Everyone is detoxing these days, from the rich and famous to the guy next door. With promises of increased energy, rapid weight loss, ridding your body of nefarious “toxins,” reducing risk of disease, and improving the condition of your skin, the hype might make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t jump on the bandwagon. Plus, there are about a million ways being offered to detox including detoxification drink recipes, body cleansing diets, and detoxing supplements that are supposed to work without having to go on a fast or drink green sludge.

An all-natural detox cleanse is especially alluring to those who have felt fatigued, sluggish, tired, and just icky overall for an extended length of time. The “all natural” part is surely healthy, right? And if all it takes to feel better and lose weight is to simply follow this diet for a week or whip up these smoothie recipes and drink them before each meal for a month, then it’s worth a try. The problem is, if the protocol doesn’t actually clean your system of toxins or result in lasting weight loss, then it really isn’t worth it.

The Argument for Detoxification

In addition to famous personalities, there are actual authoritative advocates of detoxification, and they all use health as their reason for doing a detox cleanse. They say that it’s vital to cleanse the liver and other organs of toxins that supposedly accumulate in your body and hinder weight loss and optimal health. These unnamed poisons are blamed for cancer and other diseases and even for keeping you from losing the extra weight you’ve been trying to shed without success.

The Studies Say…

Since basic high school biology taught you that your liver and kidneys work like filters, it sounds plausible that toxins could become trapped in them like lint in the dryer. However, that is not really how it works. LiveScience explains that your internal organs don’t typically harbor toxins. Instead, your liver, for example, converts potentially harmful substances into ones that are water-soluble and sends them to be sweated or otherwise excreted out of your body.

Though the liver and kidneys of a generally healthy person do a bang-up job of detoxification all on their own, people with liver or kidney disease are exceptions to the rule. Additionally, if you constantly bombard your body with unhealthy food, drink, and habits, it will start to wear down your system and inhibit or entirely destroy its ability to effectively get rid of toxins in its own natural way. Still, an improved diet (which we will discuss in just a minute…) has shown to be more helpful for promoting health and optimal organ function than detoxing.

In fact, most authoritative sources say that detoxification hasn’t proven to be effective. Additionally, a body cleansing diet may even cause risky side effects such as fatigue, low blood sugar, nutrient deficiencies, and fainting, according to Web MD and the American Council on Exercise. And what about the claims that fat cells supposedly store toxins and any weight loss due to a round of detox will burn toxins along with the fat? LiveScience weighs in on this issue, too, pointing out that the body’s natural detoxification process is not connected at all to burning fat cells.

What About the Testimonies?

Many people who have undergone detoxification swear by it and can’t wait to do it again. They claim to have more energy, feel more focused, and generally healthy overall after–and sometimes during–detox. Some even report rapid weight loss. So, how could all of the anecdotal evidence so starkly contrast with clinical facts? The Mayo Clinic says that the healthier, more focused feeling could come from the fact that detoxers have eliminated all the unhealthy elements from their diets such as fats, sugar, and highly processed foods. The diet could also explain part of the weight loss, but gaining the weight back is likely once the detox is over, and the regular diet is resumed.

A Detox Alternative

If all the facts have burst your bubble, there is an alternative to a short-term detoxification regimen that is actually more effective in keeping your body in working order for the long haul. It starts with understanding that a healthy body will take care of detoxing itself, so lifestyle has everything to do with making sure your organs are healthy enough to do what they’re supposed to. For example, Dr. Oz recommends eating foods that are rich in selenium for reviving your thyroid. The good news there is that you probably already eat a lot of them:

• fish, including shellfish
• meat such as beef, lamb, pork, and poultry
• eggs
• whole grains
• sunflower seeds
• Brazil nuts

 

Greens and cruciferous veggies, such as spinach, arugula, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli, will get your liver back on track. Omega 3’s and soluble fiber from oatmeal, citrus fruits, pears, apples, beans, and carrots will help with a cardiovascular “cleanse.” And, if you get your digestive tract working right, you won’t have to worry about cleansing your colon. Foods including Greek yogurt, whole grains (cooked), raw garlic and onion, and honey will do the trick to get your digestive tract on track.

 

 

Once you’ve tweaked your diet to exclude the majority of unhealthy foods and include detoxing ones, you will have more energy. Put it to good use by adding exercise to your schedule to further keep your system working optimally and finally achieve sustainable weight loss. Don’t think you have time? The CDC says that, as long as you resistance train twice a week and get a total of 75 to 150 minutes of aerobic activity (depending on the intensity), you can divide it up any way you like, even if you get it in 10 and 15 minute increments here and there. If it improves your health and means not having to fast or down dubious drinks (even if they’re all-natural), it’s worth it!