Our bodies are complex, with a balance of microorganisms that work in conjunction
LAHORE: I’ve noticed a recent and growing trend among the youth of Pakistan, and that is of ‘cleansing’ away toxins with juice fasts. Young people walk around with mason jars and floating salads therein. Detox diet advocates claim that avoiding solid foods, drinking particular juices and taking ‘detoxifying’ supplements allows the digestive system to eradicate toxins, resulting in overall enhanced wellness.
On the contrary, these notions are not upheld by science. “Our bodies are complex, with a balance of microorganisms that work in conjunction with our GI tract, liver and kidneys to filter, digest and detox our bodies of any unnecessary impurities,” says Julie Duffy Dillon, a registered dietitian and eating disorder specialist in Greensboro, North Carolina. Juices and pills aren’t needed for detoxing, says Dillon. Many cleanses can have side-effects, such as gas, bloating, diarrhoea, muscle loss and weak immune function, according to both Harvard Medical School and the Journal of Family Practice. One of the dangers includes that many juice fasts and liquid diets involve consuming no protein at all or have very low amounts of it and are extremely low in calories.
Mubashir Buksh
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2017.
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