Body cleansing
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Body cleansing or detoxification is a treatment in alternative medicine which proponents claim rid the body of accumulated harmful substances that exert a negative effect on individual health. Critics argue that such cleansings are often unnecessary, and are based on questionable or disproved scientific claims.
In the 19th century, cleansing proponents[attribution needed] described the large intestine as a sewage system, claiming that stagnation caused toxins to be absorbed by the body. Laxatives, purges, and enemas were routinely recommended to prevent the accumulation of waste which could lead to this "autointoxication."
Various modalities of body cleansing are used, employing physical treatments (e.g. colon hydrotherapy), dietary restrictions (e.g. avoiding foods) or dietary supplements. Some variants involve the use of herbs and supplements that purportedly speed or increase the effectiveness of the process of cleansing. Naturopathic and homeopathic remedies are also promoted for cleansing. Cleansing agents and processes may be promoted as targeting specific organs, such as fiber for the colon or juices for the kidneys. Others are represented as useful for 'whole body' cleansing, sometimes with the goal of eliminating unidentified 'parasites.'
Quackwatch describes body cleansing and detoxification as an elaborate hoax used by con artists to cure nonexistent illnesses. The 'toxins' that are removed have been described as invented to give promoters something pretend they can fix.[1] Medical experts state that the body cleansing is unnecessary since the body is actually very good at maintaining itself, with several organs dedicated to cleansing the blood and gut.[2]
References
- ↑ Berg, Francis. "Detoxification" with Pills and Fasting. Quackwatch. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.
- ↑ Stamos, Jenny (2007-02-08). Colon Cleansers: Are They Safe? Experts discuss the safety and effectiveness of colon cleansers.. WebMd. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
