Detox Diets: Things to Watch Out For!

Are detox diets good for you? Many people are claiming that detox diets can work wonders for weight loss and for good health. However this is not scientifically proven. They say that the diets can help your system purify itself and get rid of all the bad toxins. Bad toxins tend to accumulate in the body and therefore it can cause certain illnesses.

Detox diets seem to be encouraging for those who want to lose a few pounds and purify their body. One support for this is the knowledge that toxins are bad for everyone. We obtain these bad toxins everyday from the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the foods we eat. These bad toxins should be eliminated as regularly as possible. Another positive aspect of the detox diets is that they promote the intake of natural foods, fruits and vegetables, and water which are all good for us. Certainly you have heard about victims of drug and alcohol addiction going into detox to recover and live a normal life, then shouldn’t the detox diets be a great option for dieters to consider?

Although positive claims have been widely spread about detox diets, they are still not really a great bet.  Just like the rest of the diet fads, detox diets have their own negative sides.  In fact, they are not for everyone. They are harmful, especially for teenagers. Why can they be harmful?  Consider the following:

Detox Can Be Addicting

Detox diets can be addicting. In detox diets, it is recommended for you to go on a fast for about three days or so.  During this fasting period, you are not allowed to eat any food. The only thing you can do is drink water. The idea is to wash away all the bad toxins in the system.   The danger in this is you may feel like you don’t need food for you to survive. You will lose a few pounds and so you can become addicted to the diet. Another danger is you get used to not eating anything, and once the diet tells you to get back to eating normal foods, your system may react in a violent manner.  This can lead to certain medical conditions especially if the reaction is not treated carefully. Ultimately it can lead to death.

Detox is All about Laxatives

It is typical for a person who is participating in a detox diet to be given certain supplements for faster and better results.  Usually, the supplements recommended for detox diets are laxatives. These supplements are designed for the dieters to release foods more often in the form of stools.  The bad news is that laxatives are not best for your overall health.  They are the main cause for digestive problems, dehydration, and mineral imbalances.  A person undergoing the detox diet process process may experience these unfavorable reactions.

Detox Fasting is Not Really for Weight Loss

An integral part of detox diets is fasting, as we mentioned above.  Of course this may help you lose pounds.  However, when you fast you are losing pounds because you are taking away the water content in your body.  You can experience muscles loss if you are fasting too much. Please take note that when you fast you are not losing fats, you are mostly losing water and muscle.  Now can you understand why the detox diets could be a very bad idea?  Is that what you call “healthy”?

Having said all that, if you are still determined to try the detox diets you should consider them as carefully as possible. Do research to find out the pros and cons of the different detox diets.  Perhaps the best thing to do is to consult your doctor to help you decide whether he diet would be harmful or of benefit to you.