Veggie Blog

Walk into any health store and you will find shelves of products that promise to “purify” your body. The idea behind them is simple and appealing: modern life fills us with toxins, and a cleanse will flush them out. The truth is less dramatic and more reassuring. Your body already has a cleaning system that works around the clock, and most of what helps it is ordinary, everyday habits.

What do people mean by “detox”?

The word is used in two very different ways. In medicine, detoxification is a supervised treatment for people who are dependent on alcohol or drugs. In the wellness world, it means a diet, supplement, herbal product or program that is supposed to remove “toxins” from a healthy body, and those toxins are rarely named. Stress and unhappy thoughts are sometimes counted as toxins too. They can certainly affect how you feel and sleep, but they are not toxins in the medical sense. We look at that side of the question in our post on a mind and spirit detox.

How does your body clear waste?

Your liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs and skin do this job all day. According to MedlinePlus, the liver is the largest organ inside the body, and it helps digest food, store energy and remove poisons. The kidneys filter about 150 quarts of blood a day, and only one to two quarts of that leave the body as urine, carrying waste and extra water with them, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The lungs breathe out carbon dioxide, and the gut moves undigested food and fiber out of the body. You do not have to switch any of this on, and no juice, tea or powder has been shown to make healthy organs work better.

Can harmful substances still build up?

Some substances really can harm you, and the dose matters. Alcohol, tobacco smoke, certain medicines, some pesticides and industrial chemicals are examples. When you take in more than the body can handle, you get symptoms: this is why a heavy night of drinking is still felt the next morning, and why workers who handle chemicals follow safety rules. The sensible answer is to reduce what goes in. Drink less alcohol, do not smoke, wash fresh produce, and follow the safety instructions on cleaning products and garden sprays. If you think you have been exposed to a poison or a harmful chemical, call your doctor or a poison control center. A smoothie will not fix it.

Do cleanses and fasts help?

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says that a 2015 review found no compelling research to support detox diets for weight management or for removing toxins from the body. Studies that report benefits have been small and of low quality. A short cleanse may leave you feeling lighter, mostly because you are eating fewer processed foods, but the more extreme versions carry risks. Long fasts, enemas, laxatives and colon cleanses can cause dehydration and upset the balance of minerals in the blood, and people with digestive, kidney or heart problems are more likely to be harmed. Ask your doctor before you change how you eat, especially if you are pregnant, have diabetes or take regular medicine. For more on diets that are sold as cleanses, see are detox diets safe.

What actually helps your body do its job?

The best support is not exciting. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains for fiber and vitamins. Drink water and other fluids when you are thirsty; the National Academies concluded in 2004 that most healthy people meet their needs by letting thirst guide them, and that about a fifth of our water comes from food. Move every day, sleep well and keep alcohol low. Finding ways to unwind, such as a walk, music, a hobby or time with friends, is good for your mood, even if it is not a detox. For a practical way to put this together, read body detox the easy way.

If you want a short rule to remember, here it is: the liver and kidneys are the detox plan, and your job is to give them a healthy diet, enough fluid and as little alcohol and smoke as you can.