Revealing the Myths (Part 1 of 2)
By Dayton Preston | Wellness Program Manager | Columbus Regional Healthcare System
Dayton Preston
We are often sidetracked from our effective wellness practices by a lot of hype in the industry, which takes time away from our solid efforts. Let’s take a look at some common myths in the wellness industry that can misdirect us and ultimately result in frustration because of the lack of results.
The Myth: Detox Diets are Safe and Effective
According to the National Institutes of Health, there’s no scientific proof that these diets help rid the body of toxins better than our normal processes. These diets often include a lot of water, fruit, vegetables and fiber, but typically don’t provide enough variety or overall caloric consumption for the body’s vital functions. Detox diets have the potential to cause serious side effects that can result from malnutrition.
Many of these diets make false claims that the body cannot handle the amount of toxins to which we are typically exposed. The truth is that the body has functions in place for ridding itself of toxins—specifically, liver and kidney functions. These organs do the job in healthy adults by eliminating toxins through sweat, feces and urine.
Optimizing the body’s natural ability to detoxify is done by consistently eating a balanced and adequate supply of nutrient-rich foods, staying hydrated, and getting adequate exercise and sleep. Detox diets are described as just another round of the diet fads that have the potential to cause health risks.
Remember, temporary changes lead to temporary results. Also called jumpstarts for weight loss, these diets send the wrong message. Better health from good nutrition is not achieved with sporadic surges, but with prolonged and consistent intake of balanced eating with moderation—not disallowance—of unhealthy foods.
The Myth: Carbs are Fattening
Simple carbohydrates such as refined and processed sugar items should be limited. However, for the healthy adult, the complex carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, breads and pasta need to be included in our daily nutritional intake of food.
The problem is not the carbs, but what we typically do to them. Adding sauces, bacon, cheese, butter, sour cream and other high-fat items add to the overall caloric content. The bottom line in controlling the storage of body fat is caloric exchange with balanced eating and adequate exercise, not simply cutting carbs.
We’ll take a look at more myths in my next blog…