To DETOX...or not?

When January comes dragging by we all hope to start the new year with a clean slate. Many of us also to detox our systems, but what we really want to know is: do detoxes really work?

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The Detoxing Debate 

So you've overindulged during the festive period and now want to reboot your health - good for you! The New Year is a great time to start fresh and what better way to wipe the slate clean than to detox and cleanse your body? Bit first, we should unpack and debunk some of the myths about this age-old practice.

THE ULTIMATE DETOX SUITS EVERYBODY

Wouldn't that be nice? Unfortunately, there exists no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to health. No regime of fasting, juice-only diets, herbal teas, dietary supplements and pills, or colon cleansing will work the same wonders for everybody. Many of these are actually not advisable in the first place.

YOUR BODY NEEDS A REBOOT

Unlike a computer, you can't simply reboot your body (but how joyous wouldn't it be if we could). But even when you overindulge in fatty or sugar-laden foods, an abundance of alcohol and other 'toxins', the natural cleaning process of your liver, kidneys, lungs, and intestines will continue. "Our bodies have incredibly capable detox systems that are working non-stop," says Julia Lovely, a registered dietitian with her own practice. "Your liver (and other organs) will regenerate themselves, as long as you provide the balanced nutrition your body needs. There's no quick fix".