Detox - Fact Or Fiction?

In January, sickly and bloated from all the excess of the party season, many of us announce we are detoxing, not drinking for three months, losing ten kilos or whatever our own personal hang-ups dictate. But is all this new year's virtuous activity likely to do us any good?

What detox diets promise

Some people (Carol Vorderman and Kim Wilde, step forward!) have made a fortune from promoting their own detox programs, which apparently can help us lose a 10 kilos in 10 days, banish cellulite forever, feel better than we've ever felt, and more.

The detox theory

The theory goes, our bodies are continually overloaded with toxins from pollution, cigarette smoke, pesticides, a poor diet, food additives, alcohol and caffeine. As these toxins build up in our system we gain weight, get cellulite, headaches, dull skin, bloating, fatigue, lowered immunity, aches and pains, and suffer from a general lack of wellbeing. Supposedly, the process of detoxing helps to remove these toxins from the body so you lose weight, feel healthier and recover from all those other niggling health problems.

Do detoxes work?

Some doctors argue that our bodies are completely capable of excreting waste without the aid of 'detoxing' - that's what our liver, lungs, kidneys and skin are designed to do, after all. Whether this is true or not, strict detox diets followed in the long term, can lead to nutrient deficiencies. And of course, if you do a short-term detox then go back to your old habits, it's unlikely to do you any long-term good.

I'm certainly not arguing that junk food and excess alcohol is good for you. But for me, the biggest problem with the idea of detoxing is that it doesn't allow for gradual, long-term development of healthier habits. This all-or-nothing approach calls for complete dedication to a severe program which is not sustainable or realistic in the long term. Naturally, when you fall off the wagon you feel guilty then you think 'what the hell' and hit the alcohol and chocolate harder than ever!

Organic food for a clean system

Intuitively, we know that pesticides in our body from the food we eat can't be a good thing. Try introducing some organic food to your diet. You don't have to go completely organic and many people can't afford to. Here's a list of the more contaminated fruits and vegetables which you could replace with organic produce:

* apples

* pears

* peaches

* nectarines

* strawberries

* cherries

* raspberries

* grapes

* peppers (capsicum)

* celery

* green beans

* potatoes

* spinach

* lettuce

* cucumbers

* squash

* pumpkin

Try introducing more fruits and vegetables to your diet, maybe you could get a fruit and vegetable box delivered each week. Fresh seasonal vegetables arrive at your door, forcing you to look for new ways to prepare and cook them. Most cities have a variety of organic and non-organic home delivery services.

Clean up your skin

It's also important to consider how the products we use on our skin and in our homes may be affecting our health. They routinely contain chemicals that are carcinogenic or have gender-bending and other toxic effects. If you really want to eliminate some toxins from your body, you should probably be looking at the contents of your bathroom cabinet and your household cleaning products, rather than eating only cabbage.

Get real (and realistic)!

A glass of red wine with a meal is good for you and can help protect against cancer, as can dark chocolate. A half hour walk each day is all you need to protect yourself from depression and boost your immune system. So, rather than eating lettuce leaves and drinking nothing but water for six weeks, be kind to yourself. Enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner, go for a relaxing walk and have the occasional dessert. That way you'll be less likely to devour a whole packet of biscuits in one sitting because you won't feel deprived. Whoever said 'all things in moderation' had the right idea!