The bloom of Cherry Blossoms signals the end of Winter and a spike in the sale of internal cleansing/detoxification products. But some consumers are hiding unhealthy behaviors behind the buzz of Spring cleaning.
The use of cleansing products to remove toxins from your elimination system signifying a fresh start along with a new season is regular practice for many – no pun intended. And while the jury is still out on whether or not these cleanses are safe, or even effective, the first consideration one should have prior to doing such a cleanse is the desired end result.
The Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Michael Picco warns that some laxatives sold for the purpose of colon cleansing can have an adverse affect on people with specific health conditions.
“Certain laxatives used in colon cleansing, such as those with sodium phosphate, can cause a rise in your electrolytes, which can be dangerous if you have kidney disease or heart disease,” he reports.
One must also be aware of the risk of dehydration while on a cleanse and drink plenty of water to compensate for what is being eliminated.
There are several types of internal cleansing products; and, of course, the quality of their ingredients differs greatly – not always reflecting price points. Typically, however, these products contain ingredients that produce laxative and diuretic effects. The premise is that such elimination is ridding the body of toxins, the release of which is prompted by ingredients (such as bitters) which encourage the body’s natural bile production to increase. One result of this supplement-enhanced elimination of fluid and waste products is weight loss.
Don’t get too excited; this weight loss is attributed to the shedding of water and excrement – not fat. But that shouldn’t matter if someone is doing a cleanse for reasons of true detoxification and not as an attempt at quick-fix weight-loss.
Health choices such as vegan diets, detoxification programs and specific food or caloric restrictions are not bad in and of themselves. But they have a very seductive quality to those who are prone to crash diets; or worse yet, those who struggle with an eating disorder. One who abuses laxatives, for example, can find social acceptance in blaming regular trips to the washroom on “this new cleanse,” and avoiding specific foods while dining out with friends doesn’t raise as many red flags when explained away by “this program I’m on.”
Make choices for your body based on research, common sense and the intent to attain optimal health. Those who seek body confidence in a bottle of pills or cyclical craze will never see their desired result realized – their toxins need to be cleansed from the mind.
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