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Detox: What “They” Don’t Want You To Know

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Detox: What “They” Don’t Want You To Know

New Year, New You, right? Supplements, tea, homeopathy, coffee enemas, ear candles, and footbaths promise you a detoxified body. Amazon has entire detox and cleansing categories in supplements and books. Oz has several detox plans — you just need to decide which one. The local naturopath sells detoxification protocols , including vitamin drips and chelation. Even your pharmacy probably has a wall of products for sale. Actual detoxification is provided in hospitals under life-threatening circumstances — usually when there are dangerous levels of drugs, alcohol, or other poisons in the body.

These are not products you can purchase in a pharmacy for personal use. Fake detox is built around a number of easily-debunked premises. Purification rituals date back to the earliest reaches of recorded history. Gluten is the new evil and therefore, is now a toxin.

For example, Renew Life promises you:. Toxins enter our body daily through the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Over time, these toxins build up and slowly start to affect our health in a negative way.

Through cleansing and detoxification, you enable your body to better process this toxic load. Reducing the toxic load in your body decreases the risk of developing chronic health problems, improves overall health and immune response, and can increase energy levels. Note the vague language. Toxins are alluded to — but not named.

It sounds somewhat plausible, but is non-specific. The colon remains ground zero for detox advocates. They argue that some sort of toxic sludge sometimes called a mucoid plaque is accumulating in the colon, making it a breeding ground for parasites, Candida yeast and other nastiness. Fortunately, science tells us otherwise: Marketing materials for detox treatments typically describe an array of symptoms and diseases linked to toxin buildup: A few that are general enough to apply to anyone e. Which toxins cause which disease is left out, and how the toxins cause the symptoms is never actually explained.

Here again we see the contrast with real science. To establish that even a single chemical can cause disease requires a significant amount of research i. Despite the variety of toxins that are claimed to be causing your illness, marketing claims for detox treatments always fail to link specific toxins to specific symptoms or illnesses.

The reality is that our bodies are constantly being exposed to a huge variety of natural and synthetic chemicals. The presence of any chemical in the body, natural or synthetic does not mean that it is doing harm. Many naturally-derived substances can be exceptionally toxic, and consequently the human body has evolved a remarkable system of defenses and mechanisms to defend against, and remove unwanted substances.

The skin, kidneys, lymphatic system, our gastrointestinal system, and most importantly, the liver make up our astoundingly complex and sophisticated intrinsic detoxification system. Many are advertised as useful for detoxifying specific organs or systems; others are portrayed as "whole body" cleansers. Here is a review of some of the most widely promoted procedures and products. Also known as Jala Neti or nasal lavage, this yoga-derived technique involves the use of a small pitcher neti pot or syringe to stream a saline solution into first one nostril, then the other.

The solution passes through the nasal passage and out the other nostril or the mouth. Clinicians sometimes recommend nasal irrigation to rid the nose of environmental irritants, alleviate post-nasal drip, and reduce congestion from colds and allergies by flushing mucus, foreign particles, bacteria, and viruses out of the sinuses. Daily nasal irrigation is promoted for preventing sinus infections and headaches.

The dubious practice of detox

In a handful of studies, nasal lavage has been shown to lower bacterial concentrations in nasal passages. One small study found that it eased symptoms in sinus sufferers.

Some research suggests it can reduce the risk of sinus infections. A seemingly infinite array of products and diets is available for detoxifying the entire body. One of the most popular is the Master Cleanse diet, favored by a number of Hollywood celebrities.

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Dieters take a quart of warm salt water in the morning; consume a ounce concoction of water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper throughout the day; and finish with a cup of laxative tea in the evening. Proponents of the Master Cleanse diet recommend adhering to it for at least 10 days.

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The Best and Worst Foods for Asthma. Regardless of the weight loss, the body will move back to its pre-detox weight over time if diet and activity levels remain the same. Group 9 Created with Sketch. Join Now Log In. Proponents of colon hydrotherapy believe that fecal matter can accumulate and harden in the colon. As you get into more unorthodox detox treatments that actually contain active ingredients, there is the potential for harm. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

To restore energy, lose weight, and relieve symptoms of chronic conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia. There are no data on this particular diet in the medical literature. But many studies have shown that fasts and extremely low-calorie diets invariably lower the body's basal metabolic rate as it struggles to conserve energy. Once the dieter resumes normal eating, rapid weight gain follows. Much of the weight loss achieved through this diet results from fluid loss related to extremely low carbohydrate intake and frequent bowel movements or diarrhea produced by salt water and laxative tea.

When the dieter resumes normal fluid intake, this weight is quickly regained. The diet is lacking in protein, fatty acids, and other essential nutrients. Carbohydrates supply all the calories — an extremely low The daily laxative regimen can cause dehydration, deplete electrolytes, and impair normal bowel function. It can also disrupt the native intestinal flora, microorganisms that perform useful digestive functions.

A person who goes on this diet repeatedly may run the risk of developing metabolic acidosis, a disruption of the body's acid-base balance, which results in excessive acidity in the blood. Severe metabolic acidosis can lead to coma and death. Numerous kits are marketed for this purpose, most of which include a high-fiber supplement, a "support" supplement containing herbs or enzymes, and a laxative tea, each to be used daily.

Manufacturers of the herbal detox kits recommend continuing the regimen for several weeks.

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Such regimens may be accompanied by frequent enemas. The aim is to eradicate parasites and expel fecal matter that allegedly accumulates and adheres to the intestinal walls. Several studies suggest that milk thistle, which is often included as a supportive supplement, may improve liver function with few side effects. But there's no medical evidence for the cleansing procedure as a whole. Promotional materials often include photographs of snake-like gelatinous substances expelled during cleansing.

When these pictures are not faked, they are probably showing stool generated by large doses of the regimen's fiber supplement. More important, the rationale for intestinal cleansing — to dislodge material adhering to the colon walls — is fundamentally mistaken.

Detox: What “They” Don’t Want You To Know

When fecal matter accumulates, it compacts into firm masses in the open interior of the colon; it does not adhere to the intestinal walls as the "sludge" depicted in the advertisements. Like fasting, colonic cleansing carries a risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, impaired bowel function, and disruption of intestinal flora. The manufacturers recommend continuing the procedure for two to three months. One method employs a special type of adhesive pad worn on the bottoms of the feet during sleep.

Another approach is to immerse the feet for 30 minutes in a basin, sometimes referred to as an "ionic foot bath," containing salt water and two electrodes that supply a low-voltage electric charge. Both methods claim to emit ions that stimulate the outflow of toxins through the feet.

The pads contain tourmaline crystals, which are purported to emit ion-generating infrared rays. The foot baths allegedly generate ions by running an electric current through salt water.