Should you cleanse? Detox is a hot topic, and it might be just what the doctor ordered

Better Nutrition, Oct, 2005 by Frank Ervolino

A couple of friends are trying to convince me to do a liver detox, but many people have told me that it is just mumbo-jumbo--one only needs to eat well and exercise. I wonder if you could settle the argument. Wei-chun Lo, via email

To detox or not isn't just a topic of discussion for you and your friends. It's one that is debated regularly among health care practitioners. Still, there isn't a clear answer. In my opinion, detoxification programs are important for maintaining health because their purpose is to neutralize and eliminate undesirable compounds that a modern-day diet leaves behind. Even though our bodies do this on a continual basis, a detox can help strengthen the organs--skin, intestines, liver, lungs, kidneys and lymphatic system--that have to deal with the toxins we ingest each day. I like to think of detoxification as a way to get the body back to optimal functioning.

The reasons why people decide to give their bodies a holiday and cleanse their systems are numerous, but the potential benefits include helping prevent disease, especially after prolonged chemical or hormone exposure; improving symptoms of low energy, pain (joint, headache or others), anxiety, irritability, heartburn or other digestive issues; and easing some autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

And as the benefits differ, so do the ways you can detox. You can simply drink an extra quart of water every day, get more exerase, or you can fast, change your diet, or take herbs and supplements ... all are ways to detox.

Certain herbs and supplements encourage the body to eliminate metabolic wastes and return to a state of optimal functioning. Detox herbs must be taken with adequate water and soluble fiber such as ground flaxseeds or psyllium seeds, which serve to carry the waste products out of the body. Without adequate fiber, the dislodged waste products are reabsorbed into the body, and the process can make you feel ill. (Ironically, some consider those ill feelings to be a healing reaction.)

If you're detoxing for the first time, consider starting with a gentle cleanse that focuses on the intestines. (Different detox programs target different organs.) Why? The theory is that if you were to start with, say, the liver, and your intestines were not working optimally, they would have difficulty eliminating the waste purged from your liver--the major detoxification organ in your body. A natural practitioner can give you more information about specific detoxification programs. If you care to read more about the subject, a good book is The Detox Diet by Elson Haas, MD.

Some of my favorite detoxification herbs are burdock (known to help with urinary tract infections), dandelion root (a proven diuretic that helps promote the flow of water and bile through the body) and yellow dock (recognized as a treatment for constipation and also as a blood cleanser). Nutrients that support liver health are vitamins C, E, [B.sub.3], [B.sub.5], zinc, selenium and the amino acid L-cysteine, which helps the body protect itself from various toxins.

Remember that detoxing is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. One must use it to complement a healthful whole foods diet, regular exercise, minimal alcohol intake and abstinence from tobacco use.

Frank Ervolino, ND