Spring Clean Your Body: Here's How to Do It

You give your house a “spring cleaning” when March or April rolls around, so why not do the same for your body? Cleanses or detox programs have become quite popular over the past few years as a way to rid your body of dangerous toxins and possibly even lead to weight loss. The following article takes a look at the pros and cons of such programs and what to look for if you’re interested in giving your body a spring cleaning.

Scientists, doctors and conventional medicine define detoxification as a process of removing toxic wastes from the body, built up over years of alcohol, drug and tobacco abuse as well as unhealthy eating habits.

The detox procedures you’ve probably heard of come under “body cleansing” - a method that, although yet to be scientifically proven, has become quite popular among practitioners of alternate medicine and those wishing to lose weight.

Such cleansing procedures often require that for a few days, participants consume only fruits, raw or steamed vegetables and water as their diet. Processed and spicy food intake is to be stopped completely for that time period. Many cleanses also require you to control or restrict meat, alcohol and cigarettes or other drugs. Other cleansing “programs” involve drinking formulas fortified with natural ingredients, vitamins and minerals.

A popular procedure carried out in body cleansing is colon cleansing. This type of cleansing ranges from a “kit” you can purchase at your local health food store to a semi-surgical procedure (which has received flak and fame equally). The surgical colon cleansing in particular is a questionable procedure because its results are yet to be scientifically proven. Also, if done incorrectly or repeatedly it can lead to complications like depriving your colon of its beneficial bacteria, electrolyte imbalances, amoebiasis, heart attack, over-dependence on laxatives and reduced colon functionality. The underlying argument against the necessity of body cleansing is the fact that the human body is more than efficient at waste disposal and does not require any additional help.

Other opponents to cleansing claim that restricting or completely stopping intake of certain foods for long periods of time exposes the body to nutritional deficiency and is hardly a healthy way to reduce weight. Additionally, not many doctors and scientists will vouch that such detox diets can cure any illnesses or overcome serious health problems on their own. This is largely due to lack of scientific, controlled experiments, research, and the general non-relation between the detoxification procedures and the illnesses they claim to cure.

Should you undergo detoxification?
Well, it all depends on how realistic your expectations are, and the approach you choose to take. For instance, no one can deny the health benefits of a diet rich in natural fiber and low in fatty, salty processed foods, sugar, and alcohol. But if you’re only adhering to this regimen for a short period of time, or one day a week, you’re not going to receive much benefit. Also, you need to consider the limits of your own body. While some people can exist on only liquids or raw foods for days at a time, your body might require more than that to have enough energy to get through your day.

Instead of adopting such extremities, it would make more sense to incorporate certain aspects of detox diets into your everyday life. You then make it a standard part of your lifestyle, but can still enjoy the occasional splurge. Thus, your body is essentially in a constant “detox” mode.

If you’re considering trying a detox program or cleanse, consult with your healthcare provider or nutritionist to make sure it’s a right choice for you.