Detox, short for detoxification, is the removal of potentially toxic substances from the body. Although detox is primarily thought of as a treatment for alcohol or drug dependence, it is also a term used in alternative medicine to refer to diets, herbs, and other methods of removing environmental and dietary toxins from the body for general health.

Sources of toxins include those produced in the body during normal functions, such as the ammonia produced during the breakdown of protein, and external chemicals such as pesticides, household cleaners, food additives, drugs, pollution, cigarette smoke, and heavy metals like lead.

What is a detox diet?

A detox diet is not just the detox itself but the implementing the detoxification into your daily life via the diet you eat. For example, for a natural detox one must focus on using natural substances during the detox. After the initial detox they may incorporate many of the foods used during the initial detox into daily life.

Many people are embracing the idea of a detox and it’s nice to know the detox works miraculously for many. Today, following the introduction of detoxification, several natural detox solutions are considered by people. A number of detoxifying products that are deemed natural are also marketed throughout the world and whether you believe it or not, the natural detox industry is continually growing with more and more people considering what the industry has contributed to the market. The concept of detoxification is by nature natural. It involves proper diet, water consumption, and the use of certain herbs to release and eliminate toxic wastes in the body. It also involves certain acts of fasting, which for experts is an important part of every detoxifying process. Well, of these effective ways, taking herbs is one vital move to take. There are many different types of detox diets. Generally, a detox diet is a short-term diet that:

• Minimizes the amount of chemicals ingested (e.g. by choosing organic food)

• Emphasizes foods that provide the vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that the body needs for detoxification

• Contains foods that draw out and eliminate toxins by increasing the frequency of bowel movements and urination (such as high fiber foods and water)

Why do people go on a detox diet?
Many experts believe that many of the fat-soluble chemicals we ingest daily through food, water, and the environment can become deposited in cells in our bodies. A poor diet can also impair our natural ability to detoxify chemicals, which further leads to their build-up in the body.

This cumulative load, called the “body burden”, is thought to lead to illness and has been linked to hormonal imbalance, impaired immune function, nutritional deficiency, and an inefficient metabolism. Initially, there may be subtle warning signs, such as fatigue, poor skin, and pain.

Lab tests that assess urine, stools, blood, and liver function are available at certain private labs such as Great Smokies Diagnostic Labs. Note that doctors who are not familiar with detox may be reluctant to order these tests.