Every now and then, a fresh start can feel good. This is especially true when we start to look and feel worse.
In times like these, many people consider detoxing and cleansing their body. This, of course, is to help get rid of toxins to improve overall health.
Now, detoxing and cleansing have become very popular over the last few decades. I'd be lying if I told you I haven't tried one myself.
After all, eliminating toxins from your body sounds like something you should want to do ... right?
Unfortunately, not everyone has a full understanding of what a detox is for. On top of that, a lot of people misunderstand the meaning of a detox vs cleanse.
These misconceptions and misinformation have led most people to use them as strategies to lose weight. They are not!
If this is what you thought too, there's no need to feel embarrassed! I used to think I could do a quick detox to drop some pounds and reset my metabolism. Today, I realize that detoxes and cleanses have little if anything to do with weight loss.
So, what are they supposed to help with? What are the differences between a detox vs cleanse?
Detox Vs Cleanse: How Are They Different?
If they aren't the same thing, what are the differences between a detox vs cleanse?
That can be a tough question to answer. Both terms are often used interchangeably, and neither one has an agreed-upon definition.
So let’s actually start by looking at their similarities.
For one, detoxes and cleanses both exist for the same reason: to help your body clear out toxins.
Toxins can come from the food we eat, the water we drink, or even the air we breathe. They’re nothing new, and we’re exposed to them every day.
We are actually born with organs designed to help us remove toxins. These organs are your liver, kidneys, GI system, skin, and lungs.
But sometimes, they can use some extra help. This is where a detox or cleanse can come into play. So, let's take a closer look at each.
Detox: Definition and Examples
A detox, also sometimes called a “detox diet” is something we all hear about from time to time. It’s generally defined as a short-term, highly restrictive, dietary approach to quickly eliminate toxins. Unfortunately, this is often thought of as a way to promote faster weight loss as well.
You can think of a detox as a sort of spring cleaning. It’s a bigger task that you wouldn’t want to take on too often, but do it every now and then when you need to.
In many cases, a detox will limit your food intake to specific foods, or even certain liquids. These detox diets can be very restrictive and aren’t sustainable in most cases.
The goal here is to really flush your system and leave you feeling restored on a deeper level. By limiting your intake of these toxins, your body should be able to get rid of anything that’s been sticking around.
...Well, at least that's the thought process behind a detox.
While it sounds great, there is no compelling evidence that shows this to be true or effective (1).
Are detoxes all bad? Not necessarily. There are some detoxes that focus on adding plenty of antioxidants and nutrients. Not every detox is extreme.
Antioxidants and other nutrients can actually support the liver’s detoxification process (2). If the only changes are adding in foods with these nutrients, then it can be a good thing.
The real problem arises when the detox gets overly restrictive. By that I mean only eating certain nutrients, and limiting other healthy foods.
From what I've seen, most people looking to do a detox are doing it for weight loss purposes. It can be thought of as a hard reset for those who are getting started out or hitting a plateau with their fitness.
The problem is that it's not the best approach for weight loss. I'll get to why that is shortly.
You see, detox programs come in many different forms. They can include fasting, sauna use, strict dieting, or even laxatives.
Some of these can hurt long-term weight loss efforts because of their extreme nature. They tend to increase stress, binge episodes, and can reduce energy expenditure (1).
Unfortunately, many detox diets aren’t effective, and some may even be harmful to the body (3).
This is especially true if they involve laxatives. Laxatives can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and can be life-threatening when used incorrectly or irresponsibly (4).
They can also reduce the absorption of the nutrients you’re eating. That's a problem, and it could contribute to eating disorders in some people too (4).
It’s not smart to play around with laxatives without a doctor’s supervision.
If you plan to begin any sort of detox, discuss the issue with your doctor first. They’ll help you avoid taking any overly drastic steps that could end up causing more harm than good.
Cleanse: Definition and Examples
A cleanse is a very similar approach to a detox. That’s why many people use the terms interchangeably.
Many cleanses involve drinking only liquids, like a juice cleanse. These are designed to get rid of solid foods, and “reset” your digestive system.
You may be getting juiced fruits and veggies, but they can also be extremely restrictive.
For instance, let’s look at the master cleanse. This cleanse consists of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and some maple syrup.
This is designed to help purge your digestive tract of toxins and help with weight loss. As I’m sure you can imagine, you wouldn’t be getting many nutrients at all.
My father tried this once, actually. He said after a few days he started feeling good and had better energy levels.
He originally tried it to lose weight, and he was losing weight at first. That’s expected when you aren’t eating any food.
After several days of this cleanse, he decided to add back in some green beans to his diet. This led to a major heart attack, and scared our entire family.
Don’t worry, he had a successful surgery and is still living today, thank God. That’s not to say it wasn’t an eye-opening experience though.
Now, I’m not saying this cleanse itself will cause a heart attack. He was already overweight and had a poor diet in the past.
My guess is that the lack of nutrients stressed his system out, and that pushed his heart over the edge.
Once again, there is no evidence that a cleanse does what people say it will. They may help with superficial weight loss in the short term, but they promise more than they deliver.
The weight loss comes from calorie restriction and water loss. There is nothing secret or special to them, and many experts argue they can be harmful (3).
Just like with detoxes, if they involve laxatives, I’d stay away. You very well may end up doing more harm than good!
Detox vs Cleanse: Which Is Right for Me?
Should you do a detox or a cleanse? Well, my answer really depends on which one you’re thinking about trying, and why.
At the same time, I’m inclined to say no. If it’s something restrictive, I'd definitely recommend you do not do it.
The reason behind why you want to try a detox or cleanse matters a lot. You might have been misled into thinking it’s the right solution in the first place.
Do You Want to Detox to Lose Weight?
If you want to try a cleanse or a detox to lose weight, I wouldn't bother with either at all. They aren't sustainable and are too extreme to provide any sort of lasting result.
Sure, they could help with weight loss initially. The problem is, this isn't due to anything special or unique. This is because of a decreased calorie intake.
Oftentimes, this also leads to binge eating afterward as well. Oftentimes, the weight comes right back as a result.
With weight loss, you have to burn more calories than you consume no matter what plan you follow. Cutting food in a drastic way can make you feel like you’re getting results fast at first, but they don’t last.
For the long term, the key is building healthy and sustainable habits. If you can’t continue that diet long term, it’s not really worth doing.
Find a diet that works for you that you can continue long term. The best diet for you is the one you can stick to. As long as it keeps you in a calorie deficit, you’ll lose weight. It’s that simple.
Do You Want to Detox to Feel Better?
You could try a detox or cleanse to help you feel better, but I would be strategic about it. I wouldn’t recommend blindly following a fad detox or cleanse to get the job done.
If you’re bloated with digestive problems, for example, an elimination diet could be helpful. This is a strategic way to find out what foods may be causing the issue.
Maybe you have a gluten sensitivity causing the GI upset. The way to find out would be to keep your diet the same, but remove foods that have gluten.
If your problems continue, then gluten isn’t the problem. You have to pay attention to how different foods make you feel after you eat them.
That’s just one example. You could also make an effort to include more antioxidant rich foods into your diet.
Also, certain foods and supplements can help reduce digestive issues. Look for foods with prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes.
While that’s not the traditional approach to a detox or cleanse, it’s better in my opinion.
Those healthier foods and supplements can help you feel better in a more natural way. You also don’t have to restrict yourself from eating foods you typically enjoy just to do it.
I’ll also throw in that sometimes you just need to put yourself in a position to feel good.
Getting plenty of sleep, sunlight during the day, and exercising can do wonders for how you feel. If you’re not taking care of those things yet, I’d start there.
If you’re wanting to do a detox or cleanse for a medical reason, then that’s something to talk with your doctor about.
Detox Vs Cleanse: Which Is The Winner?
The detox vs cleanse conversation is one I wouldn't recommend having. If you want my opinion as someone who's been in the industry for over a decade ... There are better options that you can see success with!
Improving your health and well-being isn’t a one-and-done deal. There is no quick fix. It’s a continuous process that demands discipline and consistency.
Clearing out toxins is only a small part of what it takes to optimize your health. It's also far from the most important thing you can do to optimize your health.
If anything, I'd recommend doing a detox or cleanse in a way that isn't extreme. You'd be amazed at just how much better you can start to look and feel when you lock in your nutrition and exercise.
Plus, you don't need a detox or cleanse to lose weight! You'd likely see far better results by following a more well-rounded approach.
There are also quite a few different supplements you could consider taking to get more antioxidants and nutrients to support a natural and sustainable detox.
One supplement that I take regularly for this is Opti-Reds 50. It's a diverse, nutrient-packed superfood reds antioxidant powder.
There are even foods and supplements that can help optimize your digestion as well. Sometimes when we feel bloated or are struggling with digestive issues, it may seem like we need a reset or detox.
While this could be true, it's more likely that you may just be missing out on the nutrients necessary for a healthy digestive system. This is where I'd recommend adding foods or supplements with prebiotics, probiotics, and even digestive enzymes.
For this, I take Opti-Greens 50, which is a superfood greens powder designed to help support healthy digestion, energy levels, immunity, and more!
Really, at 1st Phorm, we have a wide variety of supplements for your overall health. Our mission is to help real people like you and me earn real and long-term results. This is true whether you're pursuing a fitness goal, or just want to be healthier and feel better overall.
We know you don't cut corners with your health which is why we don't cut corners with the supplements to help you reach your end goal!
For a healthy and sustainable detox, try out Opti-Reds 50 & Opti-Greens 50! Both of them even come available in a discounted stack called the Opti-Health Stack.
If you need help on the nutrition side of things, we can help there as well! We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches who are more than happy to help at no cost to you! Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central.
References:
(1) Klein AV, Kiat H. Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2015 Dec;28(6):675-86. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12286. Epub 2014 Dec 18. PMID: 25522674.
(2) Hodges RE, Minich DM. Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. 2015;2015:760689. doi: 10.1155/2015/760689. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26167297; PMCID: PMC4488002.
(3) “‘detoxes’ and ‘Cleanses’: What You Need to Know.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Sept. 2019, www.nccih.nih.gov/health/detoxes-and-cleanses-what-you-need-to-know.
(4) Roerig JL, Steffen KJ, Mitchell JE, Zunker C. Laxative abuse: epidemiology, diagnosis and management. Drugs. 2010 Aug 20;70(12):1487-503. doi: 10.2165/11898640-000000000-00000. PMID: 20687617.
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