by drinking a ‘‘saltwater flush,’’ which is supposed to
purge toxins from the stomach and bowels. This diet
was popularized in the early 2000s by a book by Peter
Glickman titledLose Weight, Have More Energy and
Be Happier in 10 Days, which is a modernization of
Burrough’s regimen.Vegetarian or semivegetarian diets
Less stringent detox diets that allow some protein
foods have been published; a typical example is the
following diet plan for a week-long detox regimen by
Elson Haas. Haas begins with general guidelines for
the dieter:
Eat slowly and chew the food well.
Relax for a few minutes before and after each meal.
Eat in a comfortable sitting position.
Drink only herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile, or
pau d’arco) after dinner.
The daily diet plan:
Morning: two glasses of filtered or spring water, one
glass with half a lemon squeezed into it.
Breakfast: One piece of fresh fruit at room temper-
ature, followed 15 to 30 minutes later by a bowl of
cooked whole grains (millet, buckwheat, quinoa,
brown rice, or amaranth), flavored with 2 tbl of
fruit juice.
Lunch: One or two medium bowls of steamed vege-
tables, using a variety of root vegetables, leafy vege-
tables, asparagus, cabbage, kale, or others. A
maximum of 3 tsp daily of a mixture of butter and
canola or olive oil can be used for seasoning.
Dinner: Same as lunch.
Midmorning and midafternoon: One or two cups of
vegetable water saved from the steamed vegetables,
with a little sea salt or kelp added.
A small portion (3 or 4 oz) of a protein food (fish,
organic chicken, lentils, black beans, or garbanzo
beans) may be eaten midafternoon if the dieter feels
weak or extremely hungry.Supplemental recommendations
An important part of many detoxification diets is
the use of laxatives or enemas to cleanse the lower
digestive tract. The removal of wastes is considered
essential to prevent toxins in the intestines from being
reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Some alternative
therapists recommend mixtures of slippery elm or
other herbs to cleanse the colon; others prefer saltwater
laxatives, enemas, or colonics for cleansing the bowel.
A colonic is a procedure in which a large amount of
water, sometimes as much as 20 gal (76 L), is infusedinto the colon through the rectum a few pints at a time.
It differs from an enema in that much more fluid is
used; and a colonic is infused into the colon, whereas
an enema infuses water or a cleansing solution into the
rectum only. Mainstream physicians do not recom-
mend colonics on the grounds that they are unneces-
sary, based on a nineteenth-century misunderstanding
of the process of digestion, and very often uncomfort-
able for the patient. In some cases they pose serious
risks to health.
Some therapists recommend the use of suchdietary
supplementsas multivitamins,vitamin C,cholineand
methionine, milk thistle, or a laxative tea known as
Smooth Move during a detox diet. These supplements
are supposed to aid liver function and decrease such
side effects of detox diets as headaches and nausea.
Many advocates of detox diets suggest the use of
meditation, affirmations, yoga, and other spiritual
practices in order to improve the mental and emo-
tional well-being. Others recommend undertaking
the detox diet at a health spa, where such services as
massage therapy, sauna baths, and whirlpool therapy
or other forms of hydrotherapy are available.Function
The primary function of detoxification diets is
physical purification—removal of toxic substances
from the body including the skin and respiratory sys-
tem as well as the digestive tract—in order to raise
energy levels; relieve such minor health complaints as
poor skin, bad breath, or headaches; and improve the
body’s ability to heal from various diseases. These
diets are not primarily intended as weight reduction
regimens.Spiritual or religious practice
Some people undertake detoxification diets as
part of a general religious or spiritual retreat. The
first stage of Ayurvedic pancha karma includes extra
time given to meditation and nature walks as well as
gradual exclusion of stimulants and solid foods from
the diet. Many people also report relief from insomnia
or other symptoms of emotional stress as a side benefit
of detoxification diets.Treatment of specific illnesses
Detoxification diets are sometimes recommended
for the treatment of specific diseases and disorders,
most commonly arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and
depression, but they have also been claimed to be an
effective treatment for severe infections (includingDetoxification diets