All Natural Detox Diets

From disease prevention to rapid weight loss, all natural detox diets have been touted for their numerous benefits. While many claim detox diets use the natural detoxifying power of everyday foods and beverages to achieve improved health, it's helpful to take a closer look at the detox diets out there in order to separate fact from fiction.

While detox diets have been praised by many, critics have raised concerns about the safety of certain regimens. Make sure you find out all the facts first before deciding on whether or not a detox diet is right for you.

The 7 Day Detox Diet is based on the concept that the body accumulates up to twelve pounds of undigested "junk" in the digestive tract. After taking a supplement containing 34 natural detox ingredients for one week, the diet's creator claims individuals can lose anywhere from five to seven pounds of waste.

The Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemonade Diet, was popularized by Beyonce Knowles, who used it to shed pounds for her role in the film Dreamgirls. With a recipe that calls for water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup, this program aims to help dieters flush their systems. Those following the cleanse are to drink this lemonade while abstaining from all other food and drink for 10 days.

Using a foundation of high-fiber foods and water, the Colon Cleansing Diet claims to eliminate excess waste to help improve colon function and rejuvenate the entire body.

Aiming to help with irritability, bloating, fatigue, and carb overload, nutritionist Jay Rob developed the three-day Fruit Flush. The meal plan consists of protein shakes and fresh fruit, and is designed to improve liver function, rid the body of toxins, and boost energy.

Based on a method by author and nutritionist Natalia Rose, the Raw Food Diet consists of consuming uncooked produce for ten days. Acceptable foods include nuts, fruits, grains, seeds, vegetables, water, juices, and coconut milk.

Promising to help dieters shed 21 pounds in 21 days, Martha’s Vineyard Diet was conceived by Roni DeLuz, a naturopathic doctor. The plan consists of a liquefied diet of fruits and vegetables, in addition to antioxidant supplements.

The brainchild of Laura Cabot, an Australian physician, the Liver Cleansing Diet aims to cleanse the liver with the consumption of fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish. Lean proteins and healthy fats such as olive oil, salmon, and avocados are also allowed.

Supporters of detox diets, like naturopathic doctor and author of Detoxification, Linda Page, assert that benefits of detoxifying include renewing and recharging the body, while jump-starting a healthier lifestyle.

Physician, medical educator, and author Cheryle Hart claims all natural detox diets can help the body restore optimal alkaline balance, leading to improved overall health. Specifically, dieters can achieve the following benefits:

Mental clarityBetter metabolismWeight lossImproved moodHigher energy levelsRegular sleep

Detoxification, or metabolic therapy, as the American Cancer Society categorizes it, is based on the concept that the human body is exposed to toxins on a daily basis, including environmental offenders such as smog, dietary additives including preservatives, and indulgence in alcohol and caffeine.

In her article,Detox Diets: Empty Promises or Effective?, registered dietician Leslie Beck and Director of Nutrition at the Medcan Clinic in Toronto, Canada, asserts no scientific evidence exists to support the claim detox diets accelerate the elimination of waste from the body. She also claims medical experts believe that the human body has its own efficient cleansing system-–the skin, lungs, kidneys, liver, and GI tract–-to remove toxins.

According to Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, side effects of detox diets can include dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and dehydration. Zeratsky also supports the school of thought that the liver and kidneys work effectively to rid the body of waste and toxins without the help of cleansing diets.

Wondering if a detox diet is right for you? First and foremost, consult your doctor. Do your research, and know that it’s always a good idea to maintain a healthy lifestyle for long-term benefits. No miracle cure can take the place of healthy habits

Low-Carb vs. No-Carb Diets

People considering a carb controlled diet often wonder about the differences between low-carbohydrate and no-carbohydrate diets. While the underlying principles are the same, the implementation is different. How do low-carb diets stack up against no-carb diets?

Many low-carbohydrate diet proponents believe that human beings need to avoid refined carbohydrates, sugars, and processed foods as an evolutionary imperative. Early humans were hunter-gatherers who most likely ate foods that they could either forage or kill. Some physicians, like Kurt G. Harris who invented the Archevore Diet, suggest that the human body has not evolved to process the foods that make up the bulk of the Western diet, including multiple processed foods like pasta, baked goods, and sugary snacks. Low-carbohydrate diets that focus on animal protein and vegetables mimic the eating habits of early humans, possibly providing a healthy, more natural way of eating.

In his book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, Gary Taubes explains exactly how carbohydrate consumption affects humans. When you eat carbohydrate containing foods, your blood glucose rises. In response, your pancreas releases insulin to return your blood sugar to a normal level. Insulin is the hormone responsible for storing dietary fat in your fat cells. It also keeps that fat from leaving the cells. Why does insulin do this? Because it exists to protect our body from times of famine by storing energy for lean times. Both types of diets limit the amount of insulin your body produces.

Diets in which you consume fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day are considered to be low-carb. No carb diets, on the other hand, consist of zero carbohydrates. This means that you primarily eat animal protein and fat on a zero carbohydrate diet. Low-carbohydrate diets, on the other hand, allow you to eat some carbohydrate-containing foods, such as non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and moderate carbohydrate fruits. Most of the recommend low-carbohydrate diet plans, such as Atkins, Protein Power, and South Beach, recommend a moderate amount of carbohydrate intake.

Many people believe that if eating a low-carbohydrate diet will lead to weight loss, then eating a zero carbohydrate diet will bring about faster and greater losses. This isn't exactly true. Limiting carbohydrates in your diet is not the same as limiting calories and fat, and the mechanisms of loss differ. There is no scientific evidence that eating a zero carbohydrate diet will lead to faster weight loss.

Many scientists have studied low-carbohydrate diets to determine their efficacy. A 2010 Temple University study followed dieters for two years. One group of dieters ate a traditional low-fat, low-calorie diet while another group ate an Atkins-style low-carbohydrate diet. The study showed both diets to be equally effective at generating weight loss. Similar results have turned up in other studies, as well.

The only study performed on a zero-carbohydrate diet occurred in 1929 when two men agreed to go a year eating only meat. The study participants didn't lose weight, but they also experienced no predicted adverse effects of too much protein in the diet such as kidney disease or vitamin deficiencies.

Many health experts, such as MayoClinic.com, express concern that low-carbohydrate diets contain insufficient fiber, which can lead to constipation or even colon disease. No-carb diets contain even less fiber. Both low and no-carb diets are also high in saturated fat, which has been shown to contribute to heart disease.

No-carbohydrate diets are an extreme form of low-carbohydrate diets. For many, they prove difficult to maintain because of the lack of variety inherent in the diet. Most experts suggest a moderate approach to low-carbohydrate dieting that includes, at the very least, non-starchy vegetables. No discernible benefits arise from fully limiting carbohydrates.

Before going on a low-carbohydrate or no-carbohydrate diet, talk with your doctor.