Hello again everyone. I hope the first week of 2018 was great for you. As we enter a new year, we all make new resolutions and try to implement them. It's like we open a new page in our lives. In this article, I would like to give you a little advice as a dietitian. Let's add healthy eating and physical activity to our resolutions this year. This year, let's invest in our health together.
Actually, what I will talk about today is about stopping, listening to your body and meeting its needs. Today I will tell you about detox. But the detox I will tell you will not be the vegetable mixtures, starvation or shock diets you see in the media.
First of all, what is detox? Why is detox applied? Who can apply detox? For whom is it harmful? Is every nutrition program called detox correct?
I will tell you about the concept of toxin so that you can fully understand detox.
What is toxin and how do we remove it from our body?
Toxin is the general name of substances that have harmful effects on our body and that are undesirable in the body and negatively affect health. They are both produced in the body and taken externally. It occurs as a result of the body's physiological metabolism or externally; They can be acquired from the air we breathe, what we eat, and through physical contact. It can be said that almost every food we eat today contains some toxic substances. If toxins are not removed from the body; It increases risks such as cancer, heart diseases, premature aging and arthritis. In addition, it may be the cause of discomforts that we constantly complain about on a daily basis, such as headache, weakness and fatigue. Of course, since these complaints are very general, it would be beneficial for you to get help from a doctor or dietitian.
So how do we remove these toxins from our body? Our main organ that removes toxins from the body is the liver. These substances are excreted from the kidneys through urine, from the skin with sweat, and from the intestines through feces. However, there are some factors that prevent the liver from doing its job properly. Substances such as caffeine (tea and coffee consumption), alcohol, drugs, cigarette and exhaust fumes, excessive protein consumption and saturated fats do not do the liver's job. It can slow down the removal of toxins from the body by preventing it from flowing. Now that we understand the toxin, the next question is "What is Detox?"
Detox is mental-physical-spiritual purification. Mental and spiritual purification requires a process, while physical purification occurs naturally by the body every day through our lymph circulation. The purpose of detox is to protect our health by purifying our body from toxins, to prevent the acidification of the fluids in our body, and to maintain acid-base balance. In a healthy body, blood and body fluids are expected to be slightly alkaline. Alkaline body fluid and oxygen in the blood are also the basis of a strong immune system. As a result, the main logic of detox is to purify our body regularly. I ask you to read the rest of this part more carefully, because I will touch upon the main message in my article and the point I want to tell you.
What is not detox? Detox, inadequate or unbalanced nutrition, stress, environmental factors. It is a program designed to remove toxic substances from the body along with drug use. It should not be confused with weight loss programs. While their most important similarity is that detox must be personalized to the individual, just like weight loss diets, the most obvious difference is that detox is a short-term body cleansing, away from teaching the principles of proper nutrition and changing habits. For example, a personalized accelerated program applied during detox should not be perceived as a program that should be applied constantly and become a habit. As with other fad diets, strict adherence to detox regimens can carry serious health risks. The point reached as a result of a fasting diet based on a single type of nutrition applied for a few days is fluid loss and slowing down of metabolism. When the tissue lost is muscle and water, rapid weight gain becomes inevitable. However, as I have stated before in my articles, this type of weight loss is both harmful to health and regaining the weight you lose will be very fast.
Who can apply a detox program?
Those who cannot consume 5 portions of vegetables and fruits every day, who do not drink enough water, who consume too much alcohol and caffeine, who overdo it Those who work under stress, travel frequently, lead a sedentary life and complain of edema, gas and bloating, and those who have difficulty waking up in the morning and feel tired from time to time can detox. I find it useful to remind you again that detox programs, or we can also change their name to purification programs, can be applied under the control of a dietitian and when necessary.
Who cannot apply detox/purification programs?
I do not find it appropriate for people with organ failure (heart, kidney, liver, kidney), pregnant women, lactating women, people with high blood pressure, diabetic patients and children to apply such programs. At the same time, it should not be applied to people with reflux, gastritis and intestinal syndrome diseases, which are among the complaints from time to time.
The content and duration of the detox/purification program varies according to the needs of the person. These programs can be daily, three-day or one-week. However, since detox/purification programs applied for more than 3 days may be harmful to health, I generally recommend daily purification programs if necessary.
How are detox/purification programs applied?
In order to get rid of toxins, natural nutrition, that is, main and snack meals consisting mainly of vegetables and fruits, is the basic principle. Consuming unprocessed whole grain bread, legumes, fish, yoghurt, oilseeds and drinking plenty of water is the easiest and most accurate way of detox/purification. During the detox period, caffeine, alcohol and ready-made foods should be avoided. You should drink plenty of water during the detox program. Vegetable juices or mixtures may also be preferred. Tea polyphenols, especially green tea, are important for cleansing/detoxing; strengthens the immune system. Ginger, chicory, fennel and celery can help remove excess water from the body. Grapefruit and orange juice also strengthen the immune system thanks to the vitamin C they contain. I would like to give a few examples of natural cleansing foods. Many foods such as turnip leaves, red pepper, citrus fruits, watercress, turmeric, legumes, artichokes, lentils, garlic, broccoli, cucumber and walnuts not only contain rich nutritional content, but also help remove toxins from our body. But he saw It is definitely not right to implement a detox program by following a uniform diet or consuming only vegetable and fruit mixtures as you do.
Detox should never be perceived as losing weight in a short time and should not be seen as a slimming program. In fact, the main goal of such programs is mental purification. And we can't achieve the mental cleansing we're talking about by pushing your body, starving yourself, or choosing a restricted diet. In such programs designed to treat your body well and listen to its voice, treat it well and never torture it. Remember, our body is our most precious treasure. Be kind to him. In fact, our body tells us what it wants from us every moment, every minute, but the important thing is that we know how to listen to it. Then let me give you another little advice. Shall we add to the decisions you have made this year, loving your body, listening to it, and listening to its wishes?
Hoping that the diets that started on Monday will continue, I wish you a healthy week.
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