People often want to know if they should do a detox or cleanse, hoping it will remove toxins from their bodies. Dr Jen Gunter says that isn't going to happen.

The value of a detox

The idea of cleansing has been around for thousands of years. For centuries, there was a lot of focus on ridding the body of impurities and sickness. Bloodletting, purging and fasting were all well-guarded treatments.  Today's wellness industry picked up on our desire to get rid of things. The word "detox" is a medical treatment for people with drug and alcohol addictions, yet the wellness industry uses it to make it sound like getting rid of all the dirty stuff. It sounds right to us because of our lack of understanding of how our liver works.

The idea of cleansing is age-old

The liver is about the size of an American football and weighs three pounds. It does many jobs to keep our bodies running, from helping the immune system to creating proteins for blood clotting.  The liver also deals with harmful substances, almost like a factory. It takes nutrients from the food and drinks we consume and breaks them down to be packaged in a usable way while removing the waste in the bile or via the kidneys, usually in the form of urine.

Understanding how the liver works

A popular cleanse is the cayenne pepper and lemon juice drink to "help your liver flush toxins."  You drink it, and it gets digested. Nutrients get absorbed in the blood and arrive at the liver. But the liver processes these nutrients the same as everything else. It packages what's useful and disseminates it throughout the body. What it can't use becomes waste. So there's nothing exceptional about mixing cayenne and lemon. It doesn't "clean the pipes." You might lose a few pounds at best because you aren't eating much. At worst, you could go into starvation mode.

Popular cleanse myth

The best things you can do:<ul><li>Don't smoke</li><li>Eat a balanced diet</li><li>Exercise regularly</li><li>Get enough sleep</li><li>Don't consume too much alcohol as it can cause problems over time, such as fatty liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.</li><li>Some medications can damage your liver.</li><li>Be careful with supplements and herbs.</li></ul>

A healthy liver is extremely important

Put down the cayenne-lemon water and step away from the herbal tea. Cleanses and detox products like these don't remove toxins, says Dr. Jen Gunter, and some of them may even be hurting your health. Learn how your body rids itself of harmful substances and what you can do to keep this system running smoothly. Think you know how your body works? Think again! Dr. Jen Gunter is here to shake up everything you thought you knew -- from how much water you need to drink to how often you need to poop and everything in between. This TED original series will tell you the truth about what's *really* going on inside you. Want to hear more from Dr. Jen Gunter? Follow Body Stuff on Apple Podcasts: https://link.chtbl.com/BodyStuffYT Visit http://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know. Become a TED Member: http://ted.com/membership Follow TED on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TEDTalks Like TED on Facebook: http://facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://youtube.com/TED TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com

Stashed ideas

A cleanse won't detox your body -- but here's what will | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

The proponents of apple cider vinegar say that if you regularly use the vinegar "with the mother" - the cloudy combination of bacteria and yeast - you have a cure-all, whether it is a better skin or a more efficient metabolism. Some studies suggest a beneficial impact on glucose metabolism and weight loss, while other studies have found no effect compared to a placebo. Drinking ACV may do more harm than good. It's been linked to tooth enamel erosion, gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, and reduced potassium levels.

Apple cider vinegar

The practise of swishing oil around in your mouth for 15 - 20 minutes a day is an Ayurvedic folk remedy and said to be a miraculous way to cleanse the body of toxins. Advocates say that it can whiten teeth, freshen breath, prevent cavities, and cleanse your body of various toxins. However, the detoxifying effect is yet to be shown in clinical trials. There is some evidence that oil pulling can help with oral hygiene, but mainstream dentists don't see it as a good substitute for toothpaste. There are few documented harms that can come from this practice.

Oil pulling

The massage technique involves a light touch to activate the lymph nodes (the tiny trash scavengers vital to your immune system). The method was developed to help people with oedema and to combat inflammation. There's no evidence to show that lymphatic massage can make you lose weight, change the shape of your face, improve your general health, or cure cancer. Lymphatic massage is relaxing and safe for most people but not recommended if you have circulation problems, congestive heart failure, or certain kidney issues.

Lymphatic massage

Sauna sech can benefit your body. Dry saunas raise the pulse and increase circulation, mimicking the effects of physical exercise. In addition, regular sauna sessions are linked to pain reduction in patients with rheumatic diseases like fibromyalgia. However, those with existing heart problems should check with their doctor before using saunas. Time in a sauna doesn't cause permanent weight loss. However, it can make you dangerously hydrated, making it essential to drink lots of water before and after a session.

Saunas

Some supposed detoxes are harmless, but a few of them carry real health risks—and don't actually do any good. Here's what you should do instead.

The truth about oil pulling, apple cider vinegar, and other trendy cleanses

<ul><li> Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends signals from one neuron to another.</li><li> Whatever your drug of choice, chocolate, nicotine, amphetamines, sex, social media, or shopping, dopamine is the final common pathway for all pleasurable, intoxicating and rewarding experiences.</li><li> It is believed to be the most important neurotransmitter when it comes to the experience of pleasure, motivation and reward. </li><li>But it isn’t ‘pleasure’ all the way because the same areas of the brain that process pleasure also process pain, and pleasure-pain work like a balance.</li></ul>

Dopamine(C8H11NO2)

• When that pleasure-pain balance tilts to the side of pain after the experience of pleasure, we experience feelings of discomfort, restlessness and irritability which can leave us unhappy and wanting to recreate the feeling of pleasure.• ANY type of addiction makes us malleable and you can’t behave in a rational or ethical manner if you are addicted to dopamine.

Pleasure-Pain Balance

• The only way to not get hooked to this pleasure-pain cycle is to ensure the time in between each ‘fix’ is long enough for our dopamine levels to drop back to our personal baseline of dopamine release.• Research has found chocolate increases dopamine above baseline by about 50%, sex is about 100%, nicotine is about 150% and amphetamines is about 1,000%.

Baseline Of Dopamine

Dopamine detox and a shift to conscious consumption with due consideration of the consequences, giving you back some of the power and freedom you lost when you pledged yourself to the rat race and the status competition.

Power And Freedom 

D - Admit that you have addiction and collect DATA about it.O - Understand the OBJECTIVE of your consumption addiction.P - What is the PROBLEM consumption addiction is causing?A - 30 days of ABSTINENCE.M - Practice MINDFULNESS.I - What INSIGHT do you get into your desire to consume , the problem it causes .N - What are the NEXT STEPS beyond 30 days of Abstinence.E - EXPERIMENT what strategy suits you .

D-O-P-A-M-I-N-E Detox

1. Increases ability to focus<ul><li>With the help of dopamine fasting, you can increase your capability of focus. </li><li>As it is related to the idea of less stress and distractions. This can happen by bringing some positive alterations to your everyday lifestyle.</li></ul>2. Increases self-motivation<ul><li>It improves focus, it directly increases self-motivation and this self-motivation helps in increasing daily productivity. </li><li>It also helps in achieving the main focus of our goals and career.</li></ul>

Benefits of Dopamine Fasting:

3. Improves emotional regulation<ul><li>It improves emotional regulation because we tend to stay distant from social services and other toxicity which helps in attaining emotional regulation and it also helps in bringing peace again in our lives.</li></ul>4. Develops great self-control and willpower<ul><li>We maintain distance from the real world and social media. This helps in developing great self-control and willpower as this type of fasting is related to mindfulness-based activities.</li></ul>

5. Develops and improves patience<ul><li>It is related to mindfulness activities which helps to develop and increase and patience levels. </li><li>It will improve our patience and as well as sleeping cycle.</li></ul>6. Increases life satisfaction<ul><li>When we start living with peaceful and stress-free life, it eventually increases the satisfaction towards life. </li><li>Dopamine fasting basically takes us out from stress and brings back us to peace by distancing us from a toxic and stressful world.</li></ul>

Take a break from your vices and devices to appreciate life joys.

You are probably very aware that the hard activities bring value to your life, and the others just momentary pleasure, so why do you still gravitate towards them?
To understand this, we need to look at a neurotransmitter known as dopamine.

Learn how to reset your focus, productivity, and overall capacity for happiness. Yes, it's that important. In our modern age, we are constantly flooded with dopamine. That might sound like a good thing, but it means that we constantly require more and more stimulation to feel simple happiness. It's a very, very bad thing. It's the root of why we can't accomplish what we want, and why we can't even feel what we want. Learn how to detox your dopamine, biohack your nutrition, and master the art of energizing sleep. Dopamine Detox is a book that teaches you exactly what dopamine is and isn't. It's the pleasure hormone, but that doesn't mean more is better. You'll get various techniques, all scientifically proven and validated, to regulate your dopamine to healthy levels. You'll see how 1, 3, and 7 day detoxes can work, and you'll also learn about the other ways you can prepare your body for peak performance, such as with your gut biome, your sleep, and how small nudges can make you the healthiest person you know. Easy yet effective strategies to be present, mindful, and in the moment. Nick Trenton grew up in rural Illinois and is quite literally a farm boy. His best friend growing up was his trusty companion Leonard the dachshund. RIP Leonard. Eventually, he made it off the farm and obtained a BS in Economics, followed by an MA in Behavioral Psychology. Discover the keys to peak performance in all aspects of life, in 10 minutes a day. How your environment can be your greatest enemy or ally What self-compassion has to do with dopamine The most effective 7-day detox plan that you must follow The foods, supplements, and diets that fuel us the best The powerful effects of light and temperature on health and wellbeing Circadian rhythms and how to make them work for you What you absolutely need in your bedroom, and what one thing you must keep ou

Dopamine Detox

<ul><li>We tend to forget that the liver is a part of the organs that respond first against viruses and bacteria. Our livers are filled with cells that help in defending our immune system;</li><li>There are certain times where the liver aids other organs such as the brain when a person's blood sugar level drops. Since the brain relies on sugar as a source of energy, the liver reserve then releases the nutrients needed.</li></ul>

The liver nourishes and protects other organs

<ul><li>The liver is the first organ to receive the nutrients that are being absorbed by the intestine;</li><li>The liver is also a gatekeeper because it senses the overall nourishment of the body and stores sugar, fat, and some vitamins;</li><li>An overabundance of food intake may cause the liver to get overwhelmed and affect its storage capability.</li></ul>

The liver stores nutrients

<ul><li>The liver makes cholesterol, an important structure, despite its bad reputation;</li><li>It also makes blood plasma proteins.</li></ul>

The liver makes nutrients

<ul><li>Alcohol cannot be directly excreted thus needing to be transformed in order to be eliminated;</li><li>The processing of alcohol involves the production of acetaldehyde which is a foreign, toxic molecule so it is quickly transformed into a non-toxic molecule;</li><li>The consumption of alcohol faster on a regular basis than what the liver can process may cause it to become inflamed which can lead to cirrhosis and permanently scar the liver.</li></ul>

The liver metabolizes alcohol and other bad molecules

In this year's subdued St. Patrick's Day celebrations, a biochemist suggests thanking our livers for going above and beyond their ability to metabolize alcohol.

Health

Your liver does more than you give it credit for

Marketers promote juice cleanses as a way to get rid of toxic overload, regaining balance after a period of unhealthful eating, or jump-starting wholesome habits. But juice cleanses and liquid detox diets are not a healthful or safe approach to weight loss. There's no scientific research that it provides benefits in the short or long term, and it's not an overall healthy approach to eating.

Juice Cleansing

The body detoxifies itself naturally, primarily through the action of the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.These organs help remove toxins or harmful substances that should not be stored in the body, so we don't need to do a juice cleanse or follow a liquid detox diet to be healthy.

People Don't Need To Detox To Be Healthy

A juice cleanse offers people a false sense of security that they are doing something beneficial, when in fact they're not.You may lose a few pounds on the scale during the first days, but once you come off a cleanse, and eat food, you could gain all this weight right back.

The False Security Of Juice Cleansing

Cleansing is ineffective as a long-term solution to weight loss. A person may shed pounds in the beginning of a cleanse, but this is due to a loss of water, she said.But the loss of water weight comes at the expense of a loss of muscle, which is a steep price to pay.

Juice Cleansing And Weight Loss

Many celebrities have popularized the idea of cleansing. Some stars have tried the approach as a quick way to lose weight, while others have done it to feel healthy after overindulging. And once people hear the hype and that the "famous and beautiful people" are doing it, everybody else wants to jump on the trends.

A cleanse won't detox your body -- but here's what will | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

The truth about oil pulling, apple cider vinegar, and other trendy cleanses

Dopamine Detox

Your liver does more than you give it credit for

4 Myths About Juice Cleansing | Live Science

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