Still feeling the holiday bloat?

In an effort to reemerge from the sluggish cloud of holiday overindulgence many people begin a regimen of detoxification. Detox, a term once reserved for the residents of Betty Ford [1], is now the catch phrase for all things restorative. In hopes of reestablishing balance, vitality, and a trim waistline people will do almost anything — drink nothing but water; consume only raw leafy greens; or my personal favorite, attempt to cleanse the colon of the mythical mucoid plaque [2] with an assortment of powders, tonics, and juices.

As detoxification continues to draw attention — and business — it is stirring a debate between cleansing aficionados and doctors who believe that the body restores itself naturally. Detox defenders believe that eating processed foods, drinking alcohol, and experiencing everyday stress taxes the body. Allowing the kidneys, liver, and colon to rest and rejuvenate is said to increase energy, clarity, and general happiness. Detractors [3] believe that the body is designed to handle all of the stresses it faces and that a balanced diet, regular hydration, and enough sleep can rejuvenate anyone.

I've tried several detox programs, but the famous Master Cleanser [4] by Stanley Burroughs was the most wildly unsuccessful. My goal was to survive 10 days on nothing more than water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. On day five, while squeezing lemons through a starvation-induced fog, I caved in, drank some orange juice, and never looked back. Am I weak? Perhaps. But there are less dramatic ways to punish yourself after the holidays.

Though Burroughs' cleanse involves nothing more than spicy lemonade, there are other programs that allow for the ingestion of food. My favorite — culled from mix of nutritionist advice, suggestions from healthy friends, and extensive research, is really nothing more than a vacation (call it a sabbatical if you like) from the foods and beverages that seem to make the body work extra hard. I like to take a week away from refined foods (pretty much anything made with white flour), sugar, dairy, meat products, and alcohol. What's left? Fruit, vegetables, soy protein, brown rice, and water. Not exactly a five-star menu, but I always feel better when it's over — maybe because it's over.

How do you “detox?”

(Image: The Great American Detox Diet [5] by Alex Jamieson — vegan chef and girlfriend of Super Size Me’s [6] Morgan Spurlock)