Does a healthy person need detox? Expert opinion

Let’s not beat around the bush: Edzard Ernst, Emeritus Professor of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter, drove a big nail into the coffin of “detox mania” a few years ago: “The only detox that exists is the treatment of poisoning with various substances that can neutralize and remove the poison from the body. And what all sorts of healers and healers, basically charlatans, are talking about is the use of certain dietary supplements, drinks, juices and vitamins that will cleanse your body of unknown “slag”, which means something incomprehensible. If a person’s kidneys, liver, lungs, intestines and skin are functioning normally, they remove all unwanted substances remarkably well,” the professor told The Guardian newspaper.

The most surprising thing is that no one has yet given a definition to the notorious slags from which the body must be cleaned. Scientists have long and consistently debunked all the myths of detoxification: nothing accumulates in the intestines for years, no “plaque” forms in the kidneys, it is impossible to “cleanse” the liver, and taking of diuretics and laxatives without indications is harmful. However, detox clinics and even entire resorts are not losing customers, but on the contrary are increasing every year.

Everything is to blame for information about environmental pollution that constantly enters the information space, believes Dr. Ernst. People are constantly being told how many harmful impurities are in the air, how many chemical additives are in tap water, how many nitrates and pesticides are in vegetables and fruits. All this is true, but only (if a person does not have chronic diseases) our body is constantly and quickly updated, develops new cells, new mucous membranes, strengthens immunity to harmful substances. And the only way to really cleanse the body of all potentially toxic things is to move to an ecologically safe area, eat organic produce grown without fertilizers or chemical processing, don’t smoke, drink minimal alcohol, to move a lot, to sleep at least 8 hours a day in the fresh air and to drink pure water.

Las Vegas nutritionist Andy Belatti makes a damning argument against popular detox classes: “Most of them offer a one-week, ten-day, and – at most – two-week course to detoxify the body. OK, let’s assume that some “toxins” have built up in the body. If in 2 weeks they can be completely cleaned, then in any case there are very few of them. And if there is so much accumulated there that your health is in danger, a 2 week diet will not suffice here!

What is really good for the body are short-term hunger strikes (no more than 24 hours). This allows all systems to “reboot”, restore strength and, if necessary, “fix” minor breakdowns without being distracted by digestive processes. Dr. Belatti believes that the ideal diet for a city dweller living a normal life is one daily fast per week or two 12-hour fasts (days when the diet only includes breakfast and dinner 12 hours later).

But is detox harmful? Sparing – not at all. If we ignore the elimination of unknown toxins, then detoxification is, in fact, the transfer of the body to a restricted, low-calorie and easily digestible diet, that is, it is a diet. Fortunately, in most cases it is quite balanced and soft, which, together with the psychological effect (I take care of my body), gives a feeling of lightness, good humor, which in itself is useful for a person.

Believe it or not, we need a lot less food than usual.

By leaving only natural functional juices and smoothies in the diet, you give the body the opportunity to correct errors in your diet, rebuild eating habits and lessen the effects of overeating, fast food and excess processed foods with flavor enhancers in the diet.

This is how detox works. It balances the modern man’s diet full of “junk”, processed foods, extra desserts and endless cups of latte. A detox juice only diet creates the necessary healing crisis in the body, while at the same time providing all the necessary nutrients.

1. Within 1-3 days of feeding only what is best absorbed – vegetables, fruits, nut milk. The entire digestive system is rested and cleansed because it is not bombarded with heavy foods. The fiber in the composition helps these processes.

2. All fruits and vegetables are antioxidants. They suppress all inflammatory processes.

3. Each bottle is a concentrate of vitamins and minerals, very few in a normal diet. We just don’t eat as many fruits and vegetables. Moreover, there are as many vitamins in 10 kg of oranges today as in 1 kg of oranges 30 years ago.

The detox stress is minimal – the body gets enough energy from the juices to function normally. At first it can be unusual, and with a regular detox, you can even play sports. It will become even easier as you will be more alert.

Water is very easy to detoxify, swelling goes away, and extra pounds gradually disappear. It is easier to get up, the complexion improves. After rehab, I don’t want junk food at all and even coffee.

Few people say that an ascetic plant-based diet is the first thing prescribed for a number of diseases, including cancer. Because food is the basis of health. Most of the time, we acidify our body. And vegetables, herbs and fruits alkalize and restore the acid-base balance.

These are vegetables and fruits in concentrated form (in 1 detox 5-6 kg of vegetables, fruits and greens).
The digestive system can be cleansed when it is at rest. Juice is easier to digest than a whole vegetable or fruit.
It is pure food. The juices do not undergo pasteurization, they are prepared by cold pressing (slow extraction of the juice under high pressure without heating at all stages).
These are not freshly squeezed juices in the usual sense. Cold pressing and a specialized juicer allow you to obtain a juice with a large amount of dietary fiber and with the preservation of nutrients. Therefore, cold pressed juices cannot be compared to aggressive fresh juices. These are well-composed nutritious mixtures. There are very few fruit juices in detox programs, lots of greens and vegetables. Therefore, they do not raise blood sugar levels.

To those who:

We urge anyone with illnesses, predispositions, body characteristics or simply doubts to consult your doctor. Juices are not a cure or a panacea. It’s nutrition that can help you feel healthy and active.

If you are a beginner, limit yourself to 1 day for the first time. You can repeat the detox after a week. If you are experienced with juice cleanses and are willing to detox for several days in a row, you can choose between two or three day detox programs. Pay attention to the recommendations for preparing and exiting the detox.

Prepare the body by excluding for 2-3 days: fatty, refined, sweet, processed foods, coffee. Add more vegetables, fruits and preferably similar juices to your diet. Remember to drink clean water.

Slowly exit the detox the same way you entered it (excluding the listed foods for 2-3 days and adding plenty of vegetables and fruits).

There’s a lot of detox going on right now. Juice is always better than dessert or cola. But if you want to achieve a cleansing effect, you should pay attention to the following:

Only cold-pressed juices can gently cleanse, suit most, and retain nearly all vitamins and fiber.
The composition is the most important thing. Not all vegetables and fruits can be cleansed and digested well, so avoid bananas, dates, pears, grapes, fruit purees instead of fruit, and avoid very sugary drinks.
Pay attention to the second recipes. Only a professional can balance the composition of the juice, make it functional and not aggressive. For each goal, you must choose the right juices and establish the desired consumption sequence.

Detox author Tara Ostrow, a New York-based dietitian with a degree from Columbia University and a practicing sports nutritionist, developed Organic Religion’s own juices: “Detox is not a panacea. Changing the quality of life on all levels requires both exercise and good nutrition, not just as part of a drug rehab. For detox and healthy eating to be beneficial to your health and beauty at all times, there are several “healthy” eating principles:

In a nutshell, if you like to go for freshly squeezed celery juice, fruit smoothies, spinach and broccoli once a year, good for you. Just do not buy expensive drugs, colon therapy, laxative teas and other forms of self-torture for a lot of money.