Detox – is it myth or magic?

Let’s face it: most of us will have let our diets take a nosedive during the Christmas holidays. Perhaps a little too much to drink? A few too many chocolates, maybe?

Given that we’re probably feeling a little sluggish at the moment, we’re easy prey for those clever sharks, circling around out there waiting to take a bite out of our budgets.

Sharks? Yep – we’re talking about those detox peddlars, promising potions to clear us out and clean us up.

While the detox gurus selling magic potions think it’s the bee’s knees; many scientists now say detox is nonsense.

What everyone agrees, though, is that too much alcohol, not enough sleep, Christmas blow-outs and boxes of chocs while motionless in front of the telly for hours aren’t all that kind to your body.

So, the idea of detox as a psychological break with that bloated past could certainly be a good thing. But, hold fire on shelling out for detox tablets and other cure-alls until you’ve read on.

Advocates of detox diets say our bodies are continually overloaded with toxins from pollution, cigarette smoke, pesticides, a poor diet, food additives, alcohol and caffeine. As these toxins build up in our system, we start to have health problems, ranging from weight gain to headaches, dull-looking skin to tiredness.

The range of detox options is just as wide – from pleasurable things like body-brushing and massage to the distinctly unpleasurable colonic irrigation and extreme fasting.

Why are the scientists so down on detox? They say that there’s no evidence that our bodies need help in getting rid of waste products. Providing we have healthy livers, lungs, kidneys and skin, they do the job perfectly well.

“Detox diets and products may not do harm, except, perhaps, to your wallet, but neither do they do you much good,” says Dr Paul Illing, Chartered Scientist, Registered Toxicologist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. “Your natural bodily functions are effective at clearing out harmful substances and there is little you can do to enhance these. Patience and a proper diet are more valuable than detox products and supplements.”

Scientists also say that what seem to be the results of detox are for more likely to be related to healthy changes. Healthier looking skin, for example, comes from eating more fruit and veg; fewer headaches and better concentration can come from drinking plenty of water.

Drinking water is almost always top of the must-dos in a detox regime. It also happens to be one thing the scientists recommend too.

Trouble is, it can be hard to swallow glass after glass of cold water in the January freeze. Herbal teas are a great, warming and refreshing alternative. They also contain antioxidants that help protect the body against damage from 'free radicals' – those unstable molecules that are thought to lead to premature ageing. Green teas also contain an amino acid called theanine, which is believed to create a feeling of relaxation and alertness – not a bad brew!

Of course, we’ve known about the benefits of herbal teas for a long time – we also know that taste is just as important as health-giving properties. So, our Relaxing Vanilla variety is a delicious mix of green tea with camomile blossoms and wild oregano stems. Regenerating Aloe Vera is a special blend of green tea with mint, nettle leaves and other herbs – it speeds up your metabolism and has excellent cleansing and regenerative properties.

So, can detoxing do anything for us? Dr Catherine Collins, Chief Dietician at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London says the one thing a detox diet can do is to get people back on the straight and narrow by limiting the foods they can choose to eat.

Because the better regimes encourage good habits like eating fresh fruit and veg, cutting back on processed food and watching the amount of caffeine and alcohol we drink, they can put us back in charge of our health.

So, opt for a good, balanced diet, water and herbal teas – and save your detox dosh for the January sales.