Naturally Balanced > Ecotherapy in practice > Nutritionists, Dieticians > Fasting versus traditional diet – how to cleanse your body

Fasting versus traditional diet – how to cleanse your body

Published: 15/03/2022
Katarzyna Kieszkowska
She holistically guides clients and creates educational programs. She continues to expand her knowledge of nutritional medicine, food therapy, natural approaches to health and lifestyle. She is passionate about a healthy lifestyle.

Date of the last update: 15.03.2022

Detoxing, during which we get rid of harmful substances, is a process beneficial to health. It is most advisable for people who feel chronically tired, suffer from sleeping problems and complain of lack of energy and weight gain. Toxins also cause gastrointestinal problems, such as bloating or irregular bowel movements, and beauty defects: unsightly complexion, weak hair and brittle nails.

Table of Contents:

  1. What does detox involve?
  2. What is a cleansing fast?
  3. Cleasing fast – advantages and disadvantages
  4. What cleanses the body from toxins?
  5. Which cleansing diet works best?

You can read this article in 3 minutes.

What does detox involve?

The liver plays the most important role in the cleansing process. Other organs and systems involved are: kidneys, lymphatic system, lungs, skin and intestines – organs whose task is to remove toxins and harmful substances from our bodies. The toxic waste can be removed with stool, urine, sweat, phlegm and during the breathing process.

Essentially, detox allows the digestive system to rest from harmful compounds by fasting or following a light diet that purges toxic substances out of your body. During the treatment you should drink 3–4 litres of water and herbal infusions per day.

You may also be interested in: Body Detox – when and how to do it

What is a cleansing fast?

A cleansing fast has a detoxifying effect. Not everyone knows that the body which is deprived of food first consumes the dead and diseased cells, along with food staying in the guts. Fasting triggers the phenomenon called autophagy in the body’s cells. This discovery won the Japanese professor Yoshinori Ohsumi the Nobel Prize in 2016.

During a water cleansing fast, all degenerated cells are broken down, while the body recycles good molecules and components obtained from them to form new and healthy cells. During a 7-day cleansing fast no food is allowed, but you need to drink at least 2 litres of pure water a day.

Cleansing fast – advantages and disadvantages

Obvious benefits of fasting include preventing allergies, cardiovascular and digestive disorders. A cleansing fast is also good for improving cellulite, acne and atopic dermatitis.

However, this way of cleansing your body may have a negative impact on health, lower your blood sugar levels and destabilise proper body function. Apart from cachexia, fasting may cause worse mood and hormonal disorders. It may lead to diseases such as bulimia or anorexia in the future. It also weakens metabolism, because the body, fearing the lack of nutrients, will store reserves “for later”. On the other hand, high level of ketone compounds occurring during strict fasting periods causes nervous system disorders, impairs concentration, mood and memory.

Weakened persons, children and adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding women are not allowed to follow even a two-day or one-day cleansing fast under no condition.

What cleanses the body from toxins?

It is good to know that fasting is not the only method for detoxifying the body. A much safer and gentler solution is to follow a proven cleansing diet, which, however, should contain sufficient nutrients for the body to function well.

Above all, you should give up eating products such as:

  • sugar,
  • white flour,
  • red meat and its products,
  • milk and dairy products, and stimulants.

Instead, enrich your diet with:

  • plenty of fruit and vegetables,
  • wholegrains,
  • herbal infusions,
  • natural juices.

Products known for their special detoxifying properties include:

  • rocket, pomegranate,
  • cranberries,
  • algae,
  • beets,
  • apples,
  • green tea,
  • aloe vera juice.

In addition, large amounts of fibre and water help to cleanse the intestines.

Which cleansing diet works best?

The healthiest detox includes a vegetable and wholegrain diet with periodic exclusion of protein, which allows the relieved digestive system to regenerate. On the other hand, people who want to detoxify their organism in a short time and without stress may use short-term therapies, such as: the 3-day juice detox diet, or smoothie diet – 3-day organism detox. The juice detox diet is a liquid diet, which involves drinking freshly prepared fruit and vegetable drinks. It helps to relieve stress on the digestive system while supporting its functions. The fact that it does not require counting calories or cooking meals is extremely beneficial. The smoothie diet, on the other hand, involves drinking pureed fruit and vegetables blends up to four times a day.

Check out also: Introduce healthy eating habits

Another way to aid cleansing your body may be Dr Ewa Dąbrowska’s special diet based on fruit and vegetables. This 14-day cleansing diet, whose menu can be easily found on the internet, is both safe and optimal as a detox. In addition, other forms such as the tea diet, aloe vera diet or fruit diet will also certainly prove effective as a cleansing diet. These regimes have been tested by nutritionists and are safe to follow.

Explore more: Types of hunger – how to distinguish them

Sources:

  1. https://www.poradnikzdrowie.pl/diety-i-zywienie/diety/glodowka-oczyszczajaca-dla-kogo-i-kiedy-jest-wskazana-glodowka-oczyszc-aa-FeET-diKt-xwv7.html
  2. https://www.poradnikzdrowie.pl/diety-i-zywienie/diety/tygodniowy-detoks-sokami-zasady-oczyszczajacej-diety-sokowej-aa-gn1o-PFf6-LrP4.html
  3. Karolina and Maciej Szaciłło – Detoksy czyli jak oczyścić swój organizm [Detoxes or how to cleanse your body], Zwierciadło Publishing House 
  4. Paulina Borkowska i Beata Anna Dąbrowska, – Dieta warzywno-owocowa dr Ewy Dąbrowskiej. Program na 6 tygodni” 
  5. Celina Cybulska, Emilia Marcinkowska, Marian Grzymisławski, Karol Marcinkowski Medical University in Poznań – Department of Internal Medicine, Metabolic Diseases and Dietetics, Karol Marcinkowski Medical University in Poznań – Głodowanie z wyboru — konsekwencje zdrowotne [Starvation by choice – health consequences], in: journals.viamedica.pl
  6. https://sante.pl/jedz-zdrowo/dieta-oczyszczajaca-sposob-na-dobre-samopoczucie/
  7. https://www.laroche-posay.pl/artykul/dlaczego-warto-zrobic-detoks-organizmu/a33217.asp
Katarzyna Kieszkowska
She holistically guides clients and creates educational programs. She continues to expand her knowledge of nutritional medicine, food therapy, natural approaches to health and lifestyle. She is passionate about a healthy lifestyle.