Definition
Detoxification diet or detox diet means a real diet aimed at purifying the body of exogenous toxins, accumulated due to the contemporary lifestyle because it is conveyed by junk food, junk food, psychological stress, from drugs and environmental pollution.
The types of detoxification or detox diet are many and (for various reasons that we will explain below), since they cannot fit into the so-called conventional medicine, they are all part of a branch called "alternative medicine"; for convenience, we will summarize the characteristics that the main detoxification diet or detox diet systems have in common without NEVER going into the specifics of what was cited by one or other author in question.
A holistic system
Some of the founders proudly claim that the detoxification diet or detox diet represents a nutritional scheme with holistic properties, or rather that it uses mechanisms that cannot be explained by a simple schematization or logical explanation. From the scientific point of view, this is certainly a questionable, if not extravagant, aspect. In the experimental field, in fact, the justification of the methods, the means, the tools and the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the various processes, represent the fundamental presupposition of the research itself. Therefore, to speak of "Holistic Detox" means to totally disregard both the verification of the efficacy of the proposed food scheme, and its real health impact.
At the same time, there are also those who engage in the differentiation of other healing disciplines; is the case of "Biontology". This is defined as the study of the essence of life aimed at achieving health and well-being; not surprisingly, biontological systems (which have roots in Chinese medicine) use the detoxifying diet method or detox diet to obtain the maximum desirable result.
Principles and mechanisms of the detox diet
The detoxification diet or detox diet is based on the complementary application of some principles:
- Changing the food style: promoting the consumption of detoxifying or detox foods to replace the intoxicating ones. Detoxifying foods are all those rich in water, fiber, vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants in general. Those intoxicants, on the other hand, contain animal proteins, additives, bad fats and cholesterol, pollutants, drugs, nervine molecules and so on. and these are mainly: fast-food foods (fried foods, hamburgers, frankfurters, etc.), snacks and other packaged products, added fats, salted foods, sugary foods, coffee, alcohol, etc.
- Change your lifestyle: through increased physical activity, smoking cessation, reduced exposure to environmental pollution and proper management of psychological stress
- Reduce the use of drugs
- Use detoxifying or parallel detox systems: the most famous is (or was) " the aqua detox - foot detox ", a sort of electric foot bath which would facilitate the detoxification of the organism through the ionic - chemical cutaneous exchange. Obviously, it was put under investigation as it was considered a real scam (read the review by Dr. Ben Goldacre).
Colon cleansing (enteroclisms), chelating therapies, removal of dental fillings, etc. are also widespread.
- Begin mental stabilization paths: through the practice of activities such as "Yoga detox" or meditation.
In short, the more you have, the more you put it!
As mentioned, the hypothetical physiological mechanisms on which the detoxification diet or detox diet is based are not always well defined. It seems that the various strategies aim at stopping the accumulation of toxins, promoting their active disposal; on the basis of some physiological principles (more or less "sketched"), the "gurus" of the detoxification diet or detox diet affirm that by this technique it is possible to interrupt the accumulation of mucus saturated with toxins in various districts of the body. In addition to the discharge of hepatic-renal work (processing and filtration of the blood) one should therefore witness the expulsion of all excess waste (mucus and organic liquids) from: digestive tract, respiratory tract, blood and skin (principle curiously similar to that of the "Diet without mucus").
Detoxifying and Purifying Soup
X Problems with video playback? Reload from YouTube Go to Video Page Go to Video Recipes Section Watch the video on youtubeBased on what is mentioned in the various texts that talk about detoxification diet or detox diet, toxins means all the molecules "harmful" to the body or responsible for a relevant psycho-physical discomfort; Among these are mentioned: waste of protein excess (amino groups and urea), refined carbohydrates (white flour and sugar), catabolites of muscle fatigue (lactic acid), homocysteine, food additives, cooking salt, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, heavy metals (lead and mercury) etc. The toxins are therefore responsible for the worsening of the state of health, of the psycho-physical performances, of the reduction of the immune system, of the increase in the incidence of infectious and neoplastic pathologies, etc. On the contrary, the use of raw vegetable foods and, more generally, of phytotherapeutic agents contained in vegetables, roots, spices etc., would facilitate the detoxification of the organism at the expense of accumulated toxins (a curiously similar principle to " Kousmine Method "and to the" Raw food diet ") with indirect effect of protection, improvement of the immune defenses and increase of the physical and mental strength.
Sometimes, the detoxification diet or detox diet also includes the cycling of pre-established phases and periods; some examples are controlled fasting, semi-fasting, selective food exclusion etc.
Disputes
Returning to reality (since, in large part, tales have been talked about!), We remind you that the specialists advise you to adopt the detoxification diet or detox diet in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney disease or overt physical decay; aspect, the latter significant, given that according to "Recent Gurus" the detox diet lends itself considerably to post-chemotherapy recovery ...
Among the high, analyzing the cases in which certain patients subjected to a detoxification diet reported a perception of significant improvement, it was concluded that this system can determine a rather important state of keto-acidosis. It is curious to verify that, following a detoxifying diet or detox diet prolonged beyond 24/48 hours, the accumulation of toxic molecules can occur; this is due to the glucose insufficiency caused by the extremely reduced diet (mainly composed of liquids extracted from vegetables, such as "centrifuges" and "minestrone"). Nor can it be ruled out that this may have been a trivial placebo effect or false testimony.
In light of the scientific evidence of the various detox systems (ie NONE), the " British organization Sense About Science " has defined the numerous strategies of the detoxification diet as a real "waste of time and money".
Prof. Professor Alan Boobis " OBE, Toxicologist, Division of Medicine, Imperial College London " stated that "The autonomous body detoxification systems are at least sophisticated and certainly very effective thanks to the evolution they have undertaken by continually enduring the stresses of a hostile environment. It is therefore serious that some people are willing to risk damaging precisely these systems with debilitating diets such as the detoxification diet or detox diet, which most often does more harm than good! ".
Ultimately, if the changes proposed by the detox diet with regard to food and lifestyle are - with the exception of extremes such as raw vegetables, fruit trees or prolonged fasting - at least partly acceptable, all other "alternative" solutions, such as enemas, thermal suits, urine therapy and so on, convey a strong anachronistic sense; they are also lacking in scientific foundations and potentially dangerous for health.
Detox Diet Example - Detoxifying »
