As January and the New Year approaches, is it the time to start a detox or cleanse and rid your body of toxins? There are many companies or individuals who have expensive supplements, products or plans that can help you! Unfortunately the science behind these is seriously lacking, or in many cases non-existent.
What toxins are they claiming to get rid of? How exactly are they doing it? What’s the mechanism behind why they work? Are they just an expensive laxative?
My last post where I compare weight and fat loss will show how these things can *appear* to work. Reducing the volume of food you eat will reduce your total weight. A lower amount of fibre (think juice cleanses) will lead to less weight in your gut. Cutting down/out carbs will result in less water being stored (as glycogen the stored form of carbohydrates are stored with 3-4 parts water).
Many cleanse/detox programs are pretty extreme in limiting what you can consume too. These restrictions can create large energy (calorie) deficits, which will lead to fat loss even if they are too extreme to be sustained for any period of time.
Generally, we don’t actually consume toxins in order to need a detox! The exception here is alcohol, which is a toxin, but that’s a post for another day. If the body needs to get rid itself of toxins, providing they are healthy your liver, kidneys and skin will do it, that’s their job!
If you have overindulged over the holidays, the best thing to do it to get back to your usual diet. Maybe cut down a little (or altogether if you choose) on the booze. Include plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, lean protein, stay well hydrated – the usuals. If you want to lose any weight then find a way to create an energy deficit. Please watch out for people selling baseless plans. They do nothing more than lighten your wallet.
(Reposted from Instagram)