With many people turning to 'detoxes' in the summer months, we decided to catch up with BMF nutritionist, Ben Coomber, to find out what we're really doing to our bodies.
Ben, can you tell us a little more about what a detox is?
Firstly it’s important to get one thing straight: it is impossible to ‘Detox’ your body in the sense that a lot of people think you can. It’s really popular nowadays to promote (read: sell and make money from) juice cleanses, Aloe Vera gels and other cleansing or detoxing products which are, truthfully, useless at best and potentially harmful at worst.
These products are sold alongside ‘plans’ involving shakes and/or specific foods, and together they promise to help rid your body of toxins, help you lose weight, help you feel more energised and other vague and positive - sounding benefits. Sounds great, but what you are actually doing by following these plans is incredibly damaging to your body.
Damaging? How so?
Well you're replacing food intake with water and/or very low calorie shakes. This ensures you lose weight very quickly due to the fact you are starving, but also due to the fact that this causes rapid glycogen depletion (loss of your body’s stored carbohydrates), meaning intramuscular hydration (water stored in muscle cells – a good thing) is reduced.
You live predominantly on liquids which have a very fast gastric transit time which means it leaves your stomach really quickly, helping to reduce ‘bloat’ which you get from undigested food matter in normal circumstances. This can take inches off your waist - in a very unhealthy manner - very quickly.
The previous two points are accelerated by the fact that most ‘detox’ teas as well as Aloe Vera gels have strong laxative and/or diuretic properties. You are starving, meaning your body kicks into ‘fight or flight’ mode and releases stress hormones including adrenaline which can leave you feeling euphoric. Often plans come alongside fat burners which are simply stimulants. The energy isn’t really all that surprising!
All of this is about as far away from a healthy and balanced method of living your life as is possible to be.
So how DO we detox?
We don’t need detox plans, our bodies are perfectly capable of removing toxins on their own. What we DO need is to support those natural detoxification pathways by ensuring what we eat, drink and do is in line with what we want to achieve – optimal health and bodily function.
- Drink lots of water
- Eat plenty of fruit and veg
- Exercise regularly
Well, there you have it. Eat clean, stay hydrated and your body will do the rest for you. Saves a few pennies too!
