Many people believe that they need a special diet to "detox" their bodies. However, the body has its own natural ability to detoxify. The best way to "detox" the body is to support its natural detoxification process and eliminate toxins, rather than using extreme methods such as only drinking juice or fasting for several days or longer to detoxify or "cleanse" the body.

The body has several natural ways to detoxify. For example, the liver breaks down the toxins and elements we ingest and helps eliminate them. The kidneys metabolize and excrete waste. The colon and intestines also expel toxins through feces.

Some evidence suggests that certain detox programs can help with weight loss, improve insulin resistance, and control blood pressure. However, there are few studies on the effectiveness of detoxification, and most of the existing studies have a small sample size. Other studies have found that detox diets are difficult to achieve sustainable weight loss. You may lose weight quickly, but the weight is likely to rebound after the detox ends. Moreover, there is a lack of research on the long-term effects of detoxification on weight loss or other aspects.

When you feel that you need to "detox", it probably means that you notice your health is not in good condition. If you have any concerns about your health and diet, it is essential to consult a healthcare provider. Trying some popular detox diets without medical supervision may lead to malnutrition. In addition, even if you have a balanced diet, if you experience symptoms such as easy bruising or bleeding, frequent fatigue, or unexpected weight loss, you should see a doctor. These may be signs of an underlying disease or damage to the liver or kidneys, which are involved in the body's natural detoxification.

When done correctly, dry brushing your skin with a soft brush before a bath or shower may make your skin look and feel better. You can remove dead skin cells through mechanical exfoliation, making your skin texture smoother. However, be careful that if you exfoliate too hard, it may increase the risk of acne and skin redness. Additionally, some evidence shows that adding Epsom salt to your bath may help clean the body from the inside out. For example, your skin may absorb minerals like magnesium in Epsom salt. Magnesium is beneficial for muscle and nerve function, blood sugar control, and blood pressure regulation. A hot Epsom salt bath can also help you relax.

Prebiotics are nutrients that help promote the growth of "good" bacteria in the intestines. Intestinal bacteria break down prebiotics into natural components like fatty acids, which are beneficial to organs outside the intestines. To maintain normal intestinal peristalsis and detoxification, you can try to consume enough fiber, drink plenty of fluids, exercise regularly, and take prebiotics. The following foods naturally contain prebiotics: asparagus, bananas, barley, rye, wheat, beans, chicory root, dandelion greens, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, milk, onions, peas, raw honey, tomatoes.

Nutrient-rich whole foods help maintain good health. Try to reduce the consumption of fried, sugary, processed foods, and red meat. These foods increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Instead, choose fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean protein, and probiotics that are beneficial to intestinal and liver function.

Adequate and high-quality sleep is crucial for overall health. Good rest helps reduce stress and inflammation and allows your body to function optimally. Experts recommend that adults get about seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Good sleep hygiene habits that help you get a good sleep include: avoiding stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine before bed; creating a sleep-friendly environment by keeping the bedroom cool, dark, quiet, and free of electronic screens; sticking to a regular bedtime so that you can get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, including weekends.

Sweating is a safe and effective way for the body to expel heavy metals such as nickel, lead, copper, arsenic, and mercury. A study published in 2022 found that sweating through dynamic exercises like running may expel more toxins than sweating in a sauna. Regular physical exercise is also beneficial for mental health. Exercise helps relieve anxiety and reduce symptoms of depression.

Drinking plenty of water and electrolytes every day helps the kidneys expel toxins from the body. Electrolytes help transport nutrients into cells and waste out of the body. Experts recommend drinking 91 - 125 fluid ounces or more of water per day. If you want something other than plain water, you can choose tea or lemon or lime juice. Green tea can improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, both of which can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Antioxidants are artificial or natural substances that can prevent or delay certain types of cell damage that lead to chronic diseases. One of the main functions of antioxidants is to counteract free radical damage. Free radicals cause oxidative stress, which leads to cell damage. Oxidative stress may increase the risk of many chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (a common form of dementia that impairs your memory and daily activities), cancer, diabetes, eye diseases, heart disease, and Parkinson's disease (a neurological disease that affects movement and causes tremors). Antioxidants include beta-carotene, selenium, and vitamins A, C, and E. You can find a variety of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables.

Jessica Cording, a comprehensive nutrition health coach, told Health magazine that alcohol "directly enters the metabolic pathway", so your body can process it quickly and excrete it. Your body mainly processes alcohol through the liver and a small amount through breathing. Your body has to work hard to process alcohol, which directly affects the organs responsible for naturally expelling other toxins from the body. Try to drink less alcohol to support the body's natural cleansing process.

Many popular detox programs often require a radical change in lifestyle, which is not good for the body. These programs are usually restrictive and try to minimize calorie intake. Compared with losing weight slowly over time, a restrictive diet is more likely to cause weight rebound.

There are other risks of detoxification, such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance; exposure to harmful ingredients; getting sick due to harmful bacteria in unpasteurized juice; a large amount of oxalate (a natural substance) in juice that can damage the kidneys; and nutritional deficiencies. In addition, rapid weight loss (similar to detoxification) also has some side effects, such as constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, hard deposits in the gallbladder (i.e., gallstones, which sometimes cause pain), gout (a form of arthritis that causes severe pain in one or several joints such as the ankle, big toe, and knee), loss of bone density, muscle, and water, and nausea. Moreover, detoxification often focuses on "short-term detoxification". People may not learn how to reintroduce healthy foods after the detox ends or develop sustainable healthy eating habits to support overall health. Instead, let your body detoxify naturally.

If you want to start a healthy lifestyle, you can consider detoxification. However, detoxification and cleansing are not necessary because the body detoxifies itself regularly. In fact, you can support the body's natural detoxification process and eliminate toxins by adjusting your lifestyle. For example, eat nutrient-rich foods, reduce the intake of added sugar and alcohol to maintain overall health. Also, drink more water, get good sleep, and exercise regularly to enhance the body's natural detoxification ability.