Body has its own system of cleansing

At the start of the new year, people are willing to take on new diets to cleanse the body.

And with nearly endless options of supplements on the market and countless detox diets, there are plenty of methods for people to explore.

Damon McCune, a registered dietitian and a coordinator at the UNLV Nutrition Center, says people should be wary of the methods offered to cleanse the body.

The first product considered by many seeking a quick detox is a supplement. Going through the aisles of supermarkets or drugstores, people can usually find a variety of supplements that purport to help detox the body.

Don’t believe the hype, McCune says.

“A lot of these things make a lot of false claims,” McCune says. “There is no legitimate science. A lot of these detox products consist of antioxidants, amino acids and diuretics.”

Because of the diuretics, people might start defecating or urinating more.

“So you might feel like you’re cleansing the body,” he says. “Sometimes, this forces people to drink more water to remain hydrated and it’s the water and being hydrated that is actually making them feel better.”

From juicing to drinking cayenne pepper in citrus drinks, there are many suggestions on how to rid the body of toxins that involve changing the way people eat.

Again, McCune is wary of many of these diets.

“Some of these, you’re essentially starving the body,” he says. “So you lose six or seven pounds in two to three days and think you’re doing great. It’s that immediate gratification.”

McCune adds that detoxes that rely on very low caloric intake could cause more harm long term.

Because the body is starving, he says it will start eating away at muscles, which in turn will lower the metabolism.

“There is a lot of misinformation out there,” he notes.

Instead of falling for fad diets or unnecessary cleanses, McCune says there are simple steps people can take for better health.

“It starts with consistent proper behavior.”

For one, they could make sure they get enough water.

“We recommend 25 to 35 milliliters of water per kilometer of body weight,” he says.

Essentially, it breaks down to about 1 to 3 liters of water per day.

Consulting a dietitian, can help people determine the recommended caloric intake they need.

“People often do the elimination diet,” he says. “They can’t eat this or can’t have that. We believe you have to be flexible with your nutrition.”

In the end, McCune says as far as detoxing, people’s bodies do it on their own.

“You have functioning liver, lungs and skin, you’re typically detoxing and cleansing naturally,” he says.