By now, we all know to be very wary of anyTikTok health fadthat comes across our FYPs.
But one wellness trend in particular has everyone asking some serious questions: going on a blood cleanse.
But that doesn’t seem to sway many people from trying them out anyway.
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The truth is the body does a good job of flushing out toxins all on its own.
The liver and kidney naturally get rid of toxins in the blood.
Before diving into how the liver and kidney work, we have to define what a toxin actually is.
Dr. Dranoff says a toxin is any substance that contributes to ill health.
“Bad” food ingredients, he adds, are not toxins.
“The common use of the word detox is much like the word ‘literally,'” he says.
“The common use and the expert use are almost opposites.”
The biggest misconception is that we are in constant danger of toxins.
“Toxin is a scary word,” he says.
“Toxins are only dangerous in sufficient quantities.”
If it’s functioning correctly, your body already naturally flushes out these toxins.
Some of these toxins, he says, are already present in what we ingest.
The kidneys are then responsible for excreting these undesirable compounds in the urine which are flushed outwhen we pee.
He says that this detoxification works well on its own when both organs are healthy.
But for the most part, there’s no need for special medications or supplements to improve the process.
It’s also important to note that liver and kidney failure is something that cannot be self-diagnosed.
If the liver starts to fail, you may end up with yellowish skin, a.k.a.
Supplements and herbs don’t really support the liver and kidneys.
Dr. Dranoff adds that there are no herbal medications or supplements that can actually support the liver.
Some of these herbs and regimens can actually hurt your body.
Anything extraneous is likely useless or at worst, they can actually just cause more damage.
“There are no supplements that can change this, but there are plenty that can interfere.”
He adds that some herbs that contain aristolochic acid have been found to causeacute renal failure.
“They are unnecessary and biologically unsound,” he says.
Patients give a shot to fix themselves when they can," he explains.
The best way to regulate toxins is a healthy diet and lifestyle.
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