What you need to know about the post-holiday detox cleanse

There are many benefits to kickstarting your metabolism after the holiday season, so it’s important to have all the facts

UPDATED DECEMBER 10, 2019 11:05 AM ESTDEC 10, 2019, 11:05 AM EST

We love eating, especially during the holidays. But sometimes (really all the times, if we’re being honest), we bring in the new year feeling a little lethargic from the copious amounts of food that we have eaten (all the pies, meats and carbs).

Sometimes we need a little help to kickstart our metabolism and begin to feel refreshed (much like the new year). That’s when many of us look to the ever popular detox cleanses to help us get back in rhythm and have our bodies working like a well-oiled machine.

There are many benefits to detoxes (improved bodily functions and immune system, to name a few), but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t some important side effects that we need to be mindful of.

Detoxes need to follow your daily lifestyle and you should not consume less than 1,000 calories per day as a general rule of thumb

There are many different ways that you can set up a detox cleanse, but of the two most popular are the liquid-based cleanses and the liquid/food-based cleanses (which are considered the best kind).

There are many positive effects that these cleanses can have on the human body, many that can be felt instantly.

Conducting a cleanse can help improve the function of the kidneys and liver as well as help identify any food sensitivities that you may have since you are cutting out many processed foods, sugars and animal byproducts.

They can also help jump-start your path to weight-loss (New Year’s resolutions, anyone?) or the beginning of a new diet (i.e. veganism, vegetarianism). Detox cleanses can also help the mind and spirit feel anew.

The best kind of detoxes eliminate processed foods, alcohol, sugar, caffeine and animal byproducts

Along with the good almost always comes the bad — cleanses are no exception to the rule. Since detox cleanses are essentially depriving the body of certain nutrients, pregnant women, teenagers and anyone who requires a calorie heavy diet should abstain from them.

Detox cleanses are also not something that should be used long-term as they will negatively impact the body and how it runs. They also don’t function as well as the body at self-removing toxins.

When doing detoxes, expect frequent bowel movements as the juices work to remove everything from your body (and we mean everything).

Something to keep in mind is that they also deprive the body of fiber, making the switch to fiber-heavy foods one of slow progression as you reintroduce it to the body.