Photography by Marcus Nilsson
How can you tell if your summer ‘cleanse’ is more hype than health?
Let’s face it, there are a lot of ‘cleansing’ programmes out there claiming to detoxify your whole body and help melt fat that fat away. But the big question is… are they all bogus, or is there some truth to them?
Common Myth: Certain liquid diets can ‘push out’ toxins
Sigh. No juice-only diet can magically eliminate toxins or flush your system faster than your built-in clean-up crew (yeah, we’re talking about your liver, kidneys and colon). “The best ‘cleansing’ strategy is a proper diet, regular exercise, and not smoking,” says Dr. Stephen Dahmer. The only time you’d need to seek external help would be if your organs were in some kind of failure, and, in that instance, it’d take a lot more than liquid cleanse to fix the problem.
Common Myth: Downing loads of H2O will detoxify your system
While good ‘ol water definitely does hydrate your liver and kidneys, and forces those nasties out of your body via urination… it can be dangerous in excessive amounts. Yup, ‘water intoxication’ is an actual thing! Symptoms include headache, fatigue, vomiting and ‘brain fog’. “Drink nine glasses of water spaced throughout the day,” says Dr. Connie Diekman.
Common Myth: You can sweat toxins out in the sauna
True – a small amount of toxins will leave your body if your really sweat it out. But just remember… “very heavy sweating can impair the body’s natural detox system, making it less efficient,” says Dahmer.
Looking for more info on detoxing? Adopt these healthy eating tips if you want to ‘detox’ your diet and this is a first-hand account of what it’s like to go on a juice cleanse. Or simply try this detoxifying yoga flow to clear your head.
