Detoxing: what does it actually mean, and do cleanses work?

If you're friends with a health-conscious individual, are one yourself, or have stood in any public area within California or New York, you're likely to be familiar with the term, "detox." People are drawn into juice cleanses, raw diets, and stop drinking caffeine, all in the name of detoxing. But what does it really mean to detox?

Honestly, I'd never really considered this question until now. Shortly after beginning my research, I was able to conclude that there's no definitive definition for the practice. On the most basic level, detoxing is ridding your body of toxins (no, really?), but it can take on various forms depending on the context. The word, "toxin" can be used to reference negative energy, too much time spent on social media, or second-hand cigarette smoke, to name a few examples. As far as this post goes, we're going to look at toxins mainly in terms of nutrition.

Everyday, we ingest mercury from the fish we eat, pollution from our industrial surroundings, and pesticides from produce. Unless you plan to radically restrict your diet, or, well, stop breathing, preventing intake of these harmful substances is somewhat out of our control. This gives many good reason to go on detox diets, doing what they can to cleanse their bodies of all impurity. What many detox programs and marketers of detoxifying food products fail to emphasize (or mention at all) is that our bodies naturally detoxify themselves through the liver, kidneys, skin, and intestinal tract.

Considering the numerous amount of toxins we're exposed to each day (more so than ever before), lending your hard working organs a hand could prove to be highly beneficial. By eating nourishing foods and cutting back on those containing harmful substances, we can assist our bodies in ridding of the waste we conjure up and prevent more from coming in. We may not have control over the external factors affecting us, but we certainly can take charge of those we do!

Many detox programs ask you to completely remove various food groups from your diet for a given period of time (many of which our bodies depend on for nutrients). Now, here's something to consider: many of these restrictive detox diets aren't scientifically backed and ultimately do you more harm than good. If these restrictions are kept up long term, they could lead to nutrient deficiencies and intolerances, muscle breakdown, and/or bring on intense cravings that could easily result in episodes of all-out binging. So, unless you suffer from an allergy or illness brought on from one of these such food groups, I wouldn't recommend slashing them from your diet. Too much of anything can prove harmful, but moderate consumption of foods that offer ample health benefit is another story (i.e. dairy, protein, and whole grains, these commonly landing on many detoxs' "not to eat" list).

My advice? Forget the cleanses and promote detoxification by limiting the foods that cause you more harm than good. Easy as that. Below are a list of foods and ingredients (commonly consumed in great amounts) to consider cutting back on:

Refined sugars: Made up of both glucose and fructose, the liver has to work harder to metabolize refined sugars than it does to metabolize foods made up solely of glucose (being unrefined starches, such as potatoes). All of the body's cells work to break down glucose, but the liver alone is responsible for metabolizing fructose. When large quantities of refined sugar are ingested, the liver converts much of it to fat. Overconsumption can lead to increased feelings of hunger (resulting in overeating, and thus, weight gain) and diseases associated with metabolic syndrome (including diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and hypertension).

Saturated and trans fats: By blocking blood flow to the heart and increasing cholesterol production, these unhealthy fats can increase risk of cardiovascular disease, weight gain, diabetes, stroke, and raised LDL cholesterol.

Excess sodium: Our kidneys are responsible for ridding of the sodium our bodies don't need for proper functioning. When too much comes their way and they aren't able to rid of it all, the sodium becomes entrapped in our bodies, which can result in high blood pressure and its associated diseases, such as stroke and coronary artery disease.

Processed foods: In them, you're likely to find refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and excess sodium, along with other harmful additives that could impair cognitive function, cause weight-gain, and increase your chances of developing chronic disease.

Alcohol: Many have experienced alcohol's short-term affects (headaches, slowed metabolism, dehydration, etc.) but long-term heavy drinking can lead to lasting consequences, including fatty liver disease, increased risk of cancer, and reduction in the size of your brain cells.

Canned goods: Studies have shown that taking in too much BPA (found in the cans' lining) can lead to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and reproductive disorders, among other consequences.

By eating a diet made up largely of nutrient-dense foods (vegetables, fruits, lean meats, whole grains, healthy fats), you can naturally help your body's system in the detoxification process. No restrictive diets necessary. To make cutting out the junk virtually painless, take a look at Greatist's list of 49 detox recipes!