Thousands of programs and regiments that are designed to "rid your body of toxins". And you know what? It's one of the biggest hoaxes that has hit the public since the Atkins Diet craze. But, as my husband often says, "It's easy to be deceived."
The word "detox", according to Webster's Dictionary, means the following:
"To undergo treatment to rid the body of poisonous substances, especially alcohol and drugs."It's origin is 1972. Most people who detox are people in rehab (we've all seen Intervention) who are coming down off years of abuse of drugs and alcohol. They are ridding their body of a literal "poison". But somewhere along the way, someone realized that the word "detox" could be used for an entirely different purpose: marketing.
If you were to get on Google (or Bing or Yahoo or whatever engine you use), and type in the word “detox”, you would find over 12.5 million pages of cleanses, diets, plans, blogs, and other various opinions on the subject. You would find things like the Acai Cleanse, the Master Cleanse (or lemon cleanse), Evercleanse, the Cabbage Soup Diet, the ColoThin, and Colonics. Each one claims to detoxify your body in the most effective, and fast, way.
I’m pretty sure that even though you may not have participated in one of these programs, you know someone who has, or you’ve heard of them. But the thing that so many people have failed to realize is that they are just a fad. Go ahead and hate me for saying it, but they are no better or different then weight loss programs like the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, or my personal favorite, the What Would Jesus Eat? Diet.
We have bought into the fad hook, line, and sinker all over again. Especially us women. We want to be thin…and would do just about anything to get to that point quickly. Everything except give up our Starbucks Frappuccinos with extra whip and the Wendy’s at 11pm. We want a quick-fix to our poor eating habits and have believed that the only way to a healthy life is through not eating for 10 days and drinking a concoction of maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. (Seriously yuck!)
When I searched for a scientific perspective on these cleanses, I consulted a doctor, Wikipedia, and WebMD among others. The opinion was repeated across the board:
(I am putting this statement in there based on the fact that the Master Cleanse is one of the most popular cleanses out there, and it requires a 10-day fast.) There was also a statement in Self magazine that said that women who don’t eat (fast) during a cleanse or diet are, on average, 8 pounds heavier than women who just ate right and exercised! Is anybody getting this?“…Symptoms may improve with a detox diet, but there is no evidence that this [detox diets/cleanses] is due to clearing toxins from the body...As it turns out, a balanced, proper diet is more helpful than a detox diet.” WebMD also stated that, “Perhaps one of the biggest dangers of detox diets is the fear they instill in the public…The good news is that your body has its own natural detoxifying process that works quite well. The liver and kidneys do a good job of processing chemicals and eliminating them…” WebMD goes on to make the statement that, “fasting can be addictive because it causes a kind of ‘high’.
Are we out of our minds!?
In all honesty, I am just wondering when we stopped paying attention. We believe just about anything, more specifically when it comes to shedding those pounds and that other buzzword: wellness. If we really look deeper into it, we aren’t really interested in a lifestyle change, or being healthy for that matter. Instead, we want to do what we want, when we want, but don’t want the consequences that come along with it. I have read status update after status update on Facebook and Twitter from friends of mine that have decided to "get clean" by choosing one of these diets. The irony, however, is that when all is said and done, they "celebrate" their success and their new-found energy by hitting up their favorite drink at Starbucks and noshing on a cupcake or ice cream. And even more commonly, they just go back to their old food and drink routine, thinking about the next time that they'll "clean out". I'm not kidding! Just think about how ridiculous that is! You've "rid" the toxins from your body only to put them right back in.
The dangers of detox diets and cleanses is right in front of our faces, yet we remain blind. Especially us as women. There's a lie that's easy to miss, but it’s there nevertheless. It’s that nasty lie that tells us over and over that we aren’t good enough, and God and his design are not enough. We take products like these because we find ourselves 25 pounds overweight, lazy, and sometimes even subconsciously blame God for making us with a faulty system. No…we are faulty because we live in a broken world. We don’t want to work hard, eat right, or exercise. We find ourselves caught up in fad diets and quick-fixes because we need to experience that we are enough. We want to feel like we are doing something…anything. But we are left unhappy and empty, cheeseburger still in hand.
DO NOT BUY THE LIE. It's that simple. (For real...it really is). Understand that we all are left with a choice to be healthy or just pretend to be healthy. I would challenge any person, fad-cleanser or non-fad-cleanser, to make a lifestyle change for the better. Just eat healthy. And then, go get some excercise...
I agree with most of the insights above, but dear Kate, I'm a firm believer in the Master Cleanse - and you should be too. I did it for 12 days last year, with the approval of two doctors. I immediately saw major improvements in my health. Yes, I lost weight, though that wasn't my main goal... but within days I noticed that I was sleeping better, waking easier and had more energy. Here's where it applies to you.... I've been a chronic migraine sufferer for years, with daily medications to control them. In a typical week, I would suffer through at least one if not 2 or 3 or more. When I completed the cleanse, I was off the meds - and it was 6 months before I had another migraine! It's been life-changing. It's not the cleanse itself that changed my life, but it's what I learned through the cleanse. I learned through the reintroduction of food at the end that ingesting natural foods and vegetables, and in their purest forms, really made me feel better than anything else. Through the detox I lost an addiction to caffeine and carbonated beverages that I didn't even know I had. My sweet tooth was diminished, and I discovered that I had a partial intolerance to gluten - something I had not known before. Turns out, gluten can be a major migraine trigger for me. The cleanse helped me to discover more about my body and my health than a medical doctor has ever been able to tell me. Oh, and did I mention that there was a massive change in my bloodwork that caused my doctor to question the lab results? He said he had never seen such a drastic change in a person's health in such a short period of time. So here's my verdict: It can't hurt you. And it's not the weight-loss cure-all that so many believe it to be. But it CAN change your life. It did mine.
ReplyDeleteI think you are only about half right with with post. First...you are right about the all fad ones..i.e. Acai etc. and I think you are totally right about coming off a fast to go back to eating cheese burgers etc.
ReplyDeleteBut to say that fasts or cleanses are a hoax is totally wrong. Have you ever done one? What about those of us that eat healthy but want to take our nutrition to the next level?
You say to just eat healthy...do you eat dairy? Tons of studies show how bad this stuff is for us. What about processed meats like deli turkey? Same thing. Diet Coke? Even more.
Bottom line is that while I agree that SOME cleanses are used for marketing it is kinda hard for anyone to make money doing something as cleansing as a juice fast (except for the farmers). And to say that cleanses are a lie we tell ourselves and God that his design isn't good enough means that Jesus and others in the Bible who fasted (cleansed/detoxed) and mentally, physically and spiritually cleaned themselves must be wrong too.
Hey guys, thanks for reading!
ReplyDeleteBrian -
I appreciate your input. I have never taken part in that cleanse, partly because I find it disgusting, but I understand what you're saying about what you learned from it. There is valuable information in learning about good eating and drinking habits, as well as what you're specific body needs and doesn't need. But everything that you're talking about didn't have anything to do with the cleanse itself. It had to do with what happened after if was all over. And what you realized was that you needed more certain things (ie, fruits and veggies) and less of others (sodas and caffeine) But the detox itself didn't cure you. Crazy it sounds. I don't disagree that people sometimes need a life-changing event to take place for them to have their eyes opened. You however, are an exception to the typical detox user. The typical one doesn't see that a better lifestyle is what will make and keep them healthy. They believe that it was all because of the detox and that now they can continue with their lives. Again, thanks for your input. It's a relief (I really mean it) to see someone that took being healthy seriously and not just because it was the newest fad.
Detoxing Downtown - I have a whole different beef with your statements, so I will address them all. First, thanks for reading the post. As far as a detox, I have done them. 3 of them, all different types. Each one did nothing for me. I was no different from when I started to when I stopped. And I am a healthy eater. I haven't always been, but I have learned over time, oftentimes through trial and error, what it means to be healthy. I don't eat dairy products, meat, or anything that is pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. I don't drink soda or beer...or anything with carbonation for that matter. I do drink coffee, but I am an avid almond milk user and don't put sugar in it. (and it's usually a treat) I am a pescatarian and have found that based on my medical history and build, this is the healthiest plan for my life. I exercise daily, running a few times a week and training with a fitness coach. I haven't felt this amazing since I was in high school. But I made it, and no special detoxes (other then just eating healthy which induces a natural-type "detox")
As for your comments on God, you are dead wrong. I don't know if you are a non-Christian or just not Bible saavy, but Jesus and His followers did not "detox". And it wasn't for their physical or mental health. The idea of fasting was to not have any distractions while one prayed. It was strictly so that they could be more in touch with God and what He was asking of them. It was for direction.
Katie, I love this topic. I remember the first time that some of my friends in the Nashville area were in the "process of detoxing," and I began looking into the fad.
ReplyDeleteWhat I learned was this: whether one is a Christian or not, each of us has a liver, the "natural detoxer". Many refuse to believe that it is enough, and therefore get hooked on other detox methods.
Finally, the longer I know you, the more inspired I am by your personal committment to health. You have discovered the 2 most healthy things ANYONE can do: eat healthy and exercise. These two are the best controls of "toxins" out there. And it's not a fad: it's the truth.
Keep up the great health regimen you've begun: you are an inspiration to me.
Don -
ReplyDelete{{sigh}} Thank you so much. :) I knew that writing this post wouldn't put in a popular position, especially here in Nashville when so many of my friends are a part of the industry and looking for a quick-fix to offset their on the road eating habits. God have us exactly what we needed to have our bodies work correctly, but we have to put good things in to make them work their best. It's very simple.
In the last few months I've lost 20 plus pounds and feel amazing. No detox required! And trust me...when I DO give in eat that pizza, even though I'm not supposed to, my body "detoxes" itself very quickly! Haha
Thanks for the encouragement and I'm thrilled that I could inspire you. :)
Thanks for the rebuttal Katie.
ReplyDeleteGood for you on all the healthy eating. I am proud of you...really. I am sorry that detoxing didn't work out for you. I guess to each his own. Obviously you are entitled to your opinion but just because it didn't work for you doesn't mean it doesn't work for everyone.
Example: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SGfr27EwGKA/SOU8jK8Q8aI/AAAAAAAAAro/I-p5hZAQ4i0/s1600-h/beforeandafters.jpg
Me? Christian? Yes. I just dont believe that God said "I am going to make you perfect and your body will cleanse itself" I think he said I am going to make you perfect and it is up to you to keep it that way. I think it is the same reason why God gave us a brain. I disagree with people who go through life making stupid choices and "blame" it all on God's will.
I also agree with you on the reasons why people fasted in the Bible. What I am saying is that MAYBE that fasting (detoxing) allowed their minds and bodies to be cleansed and that allowed them to be closer to God.
Detoxing Downtown,
ReplyDeleteDetoxing didn't work for me in the sense of following some crazy pill and cleansing program that was designed by someone else. If you really want to get technical about it, when I started to eat healthy and exercise, my body did it all on it's own. And according to the people that I know that have participated in long-term cleanses, I had the same feelings and results. I just didn't do anything crazy except eat healthy. What's worked the best in keeping that plan, is to do what most people call "perimeter shop" when they go to the grocery store. That just means to stick to the natural stuff on the outer rim, and away from all the junk and processed foods in the middle. (There are obvious reasons to go into the middle when you need dried items and baking goods)
As for God, I think He did create us perfectly, but we are a part of a fallen world. He gave us all the organs that are designed to be filters and detoxers...our liver and kidney and stomach being a huge part of that. Each organ is designed for a specific process...and you're right, we are supposed to make it easy on our bodies to do that. We are given a choice, and many times we fail and choose the things that are not as good for us because we just like them better.
As far as people going throughout life blaming God, that's the world. People make those stupid choices day in and day out (I'm one of them) and don't think twice. I'm sure you've heard people blame God when bad things happen to good people. All I'm saying in regards to our bodies is that people in today's culture don't like to take responsibility for their actions. They want to place blame on God making them less than perfect, or they blame not having enough money, and they even sue good companies when they make dumb mistakes (like spilling hot McDonalds coffee on your lap). I'm also not saying that everyone does this.
As far as the Bible is concerned, there is nothing to even IMPLY that Jesus and His followers were detoxing from food to be healthy and get toxins out of their bodies. And we can't even be so bold as to attach the word "detoxing" to the times that they were fasting. They are separate ideas with separate outcomes. But the idea of fasting is so that there are no distractions. It's like meditation (but without the Buddah).
I really appreciate your input here. I love that you believe in what you do and are committed to it. I think that everyone should strive to be healthy and to figure out what that means for them. But I just don't think that it can all boil down to detoxing. It's not a way of life. But I have come to the realization that detoxing can help you understand your body better. I would just challenge people to become more in-tune with their bodies by eating healthy and not getting caught up that something like lemon juice and cayenne pepper for 10 days is the answer to all your problems.