So you had a little too much to drink, eat and maybe even picked up some other bad habits over the holidays. Now, as a result, you're feeling sluggish, tired and lethargic? It sounds like you've come down with a bad case of what we like to call the 'holiday hangover'. But you realize that, and this is why you are considering a cleanse or detox. Often, when we expose our bodies to toxins, such as too much alcohol, it is normal to feel the need to help our bodies rid themselves of them. However, there is a difference between tossing the word around and actually buckling down and doing it. But first, let's be clear, detoxes and diets are not the same. And before we delve into these detoxification tips, let's first understand that there are several detoxes that are hard on your body and will actually do more harm than good – we're here to help you do it the proper way.

But first, we know you're all asking the same thing, so we won't make you wait... does detoxing work?

Yes, BUT (and it's a big but, so pay attention), not all detoxes are created equal and not all detoxes are created for all people. You also have to remember that there is a difference between dieting and detoxing – we wanted to remind you of that fact, again.

How Does a Detox Work?

A detox, short for detoxification, is the body's natural, ongoing process of neutralizing or eliminating toxins from the body. What are toxins? This can be anything that can potentially harm body tissue – think of the process that leads to ammonia, or even man-made toxins that are floating around in the environment that we ingest. Together, our liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, skin, blood and lymphatic systems work to ensure toxins are transformed to less harmful compounds and disposed of from our body, a detox simply helps this process along. Did you know that the average American has over 90 toxic chemicals in their body? While this stat is scary, Dr. Oz only recommends doing a cleanse 3-4 times a year, at most.

What is a Detox?

Let’s start with a quick definition of a detox [or detox diet] because there are so many options out there, and we couldn’t possibly address them all in one article. It's also important to understand the point of a detox diet. For the purposes of this article, we are talking about a 2-3 week (minimum) restriction of certain foods and drinks that tend to be harder on the detoxification system of the body. The detox that is referenced here may also include the addition of other herbs, vitamins, minerals or nutrients that are known to support specific organs of detoxification (which are the liver, colon, and kidneys). We are not talking about calorie-restricted, or ‘juice’ diets (including the well-known cayenne, maple syrup, and lemon water detox), nor a detox that contains heavy and harsh laxatives that keep you running to the washroom the entire life of the detox. The foods and herbs in these diets are not meant to directly cleanse the body of anything. A good detox simply aims to support the organs that are responsible for the mighty job of detoxification, and in so doing, speed up/encourage these processes more, so your body can be more effective. A detox diet/cleanse can, if done correctly, work quite well – leading to improvements in liver function, elimination processes/bowel function, clearer skin, less bloating and gas, improvements in mental function and mood, as well as provide an increase in energy, for starters. And even weight loss.

The Main Detoxification Organs

Everything that we consume, including food, medication, drinks, and supplements, is filtered through our liver, making it the most important organ in detoxification. Other organs that play important roles in the detoxification process are the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and skin. Since everything is filtered through the liver, it can get sluggish over time from all of the processed, refined and fast food chemicals we consume. In fact, alcohol, refined sugar, coffee, processed/pre-made food and fast foods are included as restricted foods when doing a detox.

Detoxification Tips: Herbs and Nutrients

Herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion, globe artichoke, and curcumin are important for liver support, as are lipotropic factors, choline, inositol, and methionine. Vitamins C, E, and a full range of B’s, as well as minerals such as magnesium, selenium, and molybdenum, are also vitally important for the detoxification process. A number of /articles/supplements/amino-acid-complex/ (taurine, glycine, glutamic acid), along with CoQ10, and NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine), are also necessary nutrients for detox – your lungs, liver, and kidneys all benefit from these.

What a detox diet consists of:

  • Fruits: Apples, bananas, pears, oranges, etc. [fresh, frozen, dried or canned in natural fruit juice]
  • Fruit juice: Homemade fresh fruit juices or smoothies [not sweetened]
  • Vegetables: Almost any vegetable: carrots, turnips, sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, sweet corn, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, salad, etc. [fresh or frozen]
  • Beans and lentils: Any beans: haricot, cannelloni, red kidney, black eye, red lentils, green lentils, etc [fresh, dried or canned in water]
  • Starches: Potatoes [all types], brown rice, rice noodles, etc.
  • Fresh fish: Any fresh fish: cod, salmon, lobster, plaice, mackerel, crab, trout, haddock, tuna, Dover sole, red mullet, prawns, etc
  • Unsalted nuts: Brazil, cashew, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, macadamia, walnuts, pistachio, etc
  • Live natural yogurt
  • Extras: Garlic, ginger and fresh herbs, honey, etc
  • Drink: Tap or mineral water [at least 2 litres a day] + herbal/fruit teas

Avoid eating:

  • Meats: Chicken, turkey, Red meat, and meat products such as burgers, sausages, etc
  • Milk and milk products, such as cheese, cream, and butter
  • Eggs
  • Breads: Anything that contains wheat, etc
  • Salted snacks, salted nuts
  • Refined Sugars: Sweets, jam, chocolate, sugar, etc
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee, tea
  • Fizzy drinks
  • Squashes: all types
  • Processed foods
  • Sauces: salad dressing, pickles, mayonnaise, etc.
  • Salt

Detoxification Tips: Things to Avoid

The diets in the following list have the potential to be harmful and hard on the body. As Dr. Oz exclaims, downsides to popular detoxes can rob the body of important nutrients, place your body in starvation mode and in turn, actually slow down your metabolism. These types of detoxes are typically, if anything, more taxing on our organs and can create dehydration, fatigue, dizziness and/or nausea.

  • Avoid 2-3 day detox kits (they tend to be very harsh as they are trying to speed up a process that in no way can, or should happen this quickly.). These short detox diets also tend to be very restrictive, which can have consequences for those with blood sugar issues, blood pressure issues, or immune deficiencies, to name a few.
  • Avoid detoxes that use harsh/strong laxatives, and a lot of them, to increase elimination of waste. These can be very inflammatory to the bowel, and for those with inflammatory bowel issues, will surely cause a flare-up. They can also cause cramping, diarrhea, nausea, and dehydration, to name a few side effects.
  • Avoid calorie-restricted detoxes that last more than 24 hours. Juice diets have their place, but need to be conducted under the strict supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner, and again, are not for everyone.
    Be cautious when doing these, or any detox, in the heart of the summer or winter. Especially in the winter, when our body is already overwhelmed with cold and flu viruses, and other infection, a detox can further compromise or weaken your immune defences. You should never start a detox when you have an infection.

Other helpful hints
Another ‘must’ with any detox is increasing water consumption, along with fibre. This gently supports the bowel in its job of eliminating all the toxins filtered by the liver, and helps to decrease any side effects. Exercise can also help to support the detoxification process and elimination of toxins through the skin (sweat). So get moving!

How Will A Detox Make Me Feel?

The detox that we are talking about here will have significantly fewer side effects than many of the ‘unhealthier’ detox options. That being said, headaches during detoxification are very common, as are acne flare-ups or skin exacerbation. Generally, the first week of a detox can cause individuals to feel a little more lethargic than usual. Listen to your body and be gentle with it. Go to bed early if you are tired, and don't overdo it with exercise if your body is saying no. By the end of the second week, most people feel significantly better than they did before they started.

We advise you to seek the advice of a Naturopathic doctor before starting any detox regime – they can tailor the detox to your individual needs, and monitor your progress throughout.