Detox: Science behind it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/detox-treatments-by-dr-oz-and-others-lack-evidence-benefit-1.2498910


Consumers are inundated by headlines that say our bodies absorb a wide variety of environmental toxins on a daily basis, from mercury in fish to carpet off-gases to chemicals in our drinking water. Detox programs are often advertised as a remedy for this.

Detox cleanses are the darlings of celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, who publishes cleanse diet recipes on her website Goop, as well as Demi Moore, who actively promotes the use of leeches as a detoxifying treatment.
«1

Replies

  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    i did one once and had a bad reaction from it. my dr freaked and said " there is NO proof of any scientific evidence to do one"... our bodies clean themselves. let them do what they need to do... i will never do one again!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,210 Member
    Funny how science quietens the detox landscape.:wink:
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    http://www.maybeiwill.com/2013/06/beyonces-magical-go-to-detox.html

    Well on this detox you can lose 20lbs in 10 days by eating no food and just drinking this miracle concoction. If Beyonce does it it must be true.
  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
    From Harvard Medical school about cleansing and detoxes.....



    "The body’s own detox system

    We tend to forget that the body is equipped with a detoxification system of its own, which includes the following:

    The skin. The main function of the body’s largest organ is to provide a barrier against harmful substances, from bacteria and viruses to heavy metals and chemical toxins.

    The respiratory system. Fine hairs inside the nose trap dirt and other large particles that may be inhaled. Smaller particles that make it to the lungs are expelled from the airways in mucus.

    The immune system. This exquisitely orchestrated network of cells and molecules is designed to recognize foreign substances and eliminate them from the body.

    The intestines. Peyer’s patches — lymph nodes in the small intestine — screen out parasites and other foreign substances before nutrients are absorbed into the blood from the colon.

    The liver. Acting as the body’s principal filter, the liver produces a family of proteins called metallothioneins. Metallothioneins neutralize harmful metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury to prepare for their elimination from the body. Liver cells also produce groups of enzymes that regulate the metabolism of drugs and are an important part of the body’s defense against harmful chemicals and other toxins.

    The kidneys. The fact that urine tests are used to screen for drugs and toxins is a testament to the kidneys' remarkable efficiency in filtering out waste substances and moving them out of the body."
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    http://www.maybeiwill.com/2013/06/beyonces-magical-go-to-detox.html

    Well on this detox you can lose 20lbs in 10 days by eating no food and just drinking this miracle concoction. If Beyonce does it it must be true.
    Oh my goodness, I want to do that! :bigsmile:

    I wonder what happened after the ten days and Beyonce goes back t normal eating? She gains all the weight back, of course, then has to go on another detox or diet to lose the weight. A vicious cycle I don't want to be one.

    It's true, out bodies naturally detox themselves. No further detoxing needed.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    http://www.maybeiwill.com/2013/06/beyonces-magical-go-to-detox.html

    Well on this detox you can lose 20lbs in 10 days by eating no food and just drinking this miracle concoction. If Beyonce does it it must be true.

    ^^I hope that was a joke. What confirmation to you have that Beyonce did the cleanse? A Blog? We all know those blogs and the media for that matter never lie or get anything wrong. Funny how all these "quick fixes" for weight loss gets so much attention yet eating healthy does not. Sad........just sad.
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Look at the demographic of the average detoxer. When you have no real problems you have to invent fake ones to solve.
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    tumblr_mfugs7Cwsz1s1xwpdo1_500.jpg
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    A few years ago I landed in the hospital with a bacterial infection that required IV antibiotics. I was 300lbs, probably an alcoholic, had severely elevated liver enzymes, and was generally a mess. One of the nurses suggested a liver cleanse of Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes or Cayenne, and olive oil. When I got home from the hospital, I found the recipe she had written down in my bag.

    I've been using this on a weekly basis ever since.

    Not as a liver cleanse, though. It's one of the best chicken marinades I've ever had.

    ETA: I fixed my liver enzymes with Diet, Exercise, Learning to drink in moderation, and time. There is no other way.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Funny how science quietens the detox landscape.:wink:

    This thread is surprisingly devoid of pro-detox posters.
  • loulop1
    loulop1 Posts: 11
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Funny how science quietens the detox landscape.:wink:

    This thread is surprisingly devoid of pro-detox posters.
    You spoke too soon. :laugh:
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Bump for referencing later.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...
    Ya that sciencey stuff is a bunch of baloney.
    Aunt Pearl's rejuvenating magical elixir is the proven remedy.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,210 Member
    Funny how science quietens the detox landscape.:wink:

    This thread is surprisingly devoid of pro-detox posters.
    You spoke too soon. :laugh:
    Bless their hearts.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
    Sure there are things we are able to do to help kick start a detox, but out bodies are made to clean themselves.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    A few years ago I landed in the hospital with a bacterial infection that required IV antibiotics. I was 300lbs, probably an alcoholic, had severely elevated liver enzymes, and was generally a mess. One of the nurses suggested a liver cleanse of Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes or Cayenne, and olive oil. When I got home from the hospital, I found the recipe she had written down in my bag.

    I've been using this on a weekly basis ever since.

    Not as a liver cleanse, though. It's one of the best chicken marinades I've ever had.

    ETA: I fixed my liver enzymes with Diet, Exercise, Learning to drink in moderation, and time. There is no other way.

    Awesome post is awesome!
    Congratulations on improving your health!! :bigsmile: :flowerforyou:
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...

    this says nothing of any medical proof that this detox did anything for you. In fact, you had to fight hunger pangs, which shows you could have just resisted the "Cravings" you wanted to get rid of to begin with. And the scatter-brained feeling means your brain chemistry was not correct. Detox programs do nothing medically positive for the body.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    A few years ago I landed in the hospital with a bacterial infection that required IV antibiotics. I was 300lbs, probably an alcoholic, had severely elevated liver enzymes, and was generally a mess. One of the nurses suggested a liver cleanse of Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes or Cayenne, and olive oil. When I got home from the hospital, I found the recipe she had written down in my bag.

    I've been using this on a weekly basis ever since.

    Not as a liver cleanse, though. It's one of the best chicken marinades I've ever had.

    ETA: I fixed my liver enzymes with Diet, Exercise, Learning to drink in moderation, and time. There is no other way.

    I'm totally going to be marinating my chicken with this tomorrow night. :tongue: Thanks!
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...

    I'm happy that you're healthier and no longer in pain.

    Drew Canole is a "transformation specialist" and "life coach" which means nothing to me. And he makes MUCH MUCH more money annually than any medical professional who has treated me. Frankly, my experience with medical professionals (doctors) is that they actually encourage the use of "home remedies" that genuinely work.

    When you have a sweet tooth, you satisfy it by eating an apple that has lower calories and more fiber than a Twix bar. You're still eating sugar, you're just making a better choice.

    I believe that your improved health is likely because you chose to eat more nutrient rich foods and ate in moderation.

    And I think you have the wolves confused with the sheep.
  • loulop1
    loulop1 Posts: 11
    Referring to age, I have been detoxing for over 40 years, when I was in my 30s I did the Master Cleanse (that's the one you only drink a lemonade w/ cayenne pepper and pure maple syrup) for 8 days and I was working at that time and the energy I had was amazing, but I never did that one again it was hard to do it.
    But since then I have been doing it at least once or twice a year with juicing... and did I mention I am 75 going on 76 next month?
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...

    While I am certainly glad you are feeling better, you likely would have gotten the same results by finding out what food is causing your inflammation and eliminating it. Be on the look out as you start adding more foods in.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Referring to age, I have been detoxing for over 40 years, when I was in my 30s I did the Master Cleanse (that's the one you only drink a lemonade w/ cayenne pepper and pure maple syrup) for 8 days and I was working at that time and the energy I had was amazing, but I never did that one again it was hard to do it.
    But since then I have been doing it at least once or twice a year with juicing... and did I mention I am 75 going on 76 next month?

    Congratulations on your longevity and health. Honestly.

    I can't help but wonder, then, why you are on MFP?
    If simple detox is helping you so much, why do you take the time to be a member of this community?
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Referring to age, I have been detoxing for over 40 years, when I was in my 30s I did the Master Cleanse (that's the one you only drink a lemonade w/ cayenne pepper and pure maple syrup) for 8 days and I was working at that time and the energy I had was amazing, but I never did that one again it was hard to do it.
    But since then I have been doing it at least once or twice a year with juicing... and did I mention I am 75 going on 76 next month?

    If you were regularly drinking something with maple syrup in it, of course you had energy, with so much sugar. It doesn't matter how old you are, or how long you've been doing this. The point is there are better ways to do it.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...

    Name a disease we have today that we didn't have 100 years ago.
  • loulop1
    loulop1 Posts: 11
    I am here because I want to lose weight, I like comfort food, but once in a while when I start feeling not so good, sluggish then I do a detox and go back to eating more vegetables and fruits instead of breads and cookies.
    My mother pass when she was 99 years old, so I have good genes from both sides, my grandmother on father side pass at the age of 94, so I want to reach that age in good health and sharp brain.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I do detox once in a while, and I have been doing for many years, as a matter of fact I just finish one. I lost 4.5 lbs in 4 days, mostly water that keep waking me up every 2 hours, but I did it with juicing vegetables and fruits, with Drew Canole system of 5 days Detox.
    And I can tell you the reason I did it, because I wanted to lose 50 lbs this year, and I have too many cravings that I wanted to eliminate before starting to get serious.
    The first couple of days are the worse, because you feel a little hungry, but the worse for me was that I could not focused on anything, I have scattered brain on the second day, but let me tell you by the third day you start feeling with so much energy, that's amazing.
    And you eat egg whites on the 4th day, and on the 5th you can have fish or chicken for dinner.
    I don't have any cravings now, I don't crave sugar at all, I am happy to have an apple. I used to have a drink around 5pm I don't even think about it, and my join and lower back pain are gone.
    So all I am saying is that the Medical Profession have always been skeptical about home remedies, but they have only been around for this last century and we have been in this planet for a long time and we survived. Granted to them we live longer now, but not healthier, we have a lot of diseases now than before, thanks to all the chemicals, pesticides, gmo's etc, etc...

    Name a disease we have today that we didn't have 100 years ago.

    AIDS. Ebola. SARS.
    I'm with on the no-detox train but Mother Nature loves to invent new diseases to help her with population control.
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
    so who all is into detoxing?
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I am here because I want to lose weight, I like comfort food, but once in a while when I start feeling not so good, sluggish then I do a detox and go back to eating more vegetables and fruits instead of breads and cookies.
    My mother pass when she was 99 years old, so I have good genes from both sides, my grandmother on father side pass at the age of 94, so I want to reach that age in good health and sharp brain.

    So basically you just what you want to the majority of the time, then you do a quick cleanse. Great advice. Um, if you want to lose weight then eat at a calorie deficit. You are not doing good things to your brain and body by eating whatever you want to and then not eating at all for a few days.