Nature has a built-in system for detoxing our bodies from compounds entering the body, either accidentally or intentionally. This system is a combination of actions of the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin. If you have normal function of these organs, you're in good starting shape.
The phrase "detox diet" means many different things to different people. Often it's wrongly used for a "quick fix" for weight loss. While fluid loss gives the sense of "lightness" and weight loss and a sense of well being, it's just not a fix for everything.
For many, a detox diet is the familiar, celebrity tested-plan of a combination of water, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice, popularly referred to as "master cleanse". A mix of these—about 110 calories per 8 ounce cup, consumed 6-12 times a day—is the basis of this plan. Do the math and you'll see that the calorie consumption is as little as 660 calories a day, without protein, vitamins or minerals. Made popular by Beyonce who famously lost weight using this "diet" for a film role (and regained the weight afterward), it's not meant to be used for more than a week or so.
While a healthy person can exist on a fast like this one without health-damaging effects for a few days, long-term use can lead to protein and vitamin deficiencies. Short term issues like headache, fatigue, lack of focus, aches and irritability are related to the lack of calories and caffeine withdrawal among other causes. Plus, it's quite likely that Beyonce also had the benefit of medical supervision to monitor her health, as most celebrities do, when weight-related changes to develop a film character are required.
Plans vary from all sorts of juice, vegetable and other semi-fasts, with lists of "good and bad" foods to be eliminated. Often red meat or dairy are excluded, as well as caffeine and alcohol. It's the extremes of these plans that are the problems.
Other detoxing involves "colon cleansing" to flush out harmful bacteria and contaminants from the digestive tract. The problem here is that none of these cleansers can tell the difference between healthy bacteria and unhealthy ones - so you can put your health at risk with these. Our digestive tracts are full of "good" bacteria to keep us healthy.
My bottom line? Avoid all of these, and use common sense.
