A dietitians thoughts on a detox diet
 | Nicola, a dietitian at EatatEase has put together some advice on 'Detox diets'. |
"Detox" is certainly a popular buzzword in the dieting world, and I am constantly asked my opinion about which one and for how long will be most effective. The idea behind ‘detoxing’ is to encourage your body to rid itself of chemicals and toxic by-products alleged to accumulate in the tissues as a consequence of stress, poor dietary habits, pollution, cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, too many late nights and lack of exercise i.e. we need to cleanse the "toxic waste" from our body in order to stay healthy. Detox diets promise to aid in weight loss, improve digestion; improve hair, nails and skin; improve energy levels; boost immune system and banish cellulite. They can last from one day to one month and can involve: Fasting for short periods of time or only eating certain foods and cutting out others – especially the ones we like!
The truth is our bodies are capable of getting rid of toxins - that's the function of the liver, kidneys and skin. The gut prevents bacteria and many toxins from entering the body. When harmful chemicals do enter the body, the liver breaks them down combining them with its own chemicals to make a water soluble compound that can be excreted by the kidneys. The body is re-hydrated with water and is refreshed with a good night’s sleep! In actual fact, when you starve your body of calories it will start to build up chemicals called ketones. This can result in nausea, dehydration, weakness, light-headedness and irritability. The rapid weight loss which occurs is due to loss of water, glycogen (the body's carbohydrate stores) and muscle, rather than fat.
For more information on detox diets and the article in full visit www.EatatEase.com.
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