Detoxes and cleanses are all the buzz this time of year as we move on from holiday celebrations.
Should you jump on the bandwagon? Well, maybe, but let’s explore the idea of a detox or cleanse and see if there are any benefits for you.
Let’s start with looking at the idea of a cleanse. If you search in Google, you will find the juice cleanse, the smoothie cleanse, the master cleanse, the lemon juice cleanse, and there are others. With all of these, you are fasting, sometimes for days, and are drinking the “cleanse” drink. Now, I am not opposed to fasting (if done right) but fasting and drinking the cleanse does not really clean out the body, it only allows the body to empty the accumulated waste (aka poop). So, after the cleanse, you will be “empty”, but are you any healthier? Perhaps not, because during the fasting time your body has not been nourished with nutrients or calories.
I am afraid that I consider many (if not most) cleanses rather gimmicky.
What about a detox? A detox can be as gimmicky as the cleanses described above, but if done right, I think they can be very valuable. The ability to detox is built into our metabolic system, the primary detoxifying organ is the liver, with support from the kidneys and the digestive system.
What we recommend is a detox that relies primarily on using whole foods, with one nutritional supplement that includes all the ingredients (again from food) to support the body’s natural detox process.
So are you a candidate for a detox?
We are all exposed to toxins every single day. They are in the air you breathe, the food you eat, the water you drink and the products you touch. Exposure to these toxins can overburden your system’s natural ability to detoxify. If you have not done a detox in the past six months (or ever), you are a candidate.
Give us a call to find out more, you don’t need an appointment.
Take care,
Dr’s Ann and Emily Rea
