Do you have a digestive system, blood and a liver? Chances are, you do. So chances are your body can rid itself of toxins without the help of cleanse diets that are always popping up on the market.
I have always been amazed by this phenomenon. I can’t imagine drinking a maple syrup, cayenne pepper mix – as one of the popular cleanses proposes. Nothing about that sounds appetizing.
Beth Loiselle, staff dietitian at Good Foods Market & Cafe, said various conventional medical professions, including most licensed dietitians, typically espouse the body’s ability to adequately detox itself, while professions with an alternative view may think otherwise.
She acknowledged that while the body should be able to rid itself of toxins naturally, there may sometimes be a need for “help” in the form of a cleanse.
“Even if we are presently taking proper care of the body, most of us have not always done so,” she said. “And the environment is still toxic, for those now trying to do their best.”
I think she is right. Perhaps if a person has done some irreversible damage to their body over the years with poor nutrition or bad habits, I could see that they would need help. But I certainly would hope they would turn to a professional before heading to the store to buy a “cleanse” product or mixing something at home to ease their digestive suffering.
Oftentimes cleanses are used by people – and glamorized by celebrities like Beyonce and Oprah – who want to lose weight in a hurry without putting in the hard work of regular exercise and a balanced diet. Why bother eating healthy and hitting the gym when you can just cleanse the fat away?
