Is a detox cure really effective?

We often hear about these famous ‘detox cures’. Eating whole plants or juices for 5 days… This is known as a restrictive diet. The aim? To rid the body of toxins. But is a detox diet really necessary and, above all, safe? Lise Fragnière, a nutrition therapist in Martigny (VS), explains the ins and outs of detox cures. So, is it just a fad or is it really effective?

What exactly are detox treatments?

A detox cure is a restrictive diet lasting up to 7 days. The aim is to consume only juices or whole plants. This detoxifies your body and leaves you feeling revitalised. This is a trend that has been gaining momentum over the last ten years.

The aim is to support the emunctory organs (i.e. the kidneys, intestines, lungs, liver and skin). In this way, the body is ‘detoxified’. Detox cures can help to:

• Increase your energy
• Improve your sleep
• Brighten up your skin
• Strengthen your immune system

But is this really the case, and is it safe?

The opinion of Lise Fragnière, nutrition therapist

Detox cures can be very beneficial, but they’re not for everyone. When it comes to detox, our bodies are capable of eliminating naturally. So do we really need them?

Lise Fragnière explains that it depends above all on the person’s condition and the number of days of the detox. In fact, fasting or detox cures can be beneficial if you have a certain pathology to treat or a specific reason for doing so. It can have a really positive impact on the body.

However, Lise Fragnière strongly advises you to be monitored by a nutrition professional. This type of diet can lead to eating disorders, among other things.

‘It’s important that people are always properly monitored if they want to embark on this type of diet. It’s important to understand the person and to rule out the risk of OCD. While waiting to see a professional, you can reduce your portions a little to give your digestive system a rest (for example, avoid snacking between meals or do intermittent fasting). I always advise people to be accompanied when they want to do detox cures or fasting’.

If the reason for your detox is to lose weight, we strongly advise against this diet. It would be better to aim for the long term, and change your eating habits in depth to avoid the yo-yo effect. Once again, a nutrition therapist can help you rebalance your diet.

‘It’s worthwhile supporting a detox from time to time. Particularly if our emunctory organs are overloaded or after a heavy meal. For example, the skin reflects the congestion of the liver, intestines and kidneys: if the kidneys or liver are overloaded, the skin quickly becomes clogged, leading to acne, eczema, etc. To see if detox support is necessary, we’ll look together at your history, your antecedents and the circumstances via an anamnesis which will bring together all this information’.