People often look to the new year as an opportunity to commit (or recommit) to a healthy lifestyle. For some, this will mean doing a “cleanse”.
Many approaches to cleansing are touted as being the solution to anything that might ail you. And who doesn’t like a “quick fix”.
But before you sign up for that 3-day avocado juice cleanse (and yes…that’s a real thing), you should know some important facts.
What is a Cleanse?
Simply put, a cleanse is meant to help your body rid itself of fat, toxins, and other harmful substances.
Most cleanses include two steps:
- One or more days of fasting to start.
- Several days (or more) of consuming only juices, or sometimes just fruit and vegetables.
In theory, a cleanse is meant to give your gut, your liver, and your kidneys a chance to “rest”. It’s also meant to rid your body of built-up toxins. Other purported benefits include quick weight loss and a boost to your metabolism.
But what’s the reality?
Your Body Already Does a Good Job of Eliminating Toxins
Between your liver, your gut, and your kidneys, your body is already designed to rid itself of most toxins. And it does a pretty good job.
There are some toxins, such as heavy metals, that can accumulate over time. But a cleanse won’t do anything to get these out of your system.
In fact, research suggests that cleanse diets aren’t effective at removing toxins from your body.
The truth? Your body doesn’t need a “break” to detoxify. What’s needed is a healthy, toxin-free lifestyle that will allow your body to gradually eliminate any stored toxins in your system.
There Are No Short-Cuts to Weight Loss
Many people do lose weight while on a cleanse. But then…once the cleanse is over…this weight comes right back.
This is because the weight you lose during a cleanse is mostly water weight. To a lesser degree, you might lose some weight in the form of fat or muscle because you aren’t eating simple carbohydrates and proteins during a cleanse.
The bottom line is that the eating habits that are followed while on a cleanse aren’t sustainable in the long run. And once you resume eating regular foods, the weight that was lost will typically by regained.
What To Do Instead of Cleanses
Here are some steps you can take to help your body stay toxin-free…without resorting to cleanses (which don’t really work anyway).
- Limit alcohol: Excess alcohol consumption can lead to a build-up of fats, scarring, and inflammation in your liver. Limit yourself to one or two alcoholic drinks per day at the most.
- Eat a healthy diet: Highly processed foods and refined sugar make your gut and your liver work harder than they should to expel toxins. Stick to whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and lean protein like fish and poultry. Eating organic will also reduce the amount of toxins you consume from food.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking 8-10 glasses of water each day helps your body to flush out harmful substances.
- Exercise regularly: Exercise reduces inflammation and helps your body’s natural defenses against toxins to stay strong. Perspiration also helps to flush toxins from your body.
- Get plenty of rest: Sleep gives your brain a chance to rid itself of harmful waste products. The average adult needs at least 7 hours of sleep per night for good health.
- Supplement antioxidants: Taking antioxidants like resveratrol and alpha lipoic acid can help your body to eliminate toxins.
- Avoid exposure to environmental toxins: Do you best to steer clear of environmental toxins by using cleaning and hygiene products that are toxin-free.
- Keep your hormones balanced: Hormones control every function within your body. Your detox systems are no exception. Properly balanced hormones help to ensure that the systems within your body are functioning at their best.
At Renew Youth, we’re not just about hormone therapy. We’re here to help you make good lifestyle choices overall.
To learn more, call us at 800-859-7511 or use our convenient contact form to schedule a free consultation.