The term detox has certainly been a buzzword in the nutrition community for the past several years. You may be wondering if you should do a detox or trying to figure out how to start one. This blog post breaks down exactly what you need to know about diet detoxes before trying one.
I'm not really sure what spiked the popularity of diet detoxes, but I have a hunch that social media is not totally blameless. As somebody who witnessed the birth of popular platforms like Instagram and TikTok, I've also observed the initiation and steady incline of sponsored content. Unfortunately, many sponsored posts share gimmicky health products, such as weight loss aids, supplements, and detox beverages.
When detox products are constantly being advertised to you, it's very easy to be convinced that you need one. But here's the thing that people selling those products will never tell you. Your body has a built-in detox system already. So unless you have a medical condition that requires alternative forms of detox, you really don't need to consume any detox products. Like, ever. Your organs will take care of that for you.
Now...there are two sides to every coin, so here is the other side. While most people don't need to consume detox products to do what the human body is naturally designed to do, there are things you can do to assist your body with the detox process.
The best way to help your body detox is to keep your organs healthy. Several organs play a role in detoxification, but the big hitters are the kidneys, liver, lungs, and skin. Following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, drinking enough water, getting adequate sleep, limiting alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and reducing stress are things you can start doing right now to help your body detox. I know these things don't sound as exciting as trying a new detox tea, but I promise they will work a lot better and allow you to live a much healthier life.
If you're struggling with your diet or body image, I would love to help! I teach women how to achieve food freedom by making peace with themselves and their diets. You can learn more here.