Detox Dilemma

How far would you go to jump-start your weight loss, rev up your energy, and start fresh and revitalized? According to many detox diets, a cocktail of laxatives, vegetable juices, or lemonade drinks are all you need to start feeling like a brand new person. As you may have guessed, these claims are often too good to be true, and could be just another fad diet in disguise. While cleanses may be based on valid ideas (such as the importance of fueling the body with fresh foods and plenty of water), many of them take these ideas to extremes, making them ineffective and even dangerous.

Detox diets are alluring because they claim to be “natural” methods of purifying the body by eliminating toxins from food, alcohol, and the environment. However, diets as restrictive as some cleanses pose numerous health risks. Our bodies need food to function, so a strict cleanse may starve your body of essential nutrients—including protein, fat, and many vitamins and minerals—putting the body at risk for malnutrition. Additionally, overuse of laxative herbs and supplements may lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Headaches, irritability, weakened immunity, and anemia are common symptoms of a cleanse taken too far. Plus, rewards seen after an extreme cleanse are usually short-lived at best.

This doesn’t mean that all detox diets are detrimental—it is possible to use a more sane plan to get back on track after a month of ballpark hot dogs and poolside drinks. The body is already equipped with an excellent detoxification system, including the kidneys, liver, lungs, and skin. The best way to keep your body toxin-free is to fuel these organs with a balance of foods that will help them perform their best. Be sure you’re consuming at least 1400 calories, and eat frequently (about every four hours) to keep your blood sugar stable. This one-day plan may give you a start:

•Breakfast: Steal cut oats with organic berries, ¼ cup raw almonds or sunflower seeds, cinnamon and organic low-fat milk or almond milk

•Lunch: Organic vegetables and organic chicken stir-fried in a small amount of EVOO and whole wheat noodles

•Dinner: Grilled wild salmon with lime, organic red salsa, brown rice, and an organic spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette

•Snacks: Organic fruit and yogurt, organic veggies and hummus, or almond butter and whole grain Ezekiel toast

•Don’t forget plenty of water! Try adding ice and a squeeze of orange juice or a sprig of mint…. or even cucumbers and strawberries

-Bianca Terán, University of Arizona