coins, cookware, food containers, and other com-
mon household items.
Toxic chemicals taken directly into the digestive tract
through alcoholic beverages,pesticide residues on super-
market produce, additives in processed foods, or drugs
of abuse; or taken into the respiratory tract through
breathing household solvents (nail polish remover, spot
or stain removers containing benzene, etc.).
Toxins in the digestive tract produced by yeast and
other microorganisms. Ridding the body of this group
of toxins is frequently cited as a reason for combining
laxatives or enemas with detoxification diets. Main-
stream physicians dispute the notion that normal
digestion produces toxic substances in the colon that
must be removed by a laxative or enema.
Ammonia, urea, and other breakdown products of
protein metabolism. Naturopaths often recommenda vegetarian lifestyle as well as periodic intensive
detoxification practices in order to minimize the pro-
duction of these byproducts of meat and dairy prod-
ucts consumption.
A third factor that has contributed to interest in
detox diets in the 1990s and early 2000s is the envi-
ronmental movement. Some people who are con-
cerned about the impact on the environment of
raising animals for food use detox diets as a transi-
tion into a long-term vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. In
addition, growing awareness of the effects of expo-
sure to industrial chemicals, pesticides, secondhand
tobacco smoke, and other contaminants in the home
environment as well as the workplace has led many
people to consider detoxification diets as a preventive
health practice to lower their risk of arthritis and
other degenerative diseases.KEY TERMS
Amaranth—An herb cultivated as a food crop in
Mexico and South America. Its grains can be toasted
and mixed with honey or molasses as a vegetarian
treat.
Ayurveda—The traditional system of natural medi-
cine that originated in India around 3500BC.Its
name is Sanskrit for ‘‘science of long life.’’ Some
historians of medicine think that detoxification diets
can be traced back to Ayurvedic practice.
Choline—A compound found in egg yolks and
legumes that is essential to liver function.
Colonic—Sometimes called colonic hydrotherapy, a
colonic is a procedure similar to an enema in which
the patient’s colon is irrigated (washed out) with large
amounts of water. This procedure is discouraged by
mainstream physicians because of its potential risks to
health.
Fruitarian—A vegetarian who eats only plant-based
products (fruits, seeds, and nuts) that can be obtained
without killing the plant.
Methionine—A crystalline amino acid found in
many protein foods. It is sometimes taken as a sup-
plement during a detox diet.
Mono diet—A type of detoxification diet based on the
use of only one food or beverage, such as apples,
grapes, lemonade, or other raw fruits or vegetables.
Naturopathy—A system of disease treatment that
emphasizes natural means of health care, as water,
natural foods, dietary adjustments, massage andmanipulation, and electrotherapy, rather than con-
ventional drugs and surgery. Naturopaths (practi-
tioners of naturopathy) often recommend detox
diets as a way of cleansing the body.
Pancha karma—An intensive one- to two-week rit-
ual of detoxification practiced in Ayurvedic medi-
cine that includes enemas, bloodletting, and nasal
irrigation as well as fasting.
Pasteurization—A process for partial sterilization of
milk or beverage juices by raising the liquid to a
temperature that destroys disease organisms without
changing its basic taste or appearance. Raw foodists
avoid pasteurized food products.
Pau d’arco—A medicinal bark derived from a tree
native to the Amazon rainforest. Pau d’arco is often
brewed as a tea and taken as a diuretic or anti-
inflammatory preparation.
Quinoa—An herb native to the Andes that produces
starchy seeds that can be ground into flour and used
as food.
Raw foodism—A term that refers to a group of dietary
regimens composed entirely of foods that have not
been raised above a certain temperature. Many raw
foodists are vegans, although some eat raw meat or
fish and use unpasteurized dairy products.
Vegan—A vegetarian who excludes all animal prod-
ucts from the diet, including those that can be
obtained without killing the animal. Vegans are
also known as strict vegetarians.Detoxification diets