Once or several times a year, we want to cleanse the body of accumulated toxins, lose weight, regain form. We embrace fashionable cleansing diets. But is detox necessary or does it have any benefits? We dispel doubts.
Cleansing the body, detox, fasting- these are more and more popular ways toget rid of toxins from the body . Are they really effective and, above all, he althy? We analyzed the 9 most popular theses about cleansing the body and found that they have little to do with the truth!
Fasting is the best way to remove toxins
NOT TRUERefraining from eating completely for even 1-2 days will not get us rid of the toxins. It's a myth! It is better to use a natural detox - change your lifestyle and bet on a he althy, varied menu and exercise - than starve yourself. Starvation has a negative impact on your he alth and unfortunately can do more harm than good. Instead of the detox of drinking only water during the day, opt for a one-day fruit and vegetable diet.
You don't need to prepare yourself for a one-day fast
WRONGYou cannot "on the go" do a one-day fast by just drinking water, especially if you have eaten normocaloric meals so far. Such a drastic change could do more harm than good for your he alth. Therefore, the body must gradually switch to a lower supply of energy and nutrients. A few days before starting the diet, it is best to eliminate hard-to-digest foods, red meat, meats, dairy products and reduce the amount of grain products. You also have to part with sweets, sweet drinks, coffee. Instead, eat more raw and cooked vegetables, fresh fruit, light groats, and drink plenty of water. On the day of fasting, it is best to give up additional physical activity, because the body may be weakened.
Hunger improves immunity
WRONGCleansing the body of toxins actually improves the immune system, but not if it is done in the form of fasting. With such a restrictive diet, the immune system works weaker. The body does not receive the nutrients necessary for the synthesis of antibodies, and this affectslack of an adequate immune response. In addition, during fasting, the level of white blood cells rises, which indicates inflammation in the body. This makes us more prone to infections.
Detox can be used without consulting a doctor
NOT TRUEIt is better to follow a cleansing diet for several days after consulting a doctor and under his supervision. This applies not only to sick people, but also to those who consider themselves quite he althy. In the case of deficient diets, it is difficult to predict the body's reactions, there may be disturbances in the water and electrolyte balance, such as: fainting, headaches, vomiting and additional problems with the liver and heart. Importantly, these symptoms do not have to appear immediately, so people who want to detox for a few days should be in good he alth. Cleansing diets are not recommended, among others for people with cardiovascular and urinary system diseases, seniors, diabetics, as well as pregnant and lactating women and teenagers.
A restrictive diet is the best way to cleanse the body
NOT TRUEYou can cleanse the body of toxins without giving up on food. And it doesn't have to be a very low-calorie diet. The body itself is good at neutralizing and removing harmful substances - through the digestive, urinary, respiratory systems and skin. We can support these natural treatment plants with a he althy, balanced menu, drinking water, physical activity, limiting coffee and alcohol, and a large dose of sleep. This is the recipe for good he alth and well-being; an extreme detox is not needed for this. If, however, we want to lose unnecessary kilograms, let's do it under the supervision of a dietitian who will compose a rational menu, taking into account our lifestyle and taste preferences. A good supplement to a diet detox will be sauna sessions (1 or 2 times a week). High temperature causes the expansion of blood vessels in the skin and increased sweat secretion, along with which the body gets rid of many toxic substances. The bonus is the loss of approx. 300 kcal during a 30-minute session.
Worth knowingDetox is a marketing gimmick
The term detox is just a marketing ploy. A detox does not eliminate toxins in any way. Our body cleans itself thanks to the work of the lungs, liver and kidneys, which control the possible consequences of pollution. Our body has an effective organ system to eliminate pollutants. To conclude that detox diets do actually bring about positive changes in the body, a lot of research is needed to assess their effects. See youhowever, there is little research on this topic.
Laxative teas help detox
NOT TRUEBe careful with these types of products. They can be used from time to time to regulate bowel movements. However, they should not be drunk as regular tea, because they have a strong laxative effect, dehydrate, irritate the intestines and flush out beneficial microflora. When drunk in excess, they can disturb the intestinal peristalsis. Instead of buying ready-made laxative teas, especially online, when we cannot check their composition exactly, it is better to prepare your own blend of herbs that support cleansing the body.
A few days of detox will be enough for the whole year
WRONGDon't cheat yourself: you can't overcome your daily dietary negligence with a one-time detox. What we do for a few days a year is not enough for the remaining months when we lead an unhe althy lifestyle. This one-time cleansing works more like "absolution" - we did something to fix our he alth and now we can go back to our bad eating habits… This is what most people do. However, it does not have the slightest significance in the year-round "settlement". On the other hand, detoxing can have long-term benefits if it is the beginning of a he althy focus and a lifestyle change.
One-ingredient diets help to cleanse the body
NOT TRUE
Eating only one product (e.g. pineapple, apples, cabbage, yoghurt or rice) for several days, above all, results in large nutritional deficiencies. There is no universal nutritional product that covers the body's needs for all the necessary nutrients. And deficiencies have a negative impact on the body's work, which results in malaise, headaches. On the other hand, excessive consumption of, for example, protein may burden the kidneys, which are one of the key organs involved in the natural detoxification process.
Hunger is a simple and quick way to lose weight
WRONGAlthough it may seem so, in the end the number of kilos increases. This is because the body protects itself against lack of food by slowing down the metabolism - it starts to burn as much as it gets. Due to the fact that the energy supply is minimal, the body works slower and slower. Even if we lose weight, we mainly lose water. Fat tissue remains intact, and after the end of fasting, the yo-yo effect hits with triple force and the intended target moves away. In addition, a lazy cabledigestive tract does not work properly, which results in problems with defecation.
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