Veggie Blog

Fast food, packaged snacks and long ingredient lists make many of us want a fresh start, and “detox” is the word that is often used for it. Detox articles tend to hand out lists of tips, some sensible and some not. Here is a look at the usual advice, one item at a time, so you can keep what helps and skip what does not.

Which tips are simply healthy habits?

Most of what is called a “non-toxic lifestyle” is just good eating and living: cook simple food, drink water, move often and eat fewer canned, fried and highly processed foods. A plate with plenty of fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans, rice and other whole grains is a good diet whether you call it a detox or not. None of this removes toxins, but it can help you feel better and manage your weight. Our guide to what a sensible natural detox plan includes explains how to build meals around these foods.

Do you need to cut out sugar, caffeine, yeast and chocolate?

Limiting sugar and alcohol is sound advice for almost everyone. The others are different. There is no good evidence that yeast, coffee or chocolate poison a healthy person, and these foods do not need to be banned. If a food upsets you, or if you have an allergy or intolerance, avoid it, but do not cut out foods for a weekend just to make a plan look strict.

Is a weekend fast a good idea?

Many plans suggest starting on a Friday so that the weekend gives you time to ease in and out. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health points out that fasting can have side effects, and that going several days without food while drinking only large amounts of water or herbal tea could lead to dangerous imbalances of minerals in the blood. Not starving yourself is the right part of the usual advice. If you want to eat lighter for a few days, choose regular meals of vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains. People with diabetes, pregnant women and anyone on medicine should talk to a doctor first.

Do dry brushing and spa days detoxify?

Brushing your skin with a dry brush or taking a hot shower may feel good, and a massage or a day at a spa can be a nice way to relax. I could not find any research showing that either one removes toxins from the body. The skin renews itself naturally, so if you try brushing, keep it gentle and avoid broken or irritated skin. Enjoy it as a treat, not as a treatment.

What about fiber and bowel movements?

Here the advice is solid. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says that adults should get about 22 to 34 grams of fiber a day, depending on age and sex, from whole grains, beans and lentils, fruit, vegetables and nuts. It adds that you should increase fiber gradually and drink enough liquid so that the fiber can do its job. Regular movement helps too. If you often have trouble with your bowels, see your doctor instead of reaching for laxatives or herbal teas.

Are negative thoughts toxins?

Not in a medical sense, but stress is worth taking seriously. Time outdoors, exercise such as yoga, a walk or skipping rope, and a good sleep routine all help with stress. If you want ideas, take a look at how to start yoga safely or try the simple routines in our post on detox habits that are gentler than a cleanse. A positive outlook will not clear toxins, but it can help you keep up the habits that make you feel well.

Detox the Tao way: a natural approach to health and longevity

Many of us assume that our homes, and the places we know best, are free from harm. That assumption is worth questioning.

The planet has changed enormously since the first human societies appeared. Back then there were no factories, cars or chemical plants. Today, pollution reaches almost every corner of the earth, and few of us can avoid it completely.

Everyone hopes for a long and healthy life. Living to 120 is extremely rare, and it was rare in earlier times too; tales of ancient people routinely reaching such ages are legends. Thanks to modern medicine and cleaner living conditions, most people today can expect to live well beyond 65.

Our modern habits put a strain on the body as a whole. Busy schedules, convenience food, alcohol and city air expose us to substances the body has to process, and a healthy liver and kidneys handle this every day. Supporters of detox believe that some of these substances are not cleared and gradually form build ups in the body.

Detox writers say these deposits throw the body out of balance and lead to health problems over the years. Where do they come from? Mostly, they say, from the way we live.

Think about a typical day: processed foods with additives, several cups of coffee, a soda or two, perhaps a drink in the evening. Add cigarette smoke, traffic fumes, chemical-laden toiletries and medication, and the body has plenty to deal with. (The popular claim that all this creates an “acid build-up” is not backed by medical evidence, since the body tightly controls its own pH.)

No wonder so many people fall ill and go looking for gentler, more natural ways to stay healthy. Interest in natural healing keeps growing.

Body detox is presented as a convenient way to clear out harmful substances collected over the years. What really makes a difference is a lasting change in diet and lifestyle, which can reduce many of the risks of poor habits, even if it cannot undo all past damage.

One well-known guide on the subject is Daniel Reid’s book The Tao of Detox: The Natural Way to Purify Your Body for Health and Longevity. Drawing on Taoist tradition, Reid takes a holistic view and compares cleaning out the body to cleaning up our homes, our surroundings and the planet itself.

The book sets out to give readers the tools to protect and manage their own health, with detoxification at the centre of Reid’s approach.

If you are looking for a fresh start, Reid’s book can be an inspiring companion as you rethink your daily habits. Just check with your doctor before trying any strict fast or cleanse.

Stretching is one of the simplest parts of fitness, yet it is full of conflicting advice. Should you stretch before or after a workout? How long should you hold a stretch? Is bouncing harmful? The old version of this post offered ten tips, but a few of them were muddled or wrong, so here is an updated guide based on advice from Harvard Health Publishing, the Cleveland Clinic and the National Institute on Aging.

Why stretch at all?

Harvard Health Publishing says that stretching keeps muscles flexible and healthy, and that we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, muscles shorten and become tight, which puts you at risk for joint pain, strains and muscle damage. Sitting in a chair all day, for example, results in tight hamstrings. The National Institute on Aging adds that stretching can help maintain and improve flexibility, which makes everyday tasks such as reaching down to tie a shoe easier.

Should you stretch before or after exercise?

Both, but differently. The Cleveland Clinic explains that before a workout you should focus on dynamic stretching, in which you move a muscle through its full range of motion without pushing it to the maximum, and do only a few short static stretches. After the workout, while your muscles and joints are warm, is the time for longer static stretches. Harvard recommends five to 10 minutes of light activity, such as a quick walk, before you stretch, because cold muscle fibers may be damaged. Read the Cleveland Clinic article on stretching before or after a workout.

How long should you hold a stretch, and is bouncing safe?

The old post said to hold stretches for 20 seconds before exercise and at least 60 seconds to build flexibility. Current advice is a little different. Harvard suggests holding a stretch for 30 seconds, and the Cleveland Clinic says that after a workout you can hold static stretches for 30 to 60 seconds each while breathing deeply. Do not bounce. Harvard says bouncing can cause injury, so make each stretch smooth and steady: reach to the point where you feel tension and hold it there.

How far should you go?

You should feel tension but not pain. Harvard says that if you feel pain, there may be an injury or damage in the tissue, so stop stretching that muscle and talk to your doctor. The National Institute on Aging gives the same warning, not to stretch so far that it hurts. Work to your own ability and not other people’s, and ease off on days when you are tired. Stretching once will not make you flexible. Harvard notes that the benefit builds up over time, and it suggests daily stretching, or at least three or four times a week.

Which muscles matter most?

Harvard says to focus on the areas that are critical for mobility, which are the calves, hamstrings, hip flexors and quadriceps, and that stretching the shoulders, neck and lower back is also beneficial. The old post said not to forget the neck, which is right. Move the neck gently and do not push on your head with your hands. Our guides to basic yoga postures and the triangle pose show stretches you can try, and before you start yoga has a warm-up routine.

Do you need rest and other exercise too?

Yes. The National Institute on Aging says overdoing strength exercises can cause exhaustion, sore joints, and muscle pain or injury, so build up gradually. It also says it is important to get all three types of exercise (aerobic, muscle-strengthening and balance), because doing one type can help improve your ability to do the others. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. See moderate exercise for fitness for easy ways to start, and preventing sports injuries for more habits that keep you active.

Calcium supplements: what to know

Calcium is important at every age. It matters most in childhood, when teeth and bones are growing, and during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Adults need it to keep bones strong and to help prevent osteoporosis. It is also involved in blood clotting, muscle movement and nerve signals.

Getting calcium from food first

Most people can get what they need from food. Adults usually need around 1,000 to 1,200 mg a day. Dairy products, calcium-set tofu, fortified plant milks, kale, bok choy and almonds are all good sources, which is useful to know if you eat little or no dairy. A supplement is meant to cover a gap, not to replace a healthy diet.

Taking a supplement correctly

If you do take one, swallow it with a meal or soon after, and drink a full glass of water. Chew chewable tablets well before swallowing. If you find that difficult, stir the tablet into water or juice, let it dissolve and drink it slowly. Calcium may affect how some medicines work, so ask your doctor or pharmacist whether to space them apart.

Check with your doctor before you start if you have kidney problems, kidney stones, stomach trouble or diarrhea. Tell your doctor too if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Mention your other medicines and any family history of illness, because these can change what is safe for you.

Too much of a good thing

More is not better. The upper limit for adults is about 2,500 mg a day from food and supplements together (2,000 mg over 50). Large amounts can cause constipation, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth and poor appetite, and they can contribute to kidney stones. Serious side effects are uncommon, but if you notice a problem, stop and speak to your doctor.

Calcium supplements are sold in pharmacies, supermarkets and online, and they are not expensive. Ask your doctor whether you need one at all, and which kind and dose fit you.

Do detox foot pads work? A closer look at the claims

Adverts for detox foot pads start from a familiar worry: modern life exposes us to pollution and chemicals, so surely we need a way to get them out. The pads promise to do this overnight. Before you buy, it helps to know which of their claims stand up.

According to the marketing, toxins from the air and from food collect in the body, and a pad on the foot draws them out. The body does not work like that. Waste and unwanted substances are dealt with by the liver and kidneys and leave mainly through urine and stool, not through the soles of the feet.

What a detox foot pad is

The product is an adhesive pad worn under the foot during the night. Its makers describe it as a route for waste to leave the body.

Typical pads contain vinegar made from wood or bamboo plus some herbal ingredients. The makers say that by pulling out toxins they relieve stress, tiredness and related complaints. The pads have a long history in parts of Asia and are now sold in many countries, yet sales figures say nothing about whether they work.

The advertised benefits, one by one

Below are the usual selling points, each with a reality check.

– Relief from many ailments. No reliable research backs this. The brown stain left on a pad by morning is a reaction of the pad’s ingredients to moisture; sweat or tap water produces the same colour.

– A cleaner, more relaxed body. Feeling relaxed after using a pad is a personal experience, not evidence that anything was removed. Studies have not shown a cleansing effect.

– Convenient. You can wear a pad while asleep or at work, but convenience is not the same as a health benefit.

– A gentle, non-invasive alternative to medicine. The pads are free of mess, but they are not an approved treatment, and in 2009 the US Federal Trade Commission challenged the health claims made for a well-known foot pad brand.

– Good value. Any price is high for something that has not been shown to work. Persistent tiredness or stress deserves a visit to your doctor, who can look for the real cause.

Bottom line: foot pads are easy to use and harmless for most people, but nothing shows that they draw toxins out of the body. The money is better spent on things with proven benefits, such as good food, sleep and exercise, and any lasting symptoms are worth a conversation with your doctor.