Diet

Are Body Cleansing Diets Worth Starving For?

If celebrities like Beyonce swear by detox diets, should you? Experts share how these diets really affect your body

by Anna Jimenez

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How cleansing diets affect your body Due to the fact that multi-day cleansing diets restrict calories to a below average level, the body goes into shock. "The body's primary fuel source is glucose, which is essential for our brains to function," says Albovias. "If we don't eat for four to eight hours, no glucose is available and our livers turn glycogen, a storage form of glucose [in our muscles], into a usable form of fuel." After a few days, "muscle wasting is prevented by temporarily switching to fat as a source of fuel," explains Albovias. This is why people temporally lose weight. But all of this conversion causes stress on the body, which then causes "irritability, nervousness, shakiness, blurred vision, or sometimes euphoria -- common side effects of low blood sugar," and can also be "extremely harmful" to your kidneys, she warns.

Next: Find out whether cleansing diets are worth trying

SEE NEXT PAGE: Are cleansing diets worth it?

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Older comments

wow

by brianna121791 Monday, May 13, 2013 at 01:40PM Report as inappropriate

Smart info

by Mollysunshine Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 02:05AM Report as inappropriate

good information

by LittleBunny Monday, January 21, 2013 at 11:01AM Report as inappropriate

great article

by Mommy_of_Ethan Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 05:57PM Report as inappropriate

Thanks

by EricaC123 Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 06:34AM Report as inappropriate

Detoxes are a short term solution to a long term problem. They do not teach people how to eat properly. A cleanse every now and then is fine, but just for detoxifying purposes. Not for weight loss.

by robyne00 Friday, October 19, 2012 at 02:49PM Report as inappropriate

Wait - when they say only lemons, cayenne powder, maple syrup, and water, do they really mean absolutely nothing else? How do people survive?

by schien Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 05:10PM Report as inappropriate

very interesting article

by LittleBunny Wednesday, August 8, 2012 at 09:47AM Report as inappropriate

hmm great article

by Nicole2814 Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 08:00PM Report as inappropriate

Do something to help your body deal with the over processed foods and pollution is good. Increasing water and eating healthier food is good. Fasting for a short time is good too. However, it tends to be that right after the weight returns because we revert back to our bad diet. So slower, more permanent changes are better in the long run. More movement and healthy food. Perhaps a day a week with only raw fruits/veggies.

by asiagirl4ever Monday, July 16, 2012 at 01:48AM Report as inappropriate