Every time summer approaches, many people choose to start some type of weight loss diet of dubious effectiveness and dangerous from a nutritional point of view.
This year the famous detox diets that consist of eliminating toxins from the body through the intake of smoothies and juices are in fashion.
Although in the short term you can achieve the objectives set, in the long run, it has more cons than benefits. Next, I will tell you about the risks and dangers that detox diets pose to your body.
A detox diet also known as a detox cleanse, is a process that helps you effectively lose weight rapidly, eliminate harmful substances from your body, and boost your metabolism processes.
But don’t be carried away like any other therapy, detox diets can have life-threatening side effects on your body. They can be dangerous to your health. Here are some of the risks associated with detox diets:
Risks associated with detox diets
#1. Vitamin deficiency
Limiting the choices of foods you eat during a detox diet affects your intake of important vitamins and nutrients required for your body to carry out its normal functions.
This vitamin deficiency can result in unhealthy side effects such as headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness, and general body weakness such as fatigue.
#2. Anemia
Often time detox diets individuals suffer from iron deficiency which results in anemia, a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood, due to inadequate intake of iron-rich foods.
Making detox juices and smoothies loaded with iron-rich foods, like spinach, kale, and broccoli can boost a person’s iron intake. Vitamin C sources which include orange juice and kiwi fruit smoothies can also benefit iron absorption.
#3. Muscle loss
Your body suffers from starvation when you restrict your diet. When that happens, your body will store fat cells and start grabbing energy (calories) from your lean muscle tissue to function properly.
#4. Heart palpitations.
Limiting diets as a result of detoxing repeatedly leads to an unstable heartbeat due to a severe electrolyte imbalance in the body. Irregular heart rhythm is caused by electrolyte imbalances which is called arrhythmia.
Heart palpitations are a symptom of an arrhythmia.
#5. Abdominal and digestive pain.
Intake of liquid detox diets which lack enough zinc, protein, vitamin A, and vitamin B will often lead to diarrhea, dehydration, and bloating after the detox diet or fatigue fault of detox diet.
These vital nutrients support coating your intestinal lining to make bowel movements smooth without discomfort.
#6. Weakened immune system.
As your body gets used to a lack of vitamins and energy, it will naturally shut down important systems in the body including the immune system leaving you susceptible to bacteria and viruses, infections, and illnesses.
Strengthen your immune system by eating healthy.
Know the risks and dangers of detox diets
#1. The so-called detox or cleansing diets are intended to eliminate toxins from the body and thus help lose excess kilos.
To achieve this goal, they are based on the intake of smoothies and fruit and vegetable juices and fasting moments to cleanse the body. Food of animal origin, alcohol, sugars, and caffeine are prohibited.
#2. The treatment usually lasts about a week because the body needs a series of nutrients that this type of diet does not provide.
According to most nutritionists, detox diets are meaningless because the body, through the liver and kidneys, already naturally performs this cleansing or purification. An excess of fluids in the body can have very serious consequences for your health and metabolism.
#3. That is why the best way to lose those extra kilos is to follow a healthy and balanced diet, in which there is no lack of nutrients that the body needs to function perfectly.
If in addition to carrying out this diet, you do a little physical activity regularly, you can healthily lose those kilos without putting your health at risk.
Conclusion
A detox diet is lacking in essential nutrients the body requires in carrying out daily metabolism such as protein, fatty acids, and other vital nutrients. Carbohydrates provide all the calories needed for daily energy.
During a detox diet, the daily deficiencies of these nutrients cause dehydration, deplete electrolytes and impair normal bowel function.
These also can disrupt the native intestinal flora, microorganisms that perform useful digestive functions. A person who goes on this diet repeatedly may run the risk of developing metabolic acidosis, a disruption of the
