Detoxing the body is a great way to get rid of the feeling of heaviness, lose weight and regain shape. To this end, we try our luck with various cleansing diets that work sometimes better, sometimes worse. Many people wonder if detox is needed at all and whether it really has such a good effect on the human body. We dispel doubts and give you the 9 most common myths around detoxification!
- Fasting is the best way to detox – this is complete nonsense, which can cause serious health complications. What’s more, abstaining from food for 2-3 days, etc. will not make us cleanse our body of toxins! Starving has a destructive effect on the body and makes it much more difficult to lose weight after it ends. Metabolism slows down and often does not return to its normal mode of functioning. Instead of drinking only water for two days, it is better to go on a three-day fruit and vegetable diet.
- Starving will improve your immunity – on the contrary. With a restrictive diet, which is denying the body food, the body becomes weakened, and the immune system works much worse. The body needs nutrients to produce antibodies, and during fasting, the level of white blood cells rises, which means inflammation in the body and makes us more susceptible to any infections.
- Laxative teas are good for cleansing – you have to be careful with this type of preparations, because their abuse, i.e. drinking too often instead of other drinks, causes dehydration and too frequent bowel movements. Drinking in excess can disturb intestinal peristalsis!
- You don’t need to prepare for detox – for the purification to proceed properly, you cannot go to it from a normal lifestyle almost “from the march”. It is necessary to gradually switch the body to a reduced supply of calories and nutrients. A few days before starting the diet, you need to eliminate heavy, red meat, dairy products, cereal products.
- We use detox without consulting a doctor – if we are planning a cleansing diet for several days, it is definitely better to consult a doctor, because it is difficult to predict the reactions of the body with diets. There may even be disturbances in water and electrolyte balance, fainting, vomiting and heart problems.
- Restrictive diets are best – Contrary to appearances, a cleansing diet does not have to be very low in calories. Natural cleansing can be supported by a balanced menu, drinking plenty of water, being physically active, getting plenty of sleep, and limiting coffee and alcohol.
- It is worth using single-ingredient diets – eating one product for several days will not result in cleansing, only deficiencies in the body. Consumption of some ingredients in excess, such as protein, will also adversely affect health.
- A few days of detox will cleanse for the whole year It’s plain self-deception. There is no way to eliminate year-round, daily dietary negligence with such a one-time detox. Unfortunately, most people consider a few days of detox to be sufficient – this is not true, because if we return to harmful eating habits after its completion, we also return to the previous state.
- Fasting is good for weight loss – a myth that is extremely harmful. Although, of course, for a few days we will feel a decrease in kilograms, in the end we will only gain them. The body will burn as much as it gets, and therefore its metabolism will slow down significantly. This will become the reason for the yo-yo effect, and a lazy digestive system causes problems with defecation.