A detox diet is a type of diet that is used by individuals to make complete changes in the consumption habits to detoxify the body through removal of contaminants and toxins. The detox diet helps to improve health, digestion, energy, weight loss, disease resistance, and mental state. The modifications to be made in a detox diet include juice and water fasting, increased consumption of fish such as salmon, calorie intake restriction and use of master cleanse or herbal detox known as lemonade diet. Preferably, a detox diet requires more fruit and vegetable intake, avoidance of alcohol and tobacco and limited consumption of processed food.
Why take a detox diet?
The main reason individuals take a detox diet is due to the ingestion of lots of food, air, and water by the body. There is a possibility that the intakes have fat-soluble chemicals that exist in them, so they are deposited in the body cells. A human body is not in a position to detoxify these chemicals if individuals are taking the poor diet. The result is an accumulation of chemical and toxic waste, which leads to diseases and ailments, hormonal imbalance, weak metabolism and nutritional deficiencies. However, the reason people avoid detox dieting is the notion that the process will involve extreme starvation and consumption of tasteless food. That is not the case; one can undergo a detox program that contains foods that taste great such as salmon fish.
Importance of Detoxification
Detoxing improves the skin. Using sauna to detoxify makes the body sweat out the excess toxins and contaminants leaving the skin smoother and cleaner. It also helps treat acne since the condition is brought by excretion of excess toxins from the body. The skin may get patchy and itchy during detoxification, but that is an indication that one is taking the right path when getting rid of acne. It makes someone feel rejuvenated. In case a person wakes up tired and less vibrant, there is a possibility of piled toxins in the body. Going through a detox diet helps solve this problem.
It helps improve breath. This can only be achieved if one is undergoing a colon cleanse detox. Bad breath mostly a result of backed up the colon. A detox diet helps clear out the colon making the digestive system function normally and well again. The breath may become worse for the period of the detox process, but that indicates that the body is releasing the toxins.
It helps in weight loss. A detox diet helps to cut down weight. Weight loss is not just a matter of cutting down the calories but also involves taking the right diet, exercise and energy balance. Detox diets help burn sugars and fats from the body enabling weight loss. A detox diet is a preferred method of weight loss for those who cannot control their craving for carbs and sugars or have a food addiction.
Types of detox diet available
There are various detox diets available. Some work better than others do. The most common diets are:
- Water fast
- Juice fast
- Raw food diet
- Master cleanse diet
- Ultra simple diet
The most effective detox diet
The question has no definite answer, but nutrition experts’ answer if differently. The effectiveness of a detox diet depends on an individual’s body type, current health, flexibility and motivation to switch to the diet. For it to be effective, it requires a strict meal plan, right ingredients, and timing. The right detox proves difficult to find. Mostly, individuals decide against stringent meal plan diets such as master cleanse or design their own with the help of a nutritionist. The design is modified according to the aim of detoxification. If one wants simplicity, water fasting can be the best detox method.
How the detox diet works
The detox diets work in two different ways. First, it removes harmful substances in the diet from the body by giving the body a chance to cleanse itself. The harmful substances eliminated through this method may be alcohol, high fructose, pesticides, and caffeine. The second method is where the diet frees up the energy used by the body for natural detox. A good example is water fasting where the body does not spend a lot of energy on digestion, so the energy is spent on natural detoxification. Unlike detox foot pads, detox ion baths or detox box, a detox diet only uses the natural mechanisms of the body to detoxify.
