Posted on January 06, 2015 by Jenny Cromack

So this is the year your going to get healthy and you’ve read that detoxing will help you start to feel less sluggish and lose weight after Christmas! But will it? Will detoxing help you lose weight? Without mention names, you won’t see a shortage of people pushing this crap left right and centre, it is plastered all over shops, media and personal trainers. The marketing is brilliant, actually I love the wording….detox, cleanse, purify, wow I’m sold! All you have to do is spend £x amount on this miracle shake and pow all those pesky toxins will be removed, better yet why not lose 10lbs in one week as well! To be honest, in case you can’t, tell the I think whole Detox thing is a scam, a big joke and it will serve you as much good as just fasting for a week! Here are some facts and points to help guide you through the detoxification minefield that has been created.

 

What does Detox mean?

Well its actually a medical term used to describe the removal of dangerous drugs, alcohol or poisons such as heavy metals. This is a medical procedure that occurs in hospitals not something that can be bought off the shelf in your local pharmacy or health food shop. So, what toxins are these companies going to help you remove after you’ve over indulged in carbohydrates, proteins and fats…. by the way these aren’t toxins, Christmas is a ritual of over indulgence which society has created!

I believe there is a reason so many people get tricked into these detox programs, diets etc especially after Christmas. It’s simple most people over indulge feel sluggish, overweight and tired so look for a quick solution. The marketing is clever because these are all the classic symptoms of “toxification”. What’s interesting is nobody in any of these companies so far has identified the actual toxin that causes harm in the bod. Which is strange as they seem to know that we breath them in and they are in our food but they don’t know what the actual toxin is that is causing us harm.

Some companies claim that the colon is the battleground for fighting toxins, and that without regular detoxification things like mucoid plaque will build up! Now, this is amazing because mucoid plaque is a myth and is as apparent in the body as kryptonite.

Another apparent reason to detox is that toxins apparently build up in the body, this is another reason you need to detox regularly even if you have eaten a balanced healthy diet over the Christmas period. Obviously, the companies don’t want to bother you with how the toxins cause harm in the body, you just need to know that they do….. who needs to bother with epidemiology linking the supposed toxins to diseases isn’t important.

While it is true that we are being exposed to both natural and synthetic compounds all the time in day to day life. We have evolved to clear most of these pretty well without magic shakes and foul tasting powders. We have skin, kidneys, a lymphatic system, the gastrointestinal system and the big gun ‘the liver’. Together they make a great detoxification system!

The liver and kidneys aren’t filters either, they don’t need to be cleared out with shakes or smoothies. Just to clarify the liver constantly performs several chemical reactions to convert harmful substances into ones that can be removed in bile. The kidneys remove waste products in urea, if you want to see how efficient they are, ingest a multivitamin tablet or shake and watch the colour of your urine change almost immediately!

Ultimately there is no credible scientific research supporting detox treatments, other than those used in hospitals to treat drugs etc. If you’re feeling like you have over indulged this Christmas, a shake, detox or juice diet plan won’t do anything for you. What will help is a balanced diet full of fresh vegetables, some protein sources, a good mix of healthy fats and some complex carbohydrates. Combined with frequent exercise completed at the correct intensity and with purpose.

In conclusion keep it simple train hard and eat a balanced diet, and…..maybe don’t eat and drink so much next Christmas!