Does a spring detox make sense?

The marketing of diets and supplements promises and raises hopes that "detoxifying" the body is a fast and good way to get rid of not only dangerous toxins, but also to lose weight. Various types of monodiets are considered a starting point and a way to achieve the goal: vegetable, fruit or water-based. Clinical dietitian from the University Clinical Center WUM Paulina Gryz confirms that they do indeed lead to rapid weight reduction, but at the same time she explains that they neither cause the body to cleanse itself, nor will they be a great miracle diet, since the observed weight loss is associated only with the loss of water, not fat tissue.

Although the term "detox" has entered the dietary vocabulary for good, its basic meaning is really related to medical procedures that involve removing from the body substances hazardous to health, such as alcohol, drugs or chemical compounds, for example. Of course, it is impossible to deny that we also consume harmful substances along with water, food or air. However, according to experts, our body is perfectly capable of removing them on its own. Healthy people with a balanced diet get rid of unnecessary metabolic products naturally. Our physiology copes well with these processes thanks to the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin and digestive tract. The more we consume water, fiber and vitamins, the better. What's more, a diet based on the healthy food pyramid allows us to provide adequate amounts of antioxidants, which neutralize the effects of free radicals, bind toxins and help excrete them.

It is worth asking ourselves the key question what will such a dietary detox give us? - Paulina Gryz suggests. In light of current medical and dietary knowledge, it is clear that it will neither contribute to cleansing the body beyond its physiological capacity, nor will it become a wonderful miracle diet. Weight loss will be temporary, for after such a detox the body will always demand to catch up. As soon as we put the juices aside, we will start to reabsorb every type of food in larger quantities than normal. A detox based on eating one type of food, such as vegetables or fruits, primarily provides too few calories. Such a "diet" is only about 600-800 kcal and our basic requirement, without taking into account physical activity, is about +/- 1500 kcal. But it is not only about calories in daily nutrition, but about other important components, such as protein, good fats, vitamins soluble in them or minerals. We must know that nutrition based on one group of products will always be deficient. Explains the nutritionist.

Weight gain, a constant feeling of fatigue and lack of life drive are nothing more than the result of an inappropriate lifestyle. The biggest culprit, on par with lack of exercise, is an overly hearty and, above all, chaotic diet. Consuming highly processed foods in excess and too few vegetables and fruits. Excess fat, including fatty meat and sugar in the daily menu is the easiest way to accumulate metabolic products, unburned calories, which consequently quickly turn into fat tissue. Improper diet is also the cause of lower resistance to stress, insomnia and many food allergies, but also diseases of civilization. At the same time, it is important to realize that no mono diet called detox, used occasionally, will not be an effective remedy for a lasting improvement in well-being.

Nutritionist Paulina Gryz stresses that if we decide to "cleanse" for 3 days, then of course we will not do ourselves a great harm, it will not cause deficiencies especially since some of the ingredients are stored in the body. If we treat the three-day hunger strike as a prelude to changing the way we eat, introducing a rational diet based on the food pyramid then it is worth a try. Establishing the correct dietary rules on a daily basis will certainly permanently strengthen the vital forces. After all, it is known that in many cases, a proper diet allows a significant improvement in health even for sick people and is an important element in the treatment of cancer, diabetes and atherosclerosis. In turn, for a healthy person, a balanced menu is the best prevention and also a way to maintain proper body weight. If you can't systematize your nutritional needs on your own, it's worth taking advice from the National Center for Nutrition Education. These are free of charge and can be given online. Restrictive and long-term diets lead to harmful deficiencies as scientifically proven. The most beneficial and only effective "detox" according to specialists is a balanced diet selected according to your needs, health, age, gender, work and lifestyle.