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Detox Diets: What Are They?

A detox diet is a diet that helps you to get rid of environmental and dietary toxins from your body. There are many diet plans that include: colonic hydrotherapy, supplements, herbs, diet recommendations and exercise.

Although, there are many types of diets in the market, they all serve the same purposes. For example, almost all of them minimize the amounts of chemicals ingested. They also emphasize intake of foods that provide the nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins that the body needs in order for detoxification to take place.

Most of the diets contain high fiber foods and water. The high fiber foods and water aid in removing and eliminating toxins thus increasing the frequency at which you go to the bathroom.

Reasons why people use detox diets

The main reason why many people take the diets is to get rid of toxins that might be in the body. Toxins include: hormones in food, chemicals from household cleaners, food additives, pollution, cigarette smoke, drugs, and detergents.

When these toxins accumulate in the body they lead to illnesses that are linked to: impaired immune function, hormonal imbalance, inefficient metabolism, and nutritional deficiency.

Signs of diseases caused by accumulated toxins are: indigestion, sluggishness, bad breath, headaches, poor skin, muscle pain, fatigue, and poor concentration.

If you feel that you need to detoxify your body, you should first consult your medical doctor. If you are pregnant or nursing a child, you shouldn’t go on a detox diet as it can have a number of negative effects on you. If you have a medical condition such as a liver or kidney disease you should go on diet only under strict supervision of your doctor.

Negatives of detox diets

Although, detox diets are great as they greatly improve your health condition, they have a number of caveats:

Since they usually discourage you from using caffeine, many people tend to suffer from headaches after a few days of starting the diet.

To avoid suffering from headache, it’s recommended that you gradually reduce the amount of caffeine that you take.

Other than headache, another side effect of the diet is excessive diarrhea which can result to dehydration and electrolyte loss if it’s not well monitored. You can also suffer from constipation if you consume a lot of fiber without increasing your fluid intake.

Conclusion

This is what you need to know about a detox diet. Always remember that you shouldn’t start taking a diet without first consulting your doctor.

Felix G 

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