Are Detoxes Really Necessary?

Are detoxes really necessary, or worth the time & money?

Do you really need to detox or cleanse your body every now and then? Or are those expensive juices and teas a waste of money – and time?

If you’re not sure, and you’re confused by all of the conflicting information and opinions out there, I’m not surprised!

I originally wrote this post in February 2015, and even though I continue to update it, my opinion on detoxes hasn’t changed.

I feel like detoxing is a tricky subject to talk about these days, as there are so many products out there; some with very bold claims.

And everyone on social media seems to have an opinion, whether or not they’re qualified to give one.

Too many choices!

When I began to do some research for this post, I was overwhelmed. And I’m a nutrition expert with over 10 years experience.

It’s easy to see how people are hoodwinked into believing marketing hype. I mean, there are so many different kinds of detox or cleanse you can do, and they all last for different lengths of time.

Yet they all claim to give you pretty much the same result! How can that be?

I used to think it was fairly black and white, and that doing a periodic detox or cleanse is unnecessary  – because that’s what our liver and kidneys do for us for us on a daily basis.

However, as with all things to do with our bodies, it’s not quite that simple.

Here’s my opinion

I think you should do what feels right for you, while applying common sense. What I mean, is that if you feel some benefit from doing a detox every now and then, then do it!

Other than producing some temporary symptoms, like diarrhoea, dizziness and headaches, along with some temporary water-weight loss, a short term ‘juice cleanse’ type of detox shouldn’t do you any harm (except maybe to your bank account!)

Chances are, you’ll be getting more fruit and veg than you usually do, so that’s not a bad thing! And you’ll probably keep that up for a while afterwards, too.

The paradox I find with the whole subject is that we’re all different, so how can there be only one right way to do it? Just as different diets and eating styles work differently for different people, I believe the same is true for detoxes and cleanses.

Don’t just jump on the bandwagon

The key is to know your own body and what works for you; that’s why I don’t do juice only cleanses. When it comes to the crunch, I love eating too much, and I know that only drinking juices, doesn’t work well for me.

It also depends on your current diet and eating habits. If you’re a healthy person, following a healthy diet and lifestyle, you’ll be supplying your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly.

Your liver and kidneys should be working just fine to remove waste and toxins daily.

The bottom line: should you do a detox or cleanse?

The bottom line is that if you think it’s okay to eat high calorie, nutrient poor foods all the time and then detox once or twice a year, you might want to think again.

You can’t just cleanse away all of the damage that a poor quality diet will do to your body in a couple of days, then resume a crappy diet and keep repeating the pattern.

Our bodies are very resilient, but you can’t continually abuse it without consequences.

As I said above, doing a detox or cleanse isn’t really necessary if you eat well and follow a healthy lifestyle. Your body will be well nourished at a cellular level, and all of your systems and organs should be functioning well.

We are all different though, and individually we have different needs.

So if a short detox helps you to kick start a healthy new habit, or a healthier mindset, then it might work well for you. Just make sure you seek medical advice if it makes you feel unwell.

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