• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS

Dish up the simple joy of healthy, down-home foods your family will LOVE… tonight.

Join 12,000+ families served since 2010!

  • Join Now
  • About
    • About Wardee & TCS
    • Our Team
    • FAQs & Help
    • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Blog
    • Recipes
    • Archives
  • Podcast
    • #AskWardee
    • Know Your Food with Wardee (retired)
  • Shop
    • Bible-Based Cooking Program
    • Print Textbooks
    • eBooks & eCourses
    • Recommended Tools & Supplies
    • More Books We Love
    • Complete Idiot’s Guide To Fermenting Foods
      • Errata
  • Login
You are here: Home » Health & Nutrition » Healthy Living » Reconsidering the “Cleanse”: Why Kits, Powders, Fasts, & Pills May Not Be for You

Make a healthy dinner in 30 minutes or less... while spending $0 extra! Click here to get the Eat God's Way “30-Minute Skillet Dishes” worksheet + videos FREE!

Reconsidering the “Cleanse”: Why Kits, Powders, Fasts, & Pills May Not Be for You

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Looking to make some healthy changes this year? I encourage you to steer clear of the boxed detoxes, multi-level marketing cleanse programs, and juice and smoothie fasts. Surprised? Here's why boxes, kits, powders, fasts, and pills aren't the best idea... | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

It’s January — time to think about how to get healthy and fit during the coming year. Instead of making slow changes, you may find yourself wanting to jump on the fast-track to getting healthy. Quite often, this involves embarking on “detoxes” or “cleanses” of all sorts.

Typically, these cleanses or detoxes are boxed kits, juice fasts, powders you mix into smoothies or water, meal replacement shakes, programs that last anywhere from one to three weeks. People find that they lose weight or their skin clears up in a matter of days on these cleanses, so they naturally assume that they’re working and believe them to be healthy.

The manufacturers and supporters of these cleanses tout their abilities to benefit your body in countless ways: from weight loss and lasting energy to increasing your fruit and veggie intake and giving you superhero powers. (Maybe not that last one. 😉 )

If you’re looking to make some healthy changes this year, that’s excellent! All of us at Traditional Cooking School want to support you! I, however, encourage you to steer clear of the boxed detoxes, cleanse programs, and juice and smoothie fasts.

Surprised?

Why Boxes, Kits, Powders, Fasts, and Pills Aren’t the Best Idea

They’re Expensive

First, these products are expensive. You could find yourself paying anywhere from $25 for a week’s supply of pills, to $200 or more for a 21-day supply of powders. The products can be of good quality, but the prices are so high that it’s not sustainable for most of us.

Health Costs

Juicing is extremely costly, too — financially and health-wise — especially if you’re consuming nothing but juice for days or weeks. I’m a big fan of juicing as part of a well-rounded, wholesome diet that also includes pastured animal meats, healthy fats, and fibrous fruits and vegetables.

Having nothing but juice for days isn’t a good choice however, unless your goal is a wrecked metabolism (source). While high in vitamins and antioxidants, juice alone cannot give your body the calories it needs to repair and heal itself or sustain energy. When your body gets the hunger signal and you don’t feed it what it needs, it begins tapping into your own glycogen stores.

These stores should be replenished daily by the food you eat, particularly good protein, but if they’re not, your body will find a way to get it. Without protein and fat coming in for fuel, the body will literally eat itself. The liver will release stored glucose, which will then break down your muscle tissue so that your body can draw glycogen from itself (source). This is a very catabolic process, but one that happens even during short juicing fasts.

Calorie Restriction

Calorie restriction is another major concern of juice fasting, cleansing, and using boxed products. When your calories are restricted, you’re going to lose weight. But at what cost to your overall health? Your body needs good protein, healthy fats, vegetable fiber, and carbohydrates — daily. If you are restricting these foods, you may find yourself deficient in many essential vitamins, minerals, fat stores, and glycogen stores.

When your body becomes deficient, it starts slowing or shutting down non-survival processes: the thyroid can slow, hormones may become imbalanced, depression or mood changes can occur, your sleep may suffer, and hair and nail growth may slow or stop. All of these consequences and more can result from the restrictions many detox kits, pills, and juice cleanses apply on the body. Sure, you’ve lost weight, but health is much more than a number on the scale.

One Size Does NOT Fit All

The other idea that MLMs and other cleanse-in-a-box manufacturers promote is a “one-size-fits-all” approach. The ingredients in these products may not be beneficial for everyone, yet they are promoted as such. These products are tailored to the masses, not your individual body. The toxicity of your body is determined by so many factors: your diet, your lifestyle, your environment, past or present medications, your stress levels, even your mother’s health while you were in her womb! It is very likely that even people living in the same house have different levels of toxicity. So to say that this pill or that cleanse works for everyone just isn’t true.

If You Feel You Need a Cleanse…

If, in 2015, you feel that you need a period of intense and deep detoxing, you should seek out the wisdom of a certified practitioner. A naturopath, chiropractor trained in nutrition, functional medicine practitioner, or nutritional therapist will be much more able to help you identify what type of deep cleansing you need, how long or often you should do it, and what to watch out for along the way.

They can recommend supplements that might be helpful or other temporary lifestyle adaptations you may need — such as exercising less or not at all during your detox. During intense periods of detox, it is common to experience healing reactions or “retracing“. A practitioner will be aware of this possibility and can guide you through them. Your practitioner may also recommend that you back off of your cleansing program for a while to give your body a chance to rest and recover.

Walking into your health food store and buying a cleanse in a box off the shelf can’t give you that kind of individualized care. Speaking with the representative of a company selling these products can’t either — because they’re usually not nutritionists, naturopaths, chiropractors, or practitioners. If you have an adverse reaction, allergy, or healing reaction from any of their products, it is unlikely they will know what’s going on, if the situation was even caused by their product, or how to guide you through it.

Support Your Body’s Natural, Daily Detox

Aside from the cost, question of efficacy, safety, or potential consequences to our health, the main reason I’m steering you away from those detox products is because I believe they promote a mindset that “cleansing” or “detoxing” should be reserved for times when you’re trying to kickstart a major health change or for when you’ve just returned from a decadent vacation.

The fact is that our bodies need to detox DAILY, not just once a week or 21 days each year. And, they DO detox daily — on their own, without the help of anything except the miraculous design with which we were created.

Powders, pills, juice fasts, meal replacement shakes… none of it is necessary, and none of it can do better what our bodies can do by themselves, sometimes with a little help. 😉 Real, effective detox doesn’t happen once a week or in three days of juicing. There is nothing we can do to force our bodies to detox, but we can support our natural detoxifying processes.

It is important to support your body’s primary detoxifying organs on a daily basis. The liver, kidneys, skin, and lymphatic system are the garbage disposals of the body, and they’re at work 24 hours a day to filter out the trash.

Tomorrow, I’m going to share some easy and gentle methods you can use daily to support your body’s detox processes. These methods are inexpensive, natural, and highly effective. One of them is even fun! 🙂 And I promise, no questionable ingredients, no sales plan, no juicing, and no starving!

What are your thoughts about cleanse products? Do you see value to them or do you steer clear? Why or why not?

Go here for Part 2: 7 Easy Ways to Support Daily Detox.

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Posted in: Health & Nutrition Healthy Living Superfoods & Supplements

About Lindsey Dietz

Native Texans, Lindsey and her family now live in the northern Minnesota wilderness on their dream property, where they are attempting to raise chickens and a few of their own veggies. In her free time, she enjoys food photography, flipping through cookbooks, and tackling home improvement projects. She also serves on the board of her local food co-op. Lindsey has dedicated much of her time over the past several years to unlearning conventional practices and implementing Traditional foods and natural remedies in her home. This has radically changed her and her family's health. Lindsey now loves to share her knowledge and recipes through her blog All The Nourishing Things and her eBooks: Nourishing No-Bake Treats and Sweet Without Sugar.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patty says

    January 5, 2015 at 10:39 am

    I just bought a juicer to do a juicing fast, but I have to admit I have been so very hesitant. I already suffer from metabolic issues, and have worried that juicing only will make things worse. I am very overweight, and am desperate to do something to hit it fast. I make every effort to eat paleo / clean, but fall off that wagon easily when around others. I was thinking two juices a day as meal replacement, and a healthy paleo meal for dinner each day (pastured meat, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits). Looking forward to your post tomorrow. Perhaps the juicer will be returned before I even open it.

    Reply
    • Iva says

      January 7, 2015 at 2:43 pm

      I’ve lost 44 pounds by using a fitbit to track my steps and tracking calories using My Fitness Pal. The fitbit Zip cost me $50 and My Fitness Pal is free online and there is tremendous support on this website. It’s like FB for weightloss and you can see everyone’s comments every day and review their food diaries. I love it! I am up to 7 miles per day by dancing at home.

      Reply
      • Iva says

        January 7, 2015 at 2:46 pm

        It has taken me 4.5 months to lose the 44 pounds and I’m nearly 1/2 way to my goal. I eat healthy, unprocessed foods and track everything I eat. I was so sick and tired of feeling sick. 😉

        Reply
        • Lindsey Dietz says

          January 11, 2015 at 3:24 am

          Congratulations on your weight loss! That’s no easy task!

          Reply
    • Lindsey Dietz says

      January 11, 2015 at 3:28 am

      Patty, I think you’re wise to reconsider the juice fast. I own a juicer, and I believe strongly in the micronutrient benefits of fresh juice. I also feel that juice is an excellent complement to a whole foods diet, but not as the whole of the diet. By replacing just one meal per day with juice, you will create a caloric deficit and probably lose some weight; however, I just can’t emphasize enough how potentially devastating to your metabolism this could be. If you are struggling with weight, it is likely that your metabolism is already slow; for that, I suggest healing your metabolism, and subsequently losing the weight, with a nutritional balancing program. You can learn more here: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2014/12/29/what-is-nutritional-balancing/

      Blessings!

      Reply
  2. Julieanne says

    January 6, 2015 at 12:06 am

    I’d considered doing other types of cleanses, but due to my metabolic problems and being overweight, my naturopathic physician recommended that I use castor oil packs on my liver for 30 minutes two to three times a week. That is working fairly well for me, although chugging a powder or pill would sure be a lot less time-consuming. 🙂 He also suggested a juice cleanse, though we decided against that because of the high amount of natural sugars in juices that have had the fiber removed.

    Reply
    • Lindsey Dietz says

      January 11, 2015 at 3:32 am

      Your naturopath is smart, Julieanne! The sugars in fresh juice can and will spike blood sugar just as quickly as eating a candy bar. Castor oil packs do take longer, and you’re right: a pill or a powder sure would be easier. Have you considered coffee enemas to help with your liver detox? Also, if you are interested in incorporating some fresh juice into your diet, beet juice is highly effective for liver health. My practitioner recommended fresh beet juice to help with my gallbladder issues and sluggish bile. You might talk to your naturopath about that. Blessings!

      Reply
  3. Annette says

    November 17, 2015 at 1:07 pm

    Thank you for this informational and sound advice. I needed to read this today. This sounds like the smarter road to take without all the quick fixes.
    Thank you~~~

    Reply
  4. Kate says

    October 14, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    Thank you for writing this FANTASTIC article, addressing a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I have always been passionate about pre-fabbed cleanses often doing more harm than good (for a variety of reasons depending on the individual). I have shared it on my social media and look forward to the conversations it will start. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsey Dietz says

      October 16, 2016 at 5:52 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kate! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi and Welcome!

I’m Wardee Harmon and I help Christian families who know they should eat healthy but are tired of complicated, time-consuming, weird-tasting, and unsustainable “healthy” diets…

…who want to look and feel better, save time and money, and have more energy for enjoying family life and serving Him fully!… like I was. Click here for more…

Recently on the Blog

  • Fizzy Apple Cider Switchel (VAD)
  • VitaClay Review & Buyer’s Guide
  • How to Make Healthy Cookies #AskWardee 006
  • Bean and Barley Soup (Instant Pot, Stove Top)
  • Soaked Spelt Banana Bread (VAD)
  • Ancient Grains 101
  • How to Heal Digestive Issues Naturally (Leaky Gut, SIBO, IBS, Celiac & more)
  • How To Meal Plan In 4 Easy Steps (KYF103)
  • Debunking 4 Sourdough Myths (& How To Overcome Them)
  • How To Use A Pressure Cooker 101

Recently Commented

  • YTmp3 on Homemade Sauerkraut In A Stoneware Crock
  • AJ on Homemade Dog Food In The Instant Pot
  • Ali on Rhubarb Salsa
  • Leif on Amish Butter: Really?
  • Makenzie Reed on How To Make An Herbal Eye Pillow For Relaxation & Headache Relief
  • Missy on How To Make An Herbal Eye Pillow For Relaxation & Headache Relief
  • Anonymous on 3 Dangers Of Cast Iron #AskWardee 137

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Before Footer

g-NOWF-glinz

…are what we eat! God’s Natural, Organic, Whole Foods, Grown Locally, In Season.

We love working with other Christian families who love good food and want to eat according to God’s design…

Not only because we believe it’s the healthiest way, but because we want to give Him glory for creating good food as the best medicine!

Learn more about GNOWFGLINS here…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOcH27DM1dI

Eat God’s Way Cooking Program

Our Eat God’s Way cooking program is for Christian families who know they should eat healthy but are tired of complicated, time-consuming, weird-tasting, and unsustainable “healthy” diets…

…who want to look and feel better, save time and money, and have more energy for enjoying family life and serving Him fully!

Join 12,000+ families served since 2010! Learn more here…

Copyright © 2025 Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS • About • Help • Privacy • Partners