A healthy diet leads to a healthy body and mind. But with the advancements in science and medicine, we have seen a wide range of shortcuts are available to procure a desired body structure. But the truth behind these temporary advancements can be scary. Detox diet is something that gets on the mind of teenagers as a means to lose weight. But teenage is the time for intense growth, development and social change and making risky dietary changes can lead to lack of nutrition for the body leading to adverse effects on growth and health of the body. So, let’s talk about detox diet for teens and then you can decide whether to succumb to such fads or not.
The word “Detox” stands for detoxification. Detoxification is the process of removing toxins and harmful substances from the body. It is said that detoxification can cure the long term effects of the toxins that have accumulated in the body. The liver is responsible for the natural detoxification of the body. But some people opt for detox diets to carry out this process.
In this article:
What is a Detox Diet?
Is It Good for you?
Not Recommended for Teens
Side Effects of Detox Diet for Teens
What’s Best?
All You Need to Know About Detox Diet for Teens
What is a Detox Diet?
Some people believe that toxins, which are a chemical or poisonous substance that can have harmful effects on our body, do not leave the body completely during the process of elimination of waste from the body. Instead they presume that toxins stay in our digestive system, lymph, gastrointestinal system, skin and hair causing tiredness and headache. So they depend on detox diets.
The main idea behind a detox diet is to give up on certain kinds of food items which contain certain toxins, so as to purge the body of all the toxic stuff. But the fact is the human body is designed to purify itself, so there is no need for such diets.
Certain detox diets also focus on fasting for a couple of days and then gradually adding certain food items into the diet. Some of the detox diets also encourage colonic irrigation and enemas to clean the colon and rectum using water. Whereas some detox diets recommend the use of certain supplements or special tea to help in purification of the body.
Detox diets contain high fiber, low fat, and carbohydrate content. They concentrate on reducing fats. Some diets recommend only liquid intake and juice fasting.
Well, eating a diet lower in fat and sugar and higher in fiber is very safe and healthy for anybody, but people on detox diets presume that they feel healthier due to the removal of toxins. Moreover, no such scientific proof has been procured that can prove the effectiveness of detox diets in removing to is from the body.
Is It Good for you?
Though the diet contains all natural foods and involves drinking lots of water and eating a lot of veggies, is it really good for you? Like several other fad diets, detox diets can also have harmful side effects, especially for teenagers.
Where doctors advise diets only for 2-3 days as longer diets can lead to serious health complications, detox diets focus on dieting for longer periods. So, they are not good for you.
Alarm!
Not Recommended for Teens
Teenage is a time of growth and development of the body so teenagers need a lot of nutritional supply, such as enough calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals. So diets such as the detox diet which involve fasting and refraining from eating certain food items can turn out to be a bad idea. So, diets as such that cut off the optimum nutrient supply to the body are not recommended for teenagers.
Side Effects of Detox Diet for Teens
Several supplements are used during detox diet. They are generally laxatives, which are made to accelerate the motion of people(that is to make them go to the bathroom more often). This can cause dehydration, mineral. Imbalance and other problems in the digestive system. So, even if you are adamant on opting for a detox diet, consult your nutritionist first so as to chalk out an apt diet plan for you as per your body type.
People with Serious Health Conditions Should Avoid Detox Diets
In case your child is suffering from diabetes or any other chronic medical condition, detox should be avoided. Also, in case of any eating disorder, opting detox diet can turn out to be fatal.
Doesn’t Help in Losing Fat
Teens mistake detox diet as a way to lose weight.Fasting for several days can help you lose pounds of weight, but it is in the form of water or muscle. Fasting doesn’t help in losing fat. Moreover, people gain weight faster after fasting.
Short-Term Benefits
Along with the possible complexities that a detox diet can cause, it’s benefits are very short term. This diet can help you maintain physical fitness and enhance body building capabilities for a short time. Fasting slows down the person’s metabolism and makes losing weight even harder.
They Can Be Addictive
Addiction of any kind is not safe or healthy, not at least for a teenager. A few days without food or having enema turns out to be addictive for some people the same way like alcohol. Such an addiction can lead to eating disorders or other chronic problems.
What’s Best?
The best way to maintain good health is to eat right, instead of not eating. Adolescents who intend to improve their health and wish to lose weight can do so by choosing protein rich food such as, poultry and fish; calcium-rich foods such as milk and yogurt; fiber-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. These food items provide the body with the required nutrients and help in maintaining optimal growth of the person.
Conclusion
So, any kind of short cut helps only for a short while. In order to maintain good health one must eat healthy and drink a lot of water. The human body is designed to purify itself, so let your liver do the work and you should focus on eating right instead of not eating. In case of any other concern, you doctor is the best person to consult.
Reference
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.momjunction.com/articles/detox-diet-for-teens_00351840/%3famp=1
https://www.livestrong.com/article/239267-detox-diets-for-teens/
