Living more sustainably is, of course, also about a happy healthy lifestyle, because a more sustainable lifestyle is good for everyone, including you! But in that health angle, we also often come across vague health claims such as ‘green’ juice cures to detox. Cleansing the body with juices. Hmmm, sounds pretty vague. What is true about that?
Detoxing with vegetable juices?
In partnership with Fundamentum GGZ
A juice cleanse, on the detox tea, superfoods, a pill strip or a colon cleanse... Yes, the health industry is in full swing and many people - enthused by influencers and Dutch celebrities - are joining in. Of course, detoxifying your body is also a nice idea. Get rid of all the leftover e-numbers, pesticides, sugar, drugs and alcohol from the body. Just a complete reset. But does detox work like this? The short answer: no. Herold Metselaar, liver doctor at Erasmus MC calls detoxing at the consumer platform Kassa even potentially dangerous. And he is certainly not the only doctor to say this.
The sense and nonsense of detoxification
Mason: ‘Toxic substances are of all times. Our food has never been as safe as it is now. That is precisely what e-numbers contribute to. Everyone carries toxic substances with them, you can't prevent that. Do they do any harm? No, not if you live a normal life and have a normal diet. Moreover, it has never been scientifically proven that a juice cleanse would free your body of toxic substances.’ The Nutrition Centre also agrees: ‘The body has a natural waste disposal system for clearing out foreign and potentially toxic substances from the body. That process runs mainly through the liver.’
The best detoxer? Your kidneys and liver!
Your kidneys have an important job in your body. Namely, they are responsible for filtering and disposing of the waste products your body produces. This makes your kidneys, together with your liver, the 100% natural ‘detox company’ that is on the job day and night to cleanse your body. Your kidneys and liver detoxify your body naturally. So you don't need a juice cleanse or detox tea for that at all!
Source: Fundamentum
So is there never any reason to detox at all? Yes, if you are going to detox from an alcohol or drug addiction there are rehabs such as Fundamentum where you will do this under supervision as part of a treatment.
OK, we can skip detoxing, but what then?
Don't get us wrong, a good juice or juice cleanse fits perfectly into a more sustainable lifestyle - those extra vitamins are of course only to be welcomed, but always combine it with a healthy diet alongside. Because a crash diet is not healthy, plus you will lose muscle mass. In short, it's all about balance, as always. What can you do?
Drink plenty of water and here's why!
Drag your water bottle everywhere you go, because drinking enough water is important and then Dutch tap water is the best and most sustainable choice. The advice is to drink 1.5 to 2 litres a day (your cups of coffee and soft drinks also count). Drinking water is good for your liver and kidneys to flush waste and toxins out of the body. In addition, water is good for healthy digestion, it helps the body absorb nutrients in the intestines and makes you feel satiated while containing no calories. So water also helps you eat less, if that is your goal.
Healthy and varied food with lots of fibre
Your mother was right: eat healthy and varied meals. A juice can help with that, but it is no substitute for a proper meal. In short, lots of vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts, pulses and less processed meat, ultra-processed products - Hi granola, drinking yoghurt, ready-made meals and flavoured packets and sachets - and alcohol is the advice. Eat lots of seasonal vegetables from Dutch soil and you'll also make a more sustainable food choice. Did you know that nature is tuned in such a way that winter vegetables give us an extra vitamin boost? Nature is a miracle, but we already knew that. And you'll discover something new with this healthy lifestyle, because those celeriac, parsnip, Jerusalem artichoke and salsify, purslane and radish are left lying around far too often. And that is undeserved! Do you enjoy discovering seasonal vegetables? We have listed them all for you!
Don't detox, move!
We Dutch appear to be champions at yes... sitting. And that is not something to be proud of, because a lot of sitting is unhealthy, according to research. From excessive sitting you can get all kinds of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and you have an increased risk of certain types of cancer. So sitting really is much worse than we always thought. Research also shows that people who exercise more are more productive, concentrate better and are less prone to diseases. In addition, exercise is good for your neck, back, as well as your brain. So hop, get outside more.
And you really don't have to put on your sports outfit right away - you can. It is already good to get up regularly (preferably every half hour) and do a few exercises. The recommendation for adults is just under half an hour of moderate-intensity exercise (2.5 hours per week). What is moderate-intensity exercise? Think walking, cycling, gentle swimming, the somewhat heavier household chores such as washing windows or working in the garden are included. You can manage that, right? And if not, we have some interesting sustainable podcast tips to give you extra reason to go for a walk. Check them out here!
Surround yourself with nice people
A nice bouncer to end with: friendships are healthy! That's another nice message! There are several studies showing that preventing loneliness helps with healthy and happy aging. Harvard University did a remarkable eighty-year study. During that study, 268 students were followed throughout their lives from 1938 to investigate what is the biggest indicator of a healthy and happy life, besides the role of genes. And what did it turn out? Not money, stuff or social class, but rather good relationships and friendships are the best predictors of a healthy and happier life. So pick up that phone and make an appointment to do something fun together. It's a must. It is on doctor's advice. No detox can beat that.
More (healthy!) sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Get out there! Go on a guided wildflower picking walk!
- A tasty and healthy breakfast: vegan smoothie bowl.
- Choose healthy and fair: choose Fairtrade products.
- Are you getting enough omega-3? Find out with Testa.
Sources: Nutrition Centre, HealthyNU, Gastrointestinal Foundation, RTL News, NRC, Harvard.edu. Photo credits: Anete Lusina (Pexels).
