Detoxing: Unnecessary?

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Sep 23rd 2007 10:40PM

I know some people who swear by detoxing, and go on a major cleanse a few times each year. I've always been skeptical of these -- I think the human body is quite amazing and pretty effective at cleansing itself -- but the subject still interests me.

I think CNN hits the nail on the head with this article on detox diets. In short, they're unnecessary if you're healthy. Your liver can clean itself, and while a lot of stuff might come out with that colonic, keep in mind that you're losing all your good bacteria too. And colonics have been shown to lead to infection. As for those liquid fasts? They might seem like a good idea at the time, but they're just not good for you. But if you must, do a one-day juice fast.

What do you think of detoxing?

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Comments (51)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

leslie 10-01-2007 @ 3:51PM

I do a 10 day juice cleanse 2ce a year and feel great!
I feel like it gives your body a break from the energy used to digest food to heal other things going on inside the body. Just nice to get off the coffee and look at your nutrition. Do what feels right for you and this works for me. Do you expect me to really believe the SAD (standard American Diet) please, like the FDA is looking out for my health.

Rachel 10-01-2007 @ 2:34PM

I was on a detox diet as directed by a physician, and it made me incredibly sick for almost a full month. I would recommend anyone about to try this type of diet to be extremely careful and to be sure to do it under the supervision of a doctor.

Lea 10-01-2007 @ 2:39PM

that's why the best ones include probiotics and vitamins!(it puts the good stuff back in so that the gut has a balance in the ph and the good cells are able to form!)
Lea (Lcat001@aol.com)

Patricia 10-01-2007 @ 2:38PM

I agree that our bodies can cleanse themselves....or use to be able to. Our food is so over-processed and is laden with so many chemicals, additives and preservatives - that our bodies can no longer handle all that crap. Why do you think America is so overweight and major diseases are epidemic....like cancer, diabetes, heart disease. It's our food supply and fast food, and our bodies can't take all that....I personally detox a lot. It helps a lot.

Lea 10-01-2007 @ 2:39PM

of course you need to do your homework and choose from a repetable sourse who puts out a safe and healthy product and tell your physician, but you can't count on all doctors because of how they aren't normally schooled in nutrition

Patricia 10-01-2007 @ 2:43PM

In response to Rachel's reactions to her detox. Flu like symptoms will occur as the body is releasing the toxins - the body is reacting to all the crap coming out. It's good you were under a doctor's care, and obviously you had a lot of chemicals and crap to get out. If you detox on a regular basis you won't have that problem.

Lea 10-01-2007 @ 3:03PM

I totally agree w/ Patricia-exactly right!
Lea (Lcat001@aol.com)

Scleraguy 10-01-2007 @ 3:01PM

The best line in the article was "limit your exposure to toxins or skip them altogether", sorry but you just can't do that in this world anymore. All you breathe, eat or drink is toxic to some level. Yes, the liver is amazing at taking care of itself but it really doesn't stand a chance surviving in this world without some extra help through detoxification.
And as for the colon, the best line was "there's really no reason to speedup the emptying of the bowels." I beg to differ. If you are not having one bowel movement per meal (3 meals a day equals 3 BMs a day) the toxins your body is trying to get rid of are being reabsorbed into the body further making us sicker by the day.
Please do not listen to the medical association when it comes to nutrition and the body.

Dr david kulla 10-01-2007 @ 3:18PM

hello,
i am a nutritionaist and chiropractor. i can tell you from clinical experience that most people are sick and don't even know it. Our foods are compromised by chemicals and additives to keep these foods on the shelf longer. Our liver is not meant to handle these stress' everyday , meal after meal. not including, pesticides, environmental pollutants, and even alcohol and especially cigarettes. If you look at ANY of your medications , it says," do not take if you have liver problems" . If you expect the FDA to protect us from harmful toxins, GOOD LUCK! a cleanse done properly under a dr.'s supervision (not just any dr. and not an MD unless they are educated in nutrition) i don't mean a one weekend course either. cleanse done properly can have profound results on your overall health.

Donna 10-01-2007 @ 9:28PM

I feel like I'm in a fascist country - with this sorry excuse for a media doing the bidding of the food corporations who get really rich from poisoning the general populace.

I've never tried detoxing, but I've read about it and it can't be any worse than stuffing yourself full of "food" that does nothing but contribute to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and the like.

It says something else for the sorry organization called the FDA when they actually say there's no harm in ingesting such things as food colors, xantham gum (which is a colorless bacterial slime found in many foods), and all other kinds of icky, sugary preservatives that are the cause of major health problems.

I speak from experience: My diet wasn't healthy to begin with, but the more I ate that dreaded fast food and other like foods, the more water retention I had which caused me to balloon to a little over 300 pounds.

I'm going to detox because there's nothing like preparing and making your own non-toxic food.

Lea 10-01-2007 @ 3:04PM

my theory is this:
when your body is used to crap-then the signals get lost to warn you at the time of consumption (or you get used to it) until it's after serious disease sets in and may be too late, and when you stop consuming crap, and introduce it back any time-you will get signals right away and boldly-cause when your body gets back to normal, the signals will come back (after elimination of crap)-that's your body telling you to don't do that!
Lea

Tom 10-01-2007 @ 3:03PM

As someone who fasts and detoxes weekly I must say I wholeheartedly disagree with the info in this article!

Patricia Ali 10-03-2007 @ 12:25PM

It is always good to cleanse. Nothing is better for your system than water! I detoxify by drinking (almost) boiling
water, as hot as I can stand it. Just one cup in the morning. Any toxins in your system will come out through your pores when you perspire. Is there anything more natural and safe? Also, you are taking in pure water since we all know boiling water for 10 minutes removes impurities.

Lea 10-01-2007 @ 3:52PM

I totally agree w/ Scleraquy and Patricia-they know what they are talking about-I know-my dad just died of colon cancer-and I did all the research that definetely proved what they are saying to be right!
Lea (Lcat001@aol.com)

MarV 10-01-2007 @ 3:54PM

This article was crap!

pat 10-01-2007 @ 3:31PM

First of all, are any of you people doctors???????? Alot of people today are surfing the internet and playing "doctor" because they don't feel good or because they are overweight. I know many people who are elderly and who have been eating mostly homemade food their whole lives. The healthiest are the ones who never smoked or drank alot of alcohol throughout their lives. They also don't eat at McDonalds everyday. But, NOT one of the seniors that I know have had colonics or been on a all juice diet! Eat healthy, get a good night's sleep, don't drink too much or smoke, exercise and you won't need a new-age diet or some ridiculous colonic. And, also, one of the reasons America is unhealthy is our prescription drug problem - which by the way, is also causing alot of people to have problems with irregularity. Just my thoughts....

Gail 10-01-2007 @ 3:45PM

I firmly believe that a detox is extremely important in longevity. I have been doing it for many years with profound results. I am a fitness professional and whole foods chef who do not eat animal flesh, processed foods, nor dairy products. I am 48 years of age & a grandmother of 2. Many of my peers ask me what is my secret to looking 20 years younger than my age, being disease free & still wearing size 5. I take absolutely no prescription medication nor over the counter medication unless I am in dire pain or discomfort which is very rare. It is no secret, I do a complete detox fast every year including colonic irrigations. If you do your homework, you will know that during that period you must replenish the good bacteria that is flushed out with the bad. Just as you would replenish whatever vitamin or mineral is difficient in your body during times of duress or when your immunity is compromised.

Jim Sikes 10-01-2007 @ 3:49PM

CNN is controlled by the money people, and the money people make lots more money when they can keep people sick.

I study the two greatest healers I know of, which are Hippocrates and Jesus (and I do not mean this in any religious sense; but in a very practical manner).

Ever hear of Jesus talking about fasting? Too bad he didn't have CNN to listen to, or he never would have done his 40 day fast.

Do you think you detox when you fast? You'd better believe it. BIG TIME!!!

I've done many, many juice fasts, as well as water fasts and pure fasts. My last three juice fasts were for 39 days each.

It is AMAZING the health, vitality, youthfulness, and pure joy that are derived from getting all the toxins OUT of the body (now, granted, you do NOT feel this at first, when the toxins are coming out - you feel just the opposite - but AFTER they are out is pure joy!).

It's the TOXINS that CAUSE sickness, disease, aging, and I've proven this on myself, time and time again.

Youthfulness returns. The mind clears. The emotions are calmed.

But no, listen to CNN, keep all those toxins INSIDE of your body, take lots and lots of drugs that your doctor will give you to mask the symptoms, and help the medical profession as well as the drug manufacturers to keep making their jet payments.

There is so much MISinformation out there. Most of it, I've found, is due to some group making lots of money if they can keep people confused.

I believe it was Harvard Medical School that took a single chicken cell, isolated it in a pure water environment, gave it good nutrition, and changed the water ever day. It stayed alive, well, and with absolutely zero negative impact for so many years that they concluded that it could virtually live forever. Then one day the attendant forgot to change the water, and the cell died. It DIED from it's own TOXINS!

This is why the first person got so sick. When you detox, you HAVE to get the toxins OUT of the body (spelled enema or colonic), or if you don't, they just circulate in your body and can make you really sick.

Whenever an animal gets sick or injured and wants to heal, they will STOP eating, until they are well. Whenever you stop eating, you detoxify. Even an old dog knows more about health than CNN.

Z 10-21-2007 @ 12:18AM

The reason they don't have to detox is because they are eating all natural foods.

If you eat junk all the time and you get to the level where your body is surging with preservatives, that's when detoxing helps. It does work, but is not always necessary. Once in a few years is good enough if you watch what you eat.

Lea 10-01-2007 @ 4:24PM

By the way my comments and theories were all later confirmed by highly trained nutritionists w/ Phd's and alternative Drs.Pat-please go back and read all the other comments by Patricia, Gail, Z, Jim, the Chiro Dr. , Lea and others!-Lea

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