The professional public in the field of health is increasingly raising their voice against the use of the word "detox" in describing the effects of food products, and especially various modern diets. A few days ago, the respected "New Scientist" published a comment by one of the authorities in the field of food industry development,Anthony Warner, who called for a ban on this word, citing examples of its abuse.
Detox ", ie detoxification, say dictionaries, is a process or a period of time when we renounce the introduction of toxins into the body, or expel them from the body. However, scientists agree on a distorted picture of this process - in people whose kidneys and liver function, the body efficiently removes toxins without ingesting water with lemon and cucumber.
Nutritionist from the Mayo Clinic, Catherine Zeratski, states, for example, that there is a lack of evidence that popular detox diets actually eliminate toxins from the body. Modern recommendations for "cleansing" the body are mainly reduced to a period of starvation, followed by eating raw fruits and vegetables and plenty of water, sometimes with herbs.
Stating that the human body is otherwise very efficient in eliminating most toxins, she adds that some people will still feel better after a few days of this lifestyle because they have not eaten highly processed foods full of harmful sugars and fats. However, as the same diet implies a very limited intake of protein, as well as starvation, the effect is very short-lived and it is not surprising that soon many feel tired, and in the long run they have problems with a deficiency of some minerals and vitamins.
A few years ago, scientists gathered around the organization "Sense About Science" explained that drinking pills and drinks that will miraculously cleanse us from New Year's overeating is a pure waste of time and money, stating that in Britain alone, a "detox job" is worth tens of millions. pounds. Instead, you should use water, fresh air and get enough sleep, they say in that organization. In this context, the term "detox" is, they say, meaningless, because the body is perfectly capable of cleansing itself of harmful substances. That term, they conclude, only creates a misconception about how our body, diet and chemistry work in general.
Roger Clemens, a professor of toxicology and molecular pharmacology at the University of Southern California, and endocrinologist Dr. Peter Presman state in a joint text on the functioning of the detox diet: less headaches (reduced alcohol and caffeine), and add that the benefits people feel have nothing to do with increased toxin excretion.
Healthy adults, even obese ones, are endowed with an exceptional system for eliminating waste and regulating body chemistry. "Our lungs, kidneys, liver, digestive system and immune system are effective in removing or neutralizing toxic substances within hours of consumption," these professors explain. Instead of magic potions and extreme diets that mean that some foods are completely excluded from use, they recommend moderation and variety.
The organism is so complex that it knows exactly when and what it needs, it just needs to be obeyed