In the nutritional world, nothing is trendier than trying the latest new “cleanse” or “detox” in the hope of busting through a weight-loss plateau, eliminating bloat, or getting back on track after falling off the wagon with your nutrition.

There’s no shortage of crazy diets out there.  Some of them you have cabbage soup at every meal while others have you drinking water with lemon and pepper and maple syrup.  And they all claim to cleanse or detoxify your body.

But what are they EXACTLY?

It would seem that both have people using them with the intent to “detoxify” the body, but what does that even mean? 

Well, we’re bombarded with toxins on a daily basis.  Air pollutants, soil, pesticides, the products we use every day, junk food, etc.  Our bodies naturally detoxify themselves.  The liver and kidneys flush out our toxins every day. 

Here’s the thing:  If you’re constantly hammered by toxins and you’re not minding your nutrition or hydration, your liver and kidneys struggle to keep up.  Constant exposure to toxins can really add up.  If you’re eating a lot of junk, you’re putting a ton of stress on your organs.

This is where cleansing comes in handy. 

A cleanse (Like the 3-Day Refresh or Ultimate Reset) aims not just to eliminate bad foods from your diet, but to actually show you how to fuel your body with the proper foods that will aid in your body’s natural processes, taking the pressure off of your liver and kidneys, which brings me to my next point:

No food can detoxify you.

Only your liver and kidneys detoxify.  The foods you eat can make that job easier or harder, but it’s your organs doing all the heavy lifting, so let’s just bust that myth right now.

So, a cleanse focuses on consuming simple, whole, healthy foods that cut your liver and kidneys some slack.  Yes, you might lose a few pounds, but the ultimate goal of a proper cleanse is to help you reshape your nutrition in the long term.  When cleansing, you should properly research your chosen cleanse so you can prepare and know what you should expect both before and after your cleanse. 

Detoxes, on the other hand, are a bit different.  A detox eliminates unhealthy food from your diet, but often in a really restrictive way.  Most detoxes only allow you a diet consisting of foods with so-called “detoxifying properties.”

I’ll say it again for the people in the back: No food can detoxify you.

This is where the crazy juice cleanses and cabbage soup diets come in.  Someone is convinced that these foods flush your system.  Once again, it’s your liver and kidneys doing the flushing.  What’s more, a really restrictive diet usually ends up depriving you of the nutrients your body need to function properly, which isn’t great if you’re looking for long-term results.

There you have it.  While a detox eliminates foods in search of a short-term solution, cleanses focus on not only eliminating junk, but flooding your body with healthy, nutrient-rich foods.  Therefore, a cleanse will help you form new, better eating habits that will nourish and support your body in the long term.

When it comes to these diets, doing your homework is important.

Don’t give in to fads or trends.  If it sounds crazy, it probably is.  And hey, it’s not a bad idea to talk to your doctor before you start making drastic changes to your diet. 

When it comes to “detoxifying,” it’s important to balance the elimination of junk with the addition of whole, healthy foods that will support a healthy body and lifestyle that is sustainable for the foreseeable future.

If you’re looking for a quick cleanse to jumpstart your nutrition or bounce back after a holiday feast or some vacay bloat, 3-Day Refresh would be a great cleanse to try.  Get it here.

If you’re looking for a longer, more intensive program to totally transform your diet and help you make big changes to your nutrition in the long-term, Ultimate Reset might be more your speed. You can find it here.

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