January detox Intox or how to waste your cash

My Dear Sexy Readers,

Ladies and Gentlemen, this year again, after our multiple binge eating and drinking and probably lack of sleep (for those who still don't know that Santa Claus only comes when you're asleep), we are going to be bombarded by those so-called Detox treatments!!!

These, over the years, have varied from creams, brushes to special vitamin pills, food supplements, etc etc...

They all have one common point, according to companies that sell them, they exist because your body is full of toxins accumulated over the holiday season and you need to get rid of them as soon as possible so you body will be able to function to its absolute best!!

If you have a tendency to believe adverts and trust companies when they say that it's absolutely necessary to go through a body detox, please do keep on reading, you might find some useful information that will save you hundreds of pounds!

Yes, hundred of pounds because this detox market is a lucrative one. Unfortunately, that is all it is: A business, because no information provided with those detox products was based on scientific evidence, purily because none of them provide any miracle cure!

The common selling point is Getting rid of toxins

To achieve this, we have two choices: externally or internally.

Externally

Pollution particles accumulate on your skin and hair and those gels/creams/pads help get rid of those impurities.

Companies sell you products that are specially made, with special ingredients, to detoxify your skin/hair. But if you look at the composition of those detox shower gels and special shampoos, you will see that the main active ingredients will always be the same as a normal shampoo, so it will always be a combination of detergent/foaming agent such as Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate with some derived glycerol compound for the texture, some fragrance, and preservatives such as paraben. Nothing special except the name Detox!

In 2010, the Voice of Young Science Network compiled a report analysing 15 products found on shelves of our major UK supermarkets and pharmacies. They called company sales representatives or advisors and asked them on what basis these specific products were efficient in detoxifying our body, needless to say their replies were those of confused people who in the end admitted that the simple answer was NONE.

If you would like to have a look at those specific products and the company's funny replies, I invite you to have a look at their work HERE

In a word, our body is well equipped to deal with our environment and its so-called toxins:

Our Skin

Skin structure

Our skin is a fantastically well made barrier:

The skin consists of three main layers, each with own unique function and purpose. The subcutaneous layer is the innermost layer. It is made up of fat, which is used as a fuel reserve and for insulating the body. Next, the dermis contains tiny blood vessels, hair follicles and nerve endings that detect pain and pressure. The dermis is very flexible and can detect changes in temperature.The outermost layer, the epidermis, is the key to the skin barrier. Made up of overlapping layers of dry cells, the epidermis helps keep moisture in the body and vital nutrients in and damaging substances and elements out.

Think about all the elements and substances you are exposed to every day, such as chemicals, pathogens and sunlight. The human skin does a good job of blocking out all these undesirable substances and forces. And all this happens around the clock, on a level so small you can't even see it.

Internally

The selling point of many products is that we absorb damaging toxins through food and drink. Those detoxifying pills target the build up of toxins inside our organs and help them flushing them out. Or according to representatives from companies that were interrogated by VYSN, toxins are stored in fatty acids and our body has difficulty breaking down those deposits.

Of course with all those detox pills, it will always be recommended to have a healthy low sugar low salt diet and drink plenty of water!!

Now, I'll hear you say, well of course you'll feel better if you stop binge drinking and eat healthy food!

Exactly, that's the point! Our body is prefectly capable of behaving by itself without the need for magic pills. Four organs are responsible for the detoxification of our body: the liver, the kidneys, the intestinal tract and the skin (see above)

Our liver - This chapter has now been extensively written HERE and HERE

Photo from HERE

Among others, our liver is

• processing digested food from the intestine
• controlling levels of fats, amino acids and glucose in the blood 
• combating infections in the body 
• clearing the blood of particles and infections including bacteria 
• neutralising and destroying drugs and toxins 
• manufacturing bile 
• storing iron, vitamins and other essential chemicals 
• breaking down food and turning it into energy 
• manufacturing, breaking down and regulating numerous hormones including sex hormones 
• making enzymes and proteins which are responsible for most chemical reactions in the body, for example those involved in blood clotting and repair of damaged tissues.

So the liver roles in detoxification are to filter the blood from toxins and to convert fat soluble toxins into water soluble toxins that will be excreted via the kidneys (and then urine) or via the bile (which also works as a bacteria killing detergent).

And those roles don't need no help from pills!!!

Now, these past few years, we have been witnesses of a very disturbing fashion, namely colon cleansing!!!

Colonic Therapy

This colonic irrigation is intended to remove feces and non specific toxins lining the walls of our intestinal tract that are responsible for general ill-health.

But if our body was accumulating toxins on its gut walls, it wouldn't be able to absorb essential nutrients, we'd all be starving to death!

So one of the claims of the beneficial effects of colon therapy being a help to losing weight is self contradictory!

Unfortunately, as well as being complete BS (and I don't mean to insist on the S), irrigating your colon is more damaging that anything else:

Colon cleansing may disturb the delicate but essential balance between bacteria and natural chemicals in the bowell and therefore may interfere with the colon functions. It also disrupts fluid and the balance in electrolytes leading to dehydration and cardiac problems.

Less unintended effect is also the inability to defecate without assistance!!!

Also, on rare occasions, gastrointestinal perforation for incorrect insertion and amoebic infections from poorly sterilized equipment have been reported.

If you really want to "cleanse" your colon , simple fact is eating a healthy diet high in fibers does the trick!!

Conclusion:

From HERE

Healthy low sugar, low salt, high fibers diet, and drinking lots of water is and will always be the best and cheapest Detox plan you'll find on the market!!!

See you Soon for more Sexy Science,