I don't know about you, but I love a quick fix to any problem. Yes, of course I know that it's far better to take the longer, traditional route to weight loss success, but (if I am being honest) I am quite drawn to the idea that the odd detox or two will help me to stay in shape without all the hard work. And I know I am not alone, as the 'detox' and 'cleansing diet' sectors are now worth millions of Euros worldwide.

But am I, and all the other detox fans out there, just indulging another modern day fad and commercial trap?

Well, yes and no. Bookshops and the internet are awash with detoxe diets that promise results. These include the 'master cleanse' that involves drinking up to 12 glasses of a maple syrup/lemon juice/water/cayenne pepper concoction each day to kick-start weight loss. And then there's the colon cleanse typified by supplements, teas and laxatives, and the infamous cabbage soup diet, which welcomes you into a bottomless pit of, you guessed it, cabbage soup.

The thing is that all of these detoxes do work. But, as with anything that seems too good to be true, the results are usually short lived and unsustainable. That means you'll probably be back to square one very soon after ending your detox and you'll have confused (and possibly even damaged) your body in the process.

"I am not a big fan of fad detox diets or cleanses, especially the more radical ones," says registered nutritionist Maxine Zerafa, from MNutrition. "Detoxes are supposedly all about cleansing, but our bodies have organs - such as the liver, kidneys, skin, lungs and digestive system - to remove unnecessary products on a daily basis without the help of any special diet or potions. Detoxes should not be used to lose weight."

Having said that, Maxine explains that, for most healthy people, a short detox won't lead to any long-term health problems and it will usually have quite a powerful psychological, religious or spiritual effect.

"People love the idea of cleansing themselves and this, in turn, has its own positive effect on health. However, it is important to separate this from science or good medicine," she says.

"When it comes to giving advice on whether someone should detox or not, I prefer to encourage my clients to increase their fruit, vegetable and whole grain intake, while reducing processed, high fat and unhealthy foods that are high in sugar. Plus, I encourage them to drink more water instead of sweetened beverages. All in all these changes will go a long way towards improving health sustainably, rather than just for a short time."

 

Do We Need to Detox?

The detox debate begs the question of whether we should be thinking about detoxing to begin with. Maxine explains that the term 'detoxification' (or detox for short) describes the process of removing toxins and pollutants from the body. "It's about getting rid of unwanted bloating due to excessive intakes of food over time," she says.

All of this comes about because our livers are overloaded by environmental factors and thus, by cutting down our intake of food and contaminants, as well as unhealthy substances such as pesticides, pollution, alcohol and caffeine, we can help them to cleanse.

"Detoxing can gradually eliminate these toxins from our body and this does often result in better health, more radiant skin and more energy," says Maxine. "Used in this way, detoxing can be beneficial. If, on the other hand, you are detoxing to lose a large amount of weight in a short time, then I wouldn't recommend it."

 

How to Detox Safely

"Plenty of foods and drinks offer detoxifying benefits," continues Maxine, "and I would recommend taking them as part of a healthy diet.

"Drinking warm lemon water as you wake up, for instance, is proven to help naturally enhance the liver's function and to flush out unwanted toxins. Apple cider vinegar makes a great addition to salad dressings, and is helpful because it binds to toxins and allows them to be released more effectively. Ginger, meanwhile, has very strong anti-inflammatory agents, and that is why it is associated with facilitating healthy digestion and easing nausea.

"These are just some of the foods that contribute to better health. However, it is most important to have a varied and balanced diet, as that will help you achieve optimal health. In a nutshell, the more uncomplicated your food, the better it usually is," Maxine concludes.

 

If you want to detox, there are some very easy and gentle ways to help you do that. These are our top tips.  

• Detoxing should be less about removing certain foods from your diet, and more about adding others. In fact, adding in some foods that naturally detox can be extremely beneficial. These foods include fruits (which help to wash out toxins), citrus fruits (which jump-start the digestive tract), vegetables (which give your body a chlorophyll-boost and contain anti-oxidants that help mop up free radicals) and garlic (which helps stimulate the liver into producing detoxification enzymes).
• It may surprise you to learn that breathing can also help to detoxify your body. But we don't just mean your average breathing but deep, concentrated breathing. By doing this you will be encouraging your body to absorb good things more efficiently, while also super-charging your lymphatic system by increasing oxygen levels.
• The skin is the largest organ in the body, so it makes sense to look after it - and no, we don't mean by piling on lots of expensive products. Skin brushing - literally brushing and exfoliating your skin - is a simple and effective way to stimulate blood circulation, boost the lymphatic system, and enhance toxin elimination.