Detox Diets – How to Prepare for a Body Detox
Detox or detoxification is the medicinal or physiological removal of poisonous substances out of a living organism, such as the human body, that is primarily carried out by the kidney. The kidneys act as the body’s filter, removing toxins and filtering out impurities in liquids and other foods that are consumed, before being eliminated through the urinary system. In most cases, a normal detox diet can be quite helpful in removing toxins, however this process can become ineffective if the toxins have become resistant to the normal methods of detoxification. In this situation, it may be necessary to seek assistance from a health care professional who will recommend or prescribe an alternative method of detoxification. In some situations, where the cause for the detoxification has been determined to be food intolerance, or possibly nutritional deficiencies, a physician may suggest that the patient switch to a more appropriate detoxification plan.
The two major ways that individuals detoxify include the voluntary method, which includes a change in dietary intake and substance use; and the medical method, which requires the administering of specific drugs in order to remove toxins from the system. Some common drugs used in detoxification are anti-abuse diuretics, laxatives, vitamin B12, thalidomide, and ephedrine. Individuals also detoxify with the aid of intravenous hydration or very pure water and may undergo several other treatments to hasten the process of removing toxins from the body. For instance, liquid hydrotherapy is a popular method of detoxification used to remove toxins from the system in the absence of food. It is done by splashing extremely pure water directly onto the body organs in an attempt to activate the detoxification process.
Another way that detoxification diets may be recommended by a doctor or other health care professional is in the case of patients who have overindulged in alcoholic beverages. Although it is not uncommon for individuals to consume excessive amounts of alcohol without realizing it, the excess volume of alcohol can eventually damage the liver and kidneys, contributing to the detoxification process. In most cases, it is also possible for individuals to detoxify without the use of drugs or medicines; however, the more natural the detoxification process, the longer it will take. The most important thing to remember when preparing for detoxification diets is to do everything in moderation and to drink plenty of liquids.