The theory is detoxification diets simply remove harmful toxins from your body. Advocates in this field say that detoxing can have marvelous effects on the body. Glowing skin, increased energy levels, and weight loss are some of the health benefits that could be achieved during detox diets.
Most often you will hear of the positive effects of a detox diets but there are negative effects too:
- Clearing out your toxins may actually make you feel worse! Many people that detox experience feelings of revitalization and rejuvenation during or after the diet. Unfortunately you may suffer certain unpleasant side effects. You may get headaches, feel exhausted, and experience extreme hunger. Dehydration is one of the worst side effects of detox regimes.
- You most often need to stop certain foods before you even start the detox. It is recommended that sugar, caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol should be eliminated from your diet one week in advance.
- You could weaken your immune system as you would deprive your body of essential nutrients. Regimes that exclude dairy, for example, from your diet would eliminate your calcium intake.
- You may end up binge eating. If you are very strict on your detox, you will most probably have strong cravings for unhealthy food which may lead to overindulgence.
- Some detox diets can do more harm than good! If you suffer from heart disease, diabetes, eating disorders, or if you are pregnant you should not go on any sort of detox plans. Going on a detox with these conditions can put your body at serious health risks. You should always consult your doctor or physician before you change anything in your diet.
- Detox regimes can be very harmful if you do them too frequently. In fact, you should only detox your system twice a year. Some people get addicted to these diets which can have extremely dangerous effects on your body.
Detox regimes have pro’s and con’s, similar to most diets. Detoxing can be motivating. It forces you to think about your health and body, which can help you with a long term healthy eating plan. Detoxing helps with forming good habits. The diets get you into the habit of drinking more water and eating more fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Detox plans help you banish bad habits of drinking too much caffeine and alcohol.
Before going on a detox, ensure that you speak to a healthcare professional. Now you are aware of some of the risks associated with detoxing so you can make a more informed decision. There is a variety of types of these diets; you should choose one that you feel comfortable with. On a final note, don’t forget to drink a lot more water than you normally would during the diet!
