What are your thoughts on "Body Cleanses"?

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I would really like to do a cleanse to get rid of toxins in my body and have heard that they are really great for you. I don't have a lot of money to spend on one, can anyone recommend some good ones. I just have NO IDEA what to look for? Thanks SO MUCH!!

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  • RonSwanson66
    RonSwanson66 Posts: 1,150 Member
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    You heard wrong.

    Your body takes care of detoxifying itself just fine.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I would really like to do a cleanse to get rid of toxins in my body and have heard that they are really great for you. I don't have a lot of money to spend on one, can anyone recommend some good ones. I just have NO IDEA what to look for? Thanks SO MUCH!!

    Try intermittent fasting. All the hype of a cleanse...still gives your body enough nutrients.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    Water. Lots of good, plain water. Your body can do the rest all on its own.

    You can help it even further by focusing on things like fresh, very lightly cooked, or frozen vegetables with little to no sauces, and what is generally termed as "clean eating" which generally involves as few prepackaged, prepared foods as you can manage and a reasonable mix of carbohydrates, good fats, and proteins. Plus lots of fiber, but that will come pretty naturally in a "clean" diet.
  • doubglass
    doubglass Posts: 314 Member
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  • doubglass
    doubglass Posts: 314 Member
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    They don't work. However, they dehydrate you. What toxins do you think you have ingested that you need to get rid of?
  • sassysummer
    sassysummer Posts: 10
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    Thanks for the info everyone.... @doubglass I don't know of any per say. My mom passed away from breast cancer 15 years ago and she had to do a few colon type cleanses. The naturopath doc said that our colons contain many toxins. I just thought it sounded really gross and wondered if that might help to kind of get a "fresh start".
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
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    Most cleanses act similar to activated charcoal (actually used for binding toxins in poisoning cases). These cleanses pretty much use various types of clay...you are pretty much eating dirt that captures other particles (look up zeolites for specifics). Dietary fiber works in a similar manner

    IMHO, just let your body (liver and kidney) get rid of your "wastes". Your liver processes fatty substances into more water soluble substances to be removed through the kidneys. A calorie deficit will help ensure your liver is eating away at your excess fat...fat is where most toxins are stored BTW (Cleanses do NOT get rid of fat!)
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Thanks for the info everyone.... @doubglass I don't know of any per say. My mom passed away from breast cancer 15 years ago and she had to do a few colon type cleanses. The naturopath doc said that our colons contain many toxins. I just thought it sounded really gross and wondered if that might help to kind of get a "fresh start".

    And I'm sure he or she would have been happy to sell you a product to deal with that.

    In a way your naturopath (sorry, I won't use the term doctor for somebody with 4 years of undergraduate education) was correct, but that's also the reason we poop - it expels the waste products from our bodies. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, avoid processed foods and drink lots of water and, in the absence of acute disease or poisoning, your body does the rest.
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
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    Thanks for the info everyone.... @doubglass I don't know of any per say. My mom passed away from breast cancer 15 years ago and she had to do a few colon type cleanses. The naturopath doc said that our colons contain many toxins. I just thought it sounded really gross and wondered if that might help to kind of get a "fresh start".

    And I'm sure he or she would have been happy to sell you a product to deal with that.

    In a way your naturopath (sorry, I won't use the term doctor for somebody with 4 years of undergraduate education) was correct, but that's also the reason we poop - it expels the waste products from our bodies. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, avoid processed foods and drink lots of water and, in the absence of acute disease or poisoning, your body does the rest.

    A naturopath (ND) has to complete four additional years of schooling, actually.
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
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    Your system gets rid of the toxins in your body already, no need to do a cleanse. And also do not fast like someone else said.
    A healthy balanced diet will work perfect.
  • spartangirl79
    spartangirl79 Posts: 277 Member
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    Thanks for the info everyone.... @doubglass I don't know of any per say. My mom passed away from breast cancer 15 years ago and she had to do a few colon type cleanses. The naturopath doc said that our colons contain many toxins. I just thought it sounded really gross and wondered if that might help to kind of get a "fresh start".

    And I'm sure he or she would have been happy to sell you a product to deal with that.

    In a way your naturopath (sorry, I won't use the term doctor for somebody with 4 years of undergraduate education) was correct, but that's also the reason we poop - it expels the waste products from our bodies. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, avoid processed foods and drink lots of water and, in the absence of acute disease or poisoning, your body does the rest.

    A naturopath (ND) has to complete four additional years of schooling, actually.

    Or not...

    Wikipedia: "Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND or in Arizona "Naturopathic Medical Doctor" or NMD), in 16 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces refers exclusively to a medical degree granted by an accredited naturopathic medical school.[1] While these degrees may be held by people outside of these states and provinces, in most other jurisdictions, the terms are unprotected and may be used by anyone, regardless of educational level."
  • spartangirl79
    spartangirl79 Posts: 277 Member
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    "Body cleansing is not supported by science, with no medical benefits demonstrated, and is based on questionable or disproved scientific claims.[3][4][5][6] The toxins are usually undefined, with no evidence (or inappropriately used testing) for toxic accumulation in the patient.[7]"

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detoxification_(alternative_medicine)
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
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    WA licenses NDs and I'm going by Bastyr's information on their naturopathy degree program.
  • spartangirl79
    spartangirl79 Posts: 277 Member
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    That may be true, but you can also get naturopathy "degrees" entirely online from for-profit schools like DeVry etc. Yikes.
  • sassysummer
    sassysummer Posts: 10
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    Thanks for all of the info everyone...I will be listening to you all and NOT do a cleanse, just let drinking lots of water and a balanced diet do the job. Thanks for the tips!! :)
  • EternalJourney
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    I did a 8 day cleanse (would have continued but I had a strong strong craving and quit). I felt REALLY good doing my cleanse and enjoyed it greatly. It was a green smoothie cleanse :D I also did enemas which gave a euphora itself..

    but a cleanse is not good for weight loss. infact any weight you lose you will most likely gain back and fast. i gained back all 14 lbs i lost within 2 days.
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    I love st ives apricot scrub. It really cleanses my body and the scrubbing feels so good
  • doubglass
    doubglass Posts: 314 Member
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    Thanks for the info everyone.... @doubglass I don't know of any per say. My mom passed away from breast cancer 15 years ago and she had to do a few colon type cleanses. The naturopath doc said that our colons contain many toxins. I just thought it sounded really gross and wondered if that might help to kind of get a "fresh start".

    Anything in your colon is already on it's way out. Want to speed the process, just eat more fiber. You reduce your risk of many cancers, among them breast cancer, with a low fat, low red meat diet high in veggies and whole grains, Weight, lack of exercise and diabetes (often a weight related disease) appear to increase chances of cancer.