Detox: Its Ins And Outs
Detox, short for detoxification, is the process of regulating your diet momentarily to cleanse your body of toxins and harmful substances that have accumulated in your systems over the years. It has gained popularity not just in the country but in many other places over the past couple of decades, and proponents have been coming up with various diet plans for it.
Our bodies are designed to naturally detoxify sporadically, but there will come a point when it can no longer cope with the toxins coming from the air we breathe, the beverages we drink, and the food we eat. When this time comes, our bodies’ systems break down and we fall victim to various types of illnesses.
The most popular methods of detox are the detox diet plans. They are designed to drastically modify your present diet to sort of shock your body. For example, if you have been helping yourself to foods rich in cholesterol and fats, you may suddenly be shifting to one that’s made entirely of fruit juices.
That is why it is important to first secure the approval of your physician before embarking on a detox diet. You need to be fit enough to cope with the rigors that a detox program involves.
How flexible are they?
There are certain detox plans that can’t even be altered; that is, the foods listed in their menus cannot be substituted with anything else and their amounts should be followed to the letter. The Cabbage Soup Detox diet, for example, has to be strictly followed in order for it to be truly effective.
There are some variations, though, that are not too rigid. You are given the option to choose, for example, the type of fruits and vegetables you want to have, and some even allow you to help yourself to as much of it as you can.
The impact will usually fall on the duration of the diet and sometimes even the amount of pounds lost. The more drastic plans will give dramatic results in less time, and in as short as 2-3 weeks, friends and family will start noticing the big reduction in weight.
Depending on your ability, your schedule, and your health, you could choose the type of detox diet that’s right for you. Keep in mind that no one is required to go into detox, and modern medicine makes available various drugs that can also serve to remove harmful toxins from our bodies.
However, detox procedures are preferred by many because of the impressive results they give and at very little cost. Many people also become addicted to detox, which can either be a good or a bad thing.
It can be a bad thing in the sense that detox diets are not formulated to be undertaken long-term. Most of these diets are nutritionally poor and should only be observed over a few days to a few weeks.
On the other hand, it can be a good thing in the sense that people who feel a sense of general well-being after a detox stay away from junk food and other unhealthy food items for good.