Hmm.. to detox, or not to detox, that is the question...

I have heard that a body cleanse/detoxification has many benefits. Looking for your input and personal experiences.

If you have done it, and would recommend it, what method or brand would you suggest???

Thanks Much!
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Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    My stock answer to MFP questions on detoxes:

    1. There is no (zero, zip, nada) credible scientific evidence that cleanses or detoxes do anything. No toxins magically get released from your body because you drank a juice, didn't chew any food for 3 days, took a pill, etc.

    2. Your liver and kidneys detox your body, day in and day out. That is what they are designed to do.

    Use common sense, eat real food, and your body will thank you.
  • Tammi140
    Tammi140 Posts: 47 Member
    My stock answer to MFP questions on detoxes:

    1. There is no (zero, zip, nada) credible scientific evidence that cleanses or detoxes do anything. No toxins magically get released from your body because you drank a juice, didn't chew any food for 3 days, took a pill, etc.

    2. Your liver and kidneys detox your body, day in and day out. That is what they are designed to do.

    Use common sense, eat real food, and your body will thank you.

    Thank you. So, people claim to lose a little weight, feel really good after detox, and boast healthier looking skin. Does anyone detox? If so, what benefits are you seeing?
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Oh, you can certainly lose weight. You'll just gain it right back when you eat real food again. People may have improved skin due to inadvertently cutting out ingredients/foods that weren't doing them any favors to begin with (food additives, sodium laden packaged foods, maybe an undiagnosed dairy intolerance, etc). There is also something to be said for the placebo effect.

    There is a lot of money to be made off of people looking for quick fixes, "re-starts," or any sort of silver bullet to cure their ills.
  • the only "detox" I do is taking a weekly super hot bath with hydrogen peroxide and epsom salts
  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
    Bump! Curious to see the responses...
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Any feelings of well-being are likely placebo effect. I mean really, who wants to admit they spent time and money on something thzt was useless? The're primed to get results even though there are none.
  • Tammi140
    Tammi140 Posts: 47 Member
    Oh, you can certainly lose weight. You'll just gain it right back when you eat real food again. People may have improved skin due to inadvertently cutting out ingredients/foods that weren't doing them any favors to begin with (food additives, sodium laden packaged foods, maybe an undiagnosed dairy intolerance, etc). There is also something to be said for the placebo effect.

    There is a lot of money to be made off of people looking for quick fixes, "re-starts," or any sort of silver bullet to cure their ills.

    So, is it a quick fix, "re-start," or a sort of silver bullet??? I can see that in your opinion it is, but I am asking all of MFP for their thoughts, and past experiences with detox.

    Its ok, debates are fine, but I would like to get more opinions on the subject if possible. Or, maybe it is not as popular as I thought, maybe just new to me...
  • peggymoney
    peggymoney Posts: 126 Member
    You can do a detox bath, I've not heard using peroxide. I've used apple cider vinegar and epsom salt and that helps draw out toxins and apple cider vinegar helps balance your PH levels.
    I agree that your body is designed to detox naturally. You should not have to do a reset but some people swear by them. I have heard friends who've done the "lemonade" detox have fewer sugar cravings and more veggie and fruit cravings and of course "Fat, sick and nearly dead" is a great doc about juice fasting.

    But for a normal person just abstaining from processed foods and adding more veggies and fruits will cause the same results of clearer skin, normal digestion and weight loss. Detoxes can do more harm because you aren't eating enough and usually will crash and eat all the things that hurt us (carbs/sugar)
  • LessMe2B
    LessMe2B Posts: 316
    My stock answer to MFP questions on detoxes:

    1. There is no (zero, zip, nada) credible scientific evidence that cleanses or detoxes do anything. No toxins magically get released from your body because you drank a juice, didn't chew any food for 3 days, took a pill, etc.

    2. Your liver and kidneys detox your body, day in and day out. That is what they are designed to do.

    Use common sense, eat real food, and your body will thank you.

    ^^^^^This^^^^^

    Read up on medical sights...NOT sights that sell detox programs. You will hear over and over again that detox juices and pills and diets work only to make you drop a pound or two that comes right back. Your body has organs that detox for you; just feed your body healthy foods and let it do its job.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Do a search on the forums here.

    What exactly are you trying to get rid of??
    Your liver, kidneys, spleen, and lymphatic system do a fine job of 'detoxing' your blood. So does sweating...
    Removing waste from your body makes you lose weight. Your intestines are nearly 30 feet long, so they can hold a lot of *kitten*.
    Eating food again makes you gain the weight back because you refill your intestines.

    You will waste your money, become weak and in the long run, do absolutely nothing for weight loss by doing a 'detox'.
  • iwantniceabs
    iwantniceabs Posts: 357 Member
    I recommend reading the book "Clean" by Alejandro Junger. It's got some really interesting ideas in it - he basically suggests doing a lot of juicing (not solely drinking juices) for 3 weeks in order to give your bodies natural detoxing organs and systems a little break and a jump start. The liver and kidneys DO detox our bodies for us already, but nowadays we eat so much food that the body is busy breaking down all that food all the time when it could be using that energy to help heal and maintain our body. As with any book or article, take it with a grain of salt. No one is right about everything, but he makes some good points. Good luck :)

    *I should say that I have followed a lot of his suggestions for several months and notice a HUGE difference in how I feel and how much energy I have, but I don't follow it to a T or anything.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Oh, you can certainly lose weight. You'll just gain it right back when you eat real food again. People may have improved skin due to inadvertently cutting out ingredients/foods that weren't doing them any favors to begin with (food additives, sodium laden packaged foods, maybe an undiagnosed dairy intolerance, etc). There is also something to be said for the placebo effect.

    There is a lot of money to be made off of people looking for quick fixes, "re-starts," or any sort of silver bullet to cure their ills.

    So, is it a quick fix, "re-start," or a sort of silver bullet??? I can see that in your opinion it is, but I am asking all of MFP for their thoughts, and past experiences with detox.

    Its ok, debates are fine, but I would like to get more opinions on the subject if possible. Or, maybe it is not as popular as I thought, maybe just new to me...

    It is fine to get opinions, but I think you are misunderstanding mine. A detox is NOT a quick fix. You will regain back any weight you lose and the results will be either from eliminating something from your diet that wasn't good (see my previous post) or all in your head (aka the placebo effect). Again, there is zero credible scientific evidence stating that detoxes do anything, which is why I am surprised so many people fall for it. I am just trying to save you time and money, but by all means go ahead and do one if you are so inclined. It likely won't do any damage, other than lighten your wallet.

    Edited to add, iwantniceabs had a great post above, and eating clean is probably the best thing you could do for your body. It isn't a "detox" but it lets your body do its thing naturally, as it was designed to do.
  • fitbum19
    fitbum19 Posts: 198 Member
    I am doing the BeachBody Ultimate Reset RIGHT NOW!!! look it up!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    I recommend reading the book "Clean" by Alejandro Junger. It's got some really interesting ideas in it - he basically suggests doing a lot of juicing (not solely drinking juices) for 3 weeks in order to give your bodies natural detoxing organs and systems a little break and a jump start. The liver and kidneys DO detox our bodies for us already, but nowadays we eat so much food that the body is busy breaking down all that food all the time when it could be using that energy to help heal and maintain our body. As with any book or article, take it with a grain of salt. No one is right about everything, but he makes some good points. Good luck :)

    *I should say that I have followed a lot of his suggestions for several months and notice a HUGE difference in how I feel and how much energy I have, but I don't follow it to a T or anything.

    Your liver and kidneys do not need a "break." Even if you're not eating, all your cellular functions are continuallly creating waste and by products that yorur organs process around the clock. The idea that they need to "rest" is preposterous. Does your heart need to rest from all that pumping?
  • Tammi140
    Tammi140 Posts: 47 Member
    Thank you all. Basically, from what I am hearing, detox is not something most of you would do. Thanks for your posts.

    I guess I was not planning on spending money on anything, since there are plenty of natural detox solutions. The benefits that I have read about seemed logical to me, but again, I am just one person :) Thanks for your input!
  • t0yoda
    t0yoda Posts: 2
    personally I didn't believe in lemon cleanse aka master cleanse at first, but I felt so much healthier after doing it. I was about to go into detail about it but there are already threads on this forum on it after searching...
    I swear it cured my acid reflux and bloatiness. It must've cleaned my intestines out of something nasty stuck in there for years. I lost 10 lbs in the first 3 days. However, I expected to gain the weight back after easing back into solid foods.
    It costs money for the lemons and the expensive grade B maple syrup (around $30), water and cayenne....but you would spend all that money going out to eat anyway or on your other meals. It isn't for everyone, but it's worth a shot even for the 3 or 4 minimum days to detox.
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 308 Member
    If you're looking for people's opinions on detoxes, then the only opinion on them is that they are awesome and will make you feel amazing, look amazing, lose weight and every other good thing you've heard.

    If you're looking for facts on them...they're a total waste of time and money.
  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
    I recommend reading the book "Clean" by Alejandro Junger. It's got some really interesting ideas in it - he basically suggests doing a lot of juicing (not solely drinking juices) for 3 weeks in order to give your bodies natural detoxing organs and systems a little break and a jump start. The liver and kidneys DO detox our bodies for us already, but nowadays we eat so much food that the body is busy breaking down all that food all the time when it could be using that energy to help heal and maintain our body. As with any book or article, take it with a grain of salt. No one is right about everything, but he makes some good points. Good luck :)

    *I should say that I have followed a lot of his suggestions for several months and notice a HUGE difference in how I feel and how much energy I have, but I don't follow it to a T or anything.

    Your liver and kidneys do not need a "break." Even if you're not eating, all your cellular functions are continuallly creating waste and by products that yorur organs process around the clock. The idea that they need to "rest" is preposterous. Does your heart need to rest from all that pumping?

    I agree with the first poster that our organs and digestive system can use a break now and then. Less energy spent on digestion and ridding the body of chemicals and unnatural things - the more time the body has to focus on healing other parts of the body. Kimberly Snyder's book, The Beauty Detox Solution" is another good reference. She swears by a plant-based diet, and her famous Glowing Green Smoothie is great.

    You are going to get tons of people on here who are anti-detox of any kind. It's like a wall goes up when they read the word detox. Some are gimicky, yes, but not all are bad. I say research it, read about it, educate yourself, and if you see nothing wrong with it - then try it. Personally I'm not going to consume only lemon water and cayenne pepper, but that's just me. Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    You can do a detox bath, I've not heard using peroxide. I've used apple cider vinegar and epsom salt and that helps draw out toxins and apple cider vinegar helps balance your PH levels...
    What specific toxins does a "detox" draw out of one's body? I've seen this question asked many times, yet no detox advocate has ever provided a specific answer for it....just "u no...teh toxinzzz!"

    Also, if these toxins are circulating through your bloodstream or in your digestive system, how specifically does a bath draw them to the surface and remove them from one's body? Is it by some osmotic process? I'd really like to know.

    To the OP: Here's a thread further discussing cleanses and detoxes in more specific/scientific terms - and also contains a link (near the end of the post) to one poster's experience with the Master Cleanse:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/821828-detoxes-and-cleanses
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Please read Anvilheads link. Then, please disregard the ridiculous notion that you need to detox. And I don't say this to judge you, I'm trying to save your toilet paper budget and adherence to your diet.
  • glitteredgrave
    glitteredgrave Posts: 194 Member
    Last year I was feeling impulsive and decided on a whim to try the Lemonade detox thing. Master Cleanse I think it's called. I followed all the rules for two days, and I these intense migraines I couldn't take (I have migraines normally and they make me wish I was dead) so, I gave up and went out for chinese food. I'd like to try it again just to prove I can do it, but the suffering was intense. haha
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    I'm not going to pile on, except to say that I agree with those saying not to waste your money, its not a reboot, your organs don't need a break from doing their daily function etc. Would you go on a breathing tube to give your lungs a break? All of these cleanses and detoxes are just scams.

    And if you're still curious and don't mind the language, here is a great read on what being on a juice cleanse is really like

    http://jezebel.com/5975942/****-this-****ing-lawn-water-five-days-on-a-juice-cleanse

    edited to say the actual words in the link won't post...but I bet you can guess.
  • TamaBrett
    TamaBrett Posts: 22 Member
    The only thing I'll add is that many of these detoxes are not just a waste but are in fact detrimental to your health. Going more than a few days with out normal levels of protein input will cause muscle loss and tissue damage.
  • I have done the 15day tablet based detox before and found them very restrictive. No dairy including eggs, no meat (tuna in brine and steamed fish alowed every second day.) Lots of lentals and beans and spelt pasta alowed. I did loose weight and managed to keep half of it off, but it wasnt my idea of enjoying life.

    I like to do my version of a detox. If you cant kill it, or grow it, then dont eat it. basically cut out foods that come in cardboard boxes and packets and get back to cooking real fresh foods that tasts great and the whole family can eat. :wink:
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I am doing the BeachBody Ultimate Reset RIGHT NOW!!! look it up!

    So, basically you spent a lot of money to eat nasty food (tempeh? YUCK) that really just a low calorie weird almost vegan diet...

    You could have just...

    Eaten less weird vegan foods instead for the same results. Unless you actually *like* the taste of that alkaline drink they sell???
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Science says no.

    If you ask enough people, you'll find people that say the Earth is flat http://theflatearthsociety.org/cms/

    They will still be wrong, completely wasting their time, and leading others astray with their beliefs.
  • pure_of_heart
    pure_of_heart Posts: 32 Member
    From time to time, I eliminate for a period added sugar, alcohol, dairy, processed grains/meats and high fat meats. Not sure if it "cleanses" but it does make going back to the healthy moderate diet of 1200-1500 calories much easier as I find my taste buds change.
  • Tammi140
    Tammi140 Posts: 47 Member
    I recommend reading the book "Clean" by Alejandro Junger. It's got some really interesting ideas in it - he basically suggests doing a lot of juicing (not solely drinking juices) for 3 weeks in order to give your bodies natural detoxing organs and systems a little break and a jump start. The liver and kidneys DO detox our bodies for us already, but nowadays we eat so much food that the body is busy breaking down all that food all the time when it could be using that energy to help heal and maintain our body. As with any book or article, take it with a grain of salt. No one is right about everything, but he makes some good points. Good luck :)

    *I should say that I have followed a lot of his suggestions for several months and notice a HUGE difference in how I feel and how much energy I have, but I don't follow it to a T or anything.

    Your liver and kidneys do not need a "break." Even if you're not eating, all your cellular functions are continuallly creating waste and by products that yorur organs process around the clock. The idea that they need to "rest" is preposterous. Does your heart need to rest from all that pumping?

    My heart wouldnt need rest from "all that pumping", but what I put in my body decides how hard my heart has to pump. Being that eating unhealthy definately puts you at risk for heart disease, wouldn't excess metals, toxins and free radicals give your cleansing organs more of a workout than need be?

    I am asking the people that HAVE detoxed, if it is something that they would reccommend. Nowhere in my post did I say I wanted to lose a ton of weight fast and spend a bunch of money. Geesh, tough crowd.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    My stock answer to MFP questions on detoxes:

    1. There is no (zero, zip, nada) credible scientific evidence that cleanses or detoxes do anything. No toxins magically get released from your body because you drank a juice, didn't chew any food for 3 days, took a pill, etc.

    2. Your liver and kidneys detox your body, day in and day out. That is what they are designed to do.

    Use common sense, eat real food, and your body will thank you.


    ^^^^^Agreed!!!!!!
  • MomiTia
    MomiTia Posts: 94 Member
    I do it once a quarter, it does not need any extra money, its called the gm diet n i do regain half of the lost weight but i like the benefits, my skin does look more radiant, it forces me to eat better coz om commited n i can eat as much as i like, just not what i like, takes a week, u could look at gmdietworks.com.