing but fresh vegetable juice for at least 14 hours -- until breakfast the next day. This way, the digestive tract will have several hours during which it will not be digesting recently eaten foods and may work on eliminating built up wastes in the body.
Detoxifying Foods
A slightly longer detox diet could last for 24 hours or several days and would consist of drinking plenty of water and eating detoxifying foods. These are foods that don't leave toxins in the body and may actually help eliminate certain toxins. According to "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies," sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts, may help detoxify the body because they bind to carcinogens in the colon and take them out through elimination. Other detoxifying foods may include green herbs, such as cilantro; fresh fruits, such as citrus or melon; and watery vegetables, such as zucchini or lettuce. However, despite traditions of using these foods to detoxify, there is no conclusive clinical evidence that such a detox diet will remove toxins from the body.
Considerations
Reactions to a detoxing diet may vary widely and could be dangerous, so consult your doctor about your individual situation. Traditions of holistic medicine, such as Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine and herbalism support the practice of detoxing both seasonally and to treat specific ailments. However, according to Mayoclinic.com, the liver and kidneys may detox the body naturally without a special detox diet.
References
- "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies"; Norman Shealy MD, Ph.D.; 1998
- "Diet and Nutrition"; Rudolph Ballentine, MD; 1978
- Do detox diets offer any health benefits?
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