acri1
06-13-08, 01:20 PM
con't
“There are so many contradictions in the detox theory that it is laughable. For starters, the idea that some foods are poisonous and others are not is misleading and factually incorrect.”
Even organic vegetables “are loaded with naturally occurring toxins”, he says, but the body is adept at breaking them down and eliminating them. Broccoli and cabbage, onions and other vegetables are high in such toxins, while meat and fish are relatively low. Brown rice contains phytic acid that inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and minerals, and legumes are poisonous unless properly cooked. The list goes on.
“The biggest irony,” Sanders says, “is that fasting in the way that many detox diets recommend actually slows down the rate at which our bodies can eliminate poisons. And we need some protein such as meat or fish for the body’s natural detox organ, the liver, to work at its best.”
In recent trials of detox plans at the University of Southern California (USC), none was found to live up to the claims that it would purge environmental toxins over and above what the body itself was capable of doing anyway. Dr Roger Clements, a chemist at the USC school of pharmacy, said tests have proved that no extra toxins were expelled from the body on detox diets and that suggesting the digestive system needs a break is ludicrous.
“We have this wonderful thing called a liver and gastrointestinal tract which is quite long,” he says. “Between them, these two manage everything shovelled into our bodies quite well. We are not made to give the system a rest.”
His colleague, Professor Peter Pressman, a lecturer in clinical medicine at USC, adds that the sudden shedding of weight that often occurs during detoxing can be dangerous in the long term. Not only would it place people who repeat the detox plan at risk of nutrient deficiencies but, he suggests, it could predispose them to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. Nor would detoxing help to cure any medical ailment. “There is no such thing as detoxification through diet,” Pressman says. “It’s certainly not medicine, and it’s potentially dangerous if someone embarking on such a diet delays seeking mainstream medical care for a problem.”
And what of the commonly reported side-effects of even a short detoxification programme? Michael Van Straten, author of Super Health Detox, concedes that detoxing initially leads to “what naturopaths call a healing crisis — a coated tongue, bad breath, increased temperature, sweating, tremors and general aches and pains” due to the “sudden release of toxins from the body”.
Surely these are a positive sign that detoxing is doing its job? Collins thinks not. “If someone gets a headache it is almost certainly because they are dehydrated or their blood sugar is low,” she says.
Many people claim they experience a general sense of euphoria and boosted energy as a result of purifying their system. Collins puts this down to ketosis, “the emergency state the body reaches when it is starved of calories and starts to grab from fat and protein stores — it can happen on any strict diet, including a detox. It causes lightheadedness that can be mistaken for an increase in energy. But it’s not a natural state and should be discouraged.”
The idea that detoxing can be unhealthy meets a mixed response from the detox proponents. Deborah Colson, a nutritionist at the Institute of Optimum Nutrition’s (IoN) Brain Bio centre in London, says that “most people could benefit from detoxing for a month twice a year”, but suggests that “if your diet is very toxic and you need an extreme detox of just fruit juice and water, ideally that should be done under supervision”.
Van Straten says that certain groups (diabetics, pregnant and breast-feeding women and anyone with thyroid problems or cancer) should never attempt to detox. However, “for many people, a carefully planned cleansing of the system will give the body a rest, a chance to break down everything that is thrown at it”, and, over a few days, will be safe.
Ian Marber, of the Food Doctor nutritional clinic, is uneasy with the way the detox market is heading: “There are extreme approaches out there that are risky, and there is also this attitude that if you detox, you are free to retox, which is just as unhealthy.
While they are adamant that detoxing doesn’t work, most leading nutritional experts concede that 24-48 hours of consuming more fruit and vegetables and less convenience food than normal won’t be harmful. Very often, says Sanders, a short detox plan gives people the psychological spur they need to change their eating habits for the better.
Dr Alastair Forbes , a consultant gastroenterologist at St Mark’s Hospital in Harrow, adds that the antioxidants and fibre in fruit and vegetables make them essential for good gut and bowel health and that if a one or two- day detox kick-starts a habit of eating more of them, then that is a good thing. Beyond that, though, don’t expect miracles.
“People are always looking for a quick fix for their wrongdoings,” Sanders says. “Detoxing is swayed by guilt. We want to think we can get away with overindulgence. It’s all a con.”
Interesting.
“There are so many contradictions in the detox theory that it is laughable. For starters, the idea that some foods are poisonous and others are not is misleading and factually incorrect.”
Even organic vegetables “are loaded with naturally occurring toxins”, he says, but the body is adept at breaking them down and eliminating them. Broccoli and cabbage, onions and other vegetables are high in such toxins, while meat and fish are relatively low. Brown rice contains phytic acid that inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and minerals, and legumes are poisonous unless properly cooked. The list goes on.
“The biggest irony,” Sanders says, “is that fasting in the way that many detox diets recommend actually slows down the rate at which our bodies can eliminate poisons. And we need some protein such as meat or fish for the body’s natural detox organ, the liver, to work at its best.”
In recent trials of detox plans at the University of Southern California (USC), none was found to live up to the claims that it would purge environmental toxins over and above what the body itself was capable of doing anyway. Dr Roger Clements, a chemist at the USC school of pharmacy, said tests have proved that no extra toxins were expelled from the body on detox diets and that suggesting the digestive system needs a break is ludicrous.
“We have this wonderful thing called a liver and gastrointestinal tract which is quite long,” he says. “Between them, these two manage everything shovelled into our bodies quite well. We are not made to give the system a rest.”
His colleague, Professor Peter Pressman, a lecturer in clinical medicine at USC, adds that the sudden shedding of weight that often occurs during detoxing can be dangerous in the long term. Not only would it place people who repeat the detox plan at risk of nutrient deficiencies but, he suggests, it could predispose them to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. Nor would detoxing help to cure any medical ailment. “There is no such thing as detoxification through diet,” Pressman says. “It’s certainly not medicine, and it’s potentially dangerous if someone embarking on such a diet delays seeking mainstream medical care for a problem.”
And what of the commonly reported side-effects of even a short detoxification programme? Michael Van Straten, author of Super Health Detox, concedes that detoxing initially leads to “what naturopaths call a healing crisis — a coated tongue, bad breath, increased temperature, sweating, tremors and general aches and pains” due to the “sudden release of toxins from the body”.
Surely these are a positive sign that detoxing is doing its job? Collins thinks not. “If someone gets a headache it is almost certainly because they are dehydrated or their blood sugar is low,” she says.
Many people claim they experience a general sense of euphoria and boosted energy as a result of purifying their system. Collins puts this down to ketosis, “the emergency state the body reaches when it is starved of calories and starts to grab from fat and protein stores — it can happen on any strict diet, including a detox. It causes lightheadedness that can be mistaken for an increase in energy. But it’s not a natural state and should be discouraged.”
The idea that detoxing can be unhealthy meets a mixed response from the detox proponents. Deborah Colson, a nutritionist at the Institute of Optimum Nutrition’s (IoN) Brain Bio centre in London, says that “most people could benefit from detoxing for a month twice a year”, but suggests that “if your diet is very toxic and you need an extreme detox of just fruit juice and water, ideally that should be done under supervision”.
Van Straten says that certain groups (diabetics, pregnant and breast-feeding women and anyone with thyroid problems or cancer) should never attempt to detox. However, “for many people, a carefully planned cleansing of the system will give the body a rest, a chance to break down everything that is thrown at it”, and, over a few days, will be safe.
Ian Marber, of the Food Doctor nutritional clinic, is uneasy with the way the detox market is heading: “There are extreme approaches out there that are risky, and there is also this attitude that if you detox, you are free to retox, which is just as unhealthy.
While they are adamant that detoxing doesn’t work, most leading nutritional experts concede that 24-48 hours of consuming more fruit and vegetables and less convenience food than normal won’t be harmful. Very often, says Sanders, a short detox plan gives people the psychological spur they need to change their eating habits for the better.
Dr Alastair Forbes , a consultant gastroenterologist at St Mark’s Hospital in Harrow, adds that the antioxidants and fibre in fruit and vegetables make them essential for good gut and bowel health and that if a one or two- day detox kick-starts a habit of eating more of them, then that is a good thing. Beyond that, though, don’t expect miracles.
“People are always looking for a quick fix for their wrongdoings,” Sanders says. “Detoxing is swayed by guilt. We want to think we can get away with overindulgence. It’s all a con.”
Interesting.