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Detox: why detoxify?

Why spring is just crying out for detoxification, what detox does, and why Gwyneth Paltrow's “Hula Hydrator” isn't really the first choice for it.

Detox: why detoxify?

"We are so polluted with environmental toxins in Europe that our liver, in particular, cannot keep up with detoxification."

Kate Moss does it, Cate Blanchett, Ralph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow. They all detox. They were taught by Nish Joshi, an alternative doctor with Indian roots. The detox grandfather's program, which is inspired by Ayurveda, lasts 21 days. And it is not for wimps: Not only is coffee, bread and red meat coated, but also wheat, dairy products, fruit juices, fruit - apart from bananas - alcohol, sugar, mushrooms, eggplants and everything with additives. To do this, you feast on salad, cooked vegetables, fish, colonic irrigation and acupuncture.

And why the whole thing? Apart from the fact that afterwards you will never feel like sweets again, as Joshi promises? The avoidance of acidic and processed foods is intended to flush out toxins and change the pH balance in the body from acidic to basic. Not only does this drop the kilos, it is also healthy. After all, around 25 percent are already all Diseases and deaths globally attributed to food and environmental toxins. Incidentally, that is not what the detox guru says, but the World Health Organization WHO. And that says even more: For example, that artificial food additives and increasing pollution are putting more and more strain on health - in addition to constant stress, lack of exercise and unhealthy nutrition.

It's been 17 years since Joshi's detox clinic opened in London. In the meantime, detox offerings like mushrooms have grown out of the ground. One of the first to want to relieve the burden in this country is the medical doctor Christian Matthai. The four-week program focuses on the organs liver and kidneys, which have to process environmental toxins, medicines, heavy metals, preservatives and flavor enhancers. If it is too much for them, they sometimes give bad answers in the form of chronic headache, fatigue, digestive problems, dizziness or difficulty concentrating. Matthai relies on positive vibes, exercise and detoxifying food, such as beets, artichokes, broccoli, cabbage, onions and garlic, goy berries, acai or mangosteen. And the same applies to him: no sugar, no alcohol, four hours of exercise a week, drinking and sleeping a lot, nothing baked, breaded, fried, no ready meals or junk food. However, you have to invest a four-digit amount for this.

And what do you think of detox?

"I think the term is exaggerated," says Marcus Drapal, whose company of the same name primarily produces pure plant juices. Why? "Because it also gives promises that unfortunately cannot be fulfilled." Drapal believes “cleaning from the inside or reducing the supply of so-called poisons” to be more honest and realistic. “Completely medical specialist Ilse Triebnig, who runs detox cures, sees it in a similar way:“ For me detox means detoxification in the broadest sense, in contrast to fasting, that Temporary abstinence usually means luxury foods and has been a well-thought-out facility since spring. ”

It differentiates between people who should be permanently detoxified and the "normalos". The former are occupational groups that deal with lead, crom, pesticides, fungicides etc. or farmers who use weed killers. "Everyone should read Martin Rümmele's book, Zeitbombe Umweltgotox´," she recommends. Anyone who eats organic food and has clean drinking water can simply remove the toxins from the body twice a year.
On the other hand, there is the argument that the body detoxifies itself with the liver and kidney, intestine and skin, which some scientists like to introduce. Jürgen König, head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Vienna, for example, says: "If we eat reasonably well, we can keep our organism running so that it automatically excretes toxins."

Apart from that, there would be no nutrients that would particularly enable the body to detoxify. Triebnig disagrees: "We are so polluted with environmental toxins in Europe that our liver, in particular, cannot keep up with detoxification, which means that fatty liver is the most common disease." Soil contamination with the Chernobyl waste products: "In the areas that were affected by rain at the time, mushrooms and wild boar meat still have too much cesium and strontium - both carcinogenic substances." And because the toxins are mostly deposited in the connective tissue it makes sense to eliminate this burden even if you don't feel tired or tired, she says.

Rely on plant power

Why is spring, when nature wakes up after a long winter, the right time to get rid of contaminated sites? Because we humans, too, can leave the heavy and sluggish energy of this season behind us and start again. Helping the body cleanse brings physical as well as mental clarity and helps get rid of any winter bacon. Using budget-friendly local plant substances and minerals is not a mistake. "The artichoke supports the liver, the nettle promotes classic detoxification, and the dandelion strengthens the stomach and intestines," says Drapal. Doctor Triebnig also uses wild garlic, bitter substances, aloe vera and zeolites. Neither think anything of expensive packages for detoxing: "The market is overloaded with expensive juices with too much sugar and preservatives, which mostly only help the production company," says Triebnig, who advises to study the package insert. And Drapal also speaks plainly: "Unfortunately, detox is very often hocus-pocus - a critical look at the details and their relationships is highly recommended."

Therefore, these two probably won't work with Ms. Paltrow's own seven-day Joshi-inspired detoxification program, which she has now brought to the market - although that with lemon water, soups, vegetable juices and smooties with sounding names like "Godzilla Native" or " Hula Hydrator ”captivates.

Detox after TCM
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) relies on cereals for detox, which is said to have a high therapeutic potential when dehydrating or removing moisture. TCM expert Claudia Nichterl says: "A rice cure, for example, is ideal if you feel constantly weak and often have stomach problems." And this is how it works: A rice cure day contains a maximum of 150 grams of rice (raw weighed). There are also endless vegetables, a maximum of 500 grams of fruit and 1,5 to 2 liters of liquid in the form of tea, soup or water. To get a full meal, the cooked cereal is supplemented with steamed vegetables, fruit or fruit compote, herbs and spices. Small quantities of nuts, seeds, lentils, beans or tofu and high-quality, cold-pressed oils are also permitted. Coffee, black tea, alcohol and nicotine are taboo. Teas such as Maishaartee, Melissa tea, nettle tea, milk thistle tea and warm or hot water support the cure. The days after, digestion and metabolism, depending on the length of the course, must be carefully brought back to meals with easily digestible food. The build-up time should be at least a third of the length of the Lent.

Photo / Video: Shutterstock.

Written by Alexandra Binder

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