What is a Detox Diet?

What is detox?
Detox, short for detoxification, is the body's natural, ongoing process of neutralizing or eliminating toxins from the body. Toxins (anything that can potentially harm body tissue) are transformed chemically to less harmful compounds and excreted via stools or urine.

Sources of toxins include those produced in the body during normal functions, such as the ammonia produced during the breakdown of protein, and external chemicals such as pesticides, household cleaners, food additives, drugs, pollution, cigarette smoke, and heavy metals like lead.

What is a detox diet?
Although detox is primarily thought of as a treatment for alcohol or drug dependence, the term is also used to refer to diets, herbs, and other methods of removing environmental and dietary toxins from the body for general health.

• minimizes the amount of chemicals ingested (e.g. by choosing organic food)
• emphasizes foods that provide the vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that the body needs for detoxification
• contains foods that draw out and eliminate toxins by increasing the frequency of bowel movements and urination (such as high fiber foods and water)

Why do people go on a detox diet?
Many experts believe that many of the fat-soluble chemicals we ingest daily through food, water, and the environment can become deposited in cells in our bodies.

A poor diet can also impair our natural ability to detoxify chemicals, which further leads to their build-up in the body.

This cumulative load, called the "body burden", is thought to lead to illness and has been linked to hormonal imbalance, impaired immune function, nutritional deficiency, and an inefficient metabolism. Initially, there may be subtle warning signs, such as fatigue, poor skin, and pain.

Lab tests that assess urine, stools, blood, and liver function are available at certain private labs such as Great Smokies Diagnostic Labs. Note that doctors who are not familiar with detox may be reluctant to order these tests.

• To become more familiar with symptoms thought to be linked with toxicity, take the Detox Screening Quiz

Benefits of a detox diet
In general, people often report improved energy, clearer skin, regular bowel movements, improved digestion, and increased concentration and clarity. Improvement can also be assessed by measuring markers of disease and laboratory tests.

Is there anyone who shouldn't try a detox diet?
Consult a qualified health professional to find out if a detox diet is appropriate for you.

A detox diet shouldn't be used by pregnant or nursing women or children.

People with anemia, eating disorders, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, lowered immunity, hypothyroidism, low blood pressure, ulcers, epilepsy, cancer, ulcerative colitis, underweight, or addictions to drugs or alcohol should not try a detox diet unless recommended and supervised by a primary care provider.