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Two Fresh Lemons and a Pinch of Bee Pollen

By Kathy Day Lange

Illustration by Lexi Shepard of the Savannah College of Art and Design

In today’s world of refined sugar, hydrogenated fats, and food additives, it’s easy to see why detoxifying and cleansing have become so popular. These practices, designed to eliminate the common pollutants and toxins that our bodies are exposed to, are not new, however. They were used over a thousand years ago by Eastern monks, Indian yogis and the early Greeks. Practitioners believed that detoxifying purified the body, which resulted in more energy and vitality, greater clarity of mind, and a positive outlook on life.

While the purpose is still the same, modern detoxifying has taken on a decidedly contemporary flavor. Cleansing programs may include a special diet, exotic herbs and supplements, hydrotherapy, exercise, breathing techniques, facials, and spa baths. More controversial practices include fasting, gallbladder and liver flushes, and EDTA chelation therapy (the administering of synthetic amino acid into the veins). While many detoxification practices are considered safe, it’s a good idea to consult your physician if you are considering a detox or cleansing program.

Celebrities singing the praises of detoxifying include Oprah Winfrey and the coauthors of New York Times bestsellers Skinny Bitch and Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, former Ford Modeling Agency agent Rory Freedman and holistic nutritionist Kim Barnouin. But is there any truth behind the hype? Can we purify our bodies and, at the same time, find the path to new energy and enlightenment?


In an effort to find out I decided to try a detoxifying regimen. For an entire week I gave up everything it suggested: all sugar, meats, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and gluten products. I wouldn’t say that my eating habits before the cleanse were exactly poor, but I do loved my chai (a sweetened, spiced tea) each morning, a glass or two of wine each evening, and I am helpless in the presence of gluten-laden breadsticks dipped in tapenade—habits not particularly conducive to a chemical-free body. Nevertheless, I didn’t expect that it would be that difficult (or that it would produce any physical or mental changes in me). And it wasn’t (and didn’t)—until the second day.

My detox diet consisted largely of green salads, veggie soups and chili, soy burgers, fruit drinks (including that lemon/bee pollen cocktail), and plenty of water. I bought some canned foods after carefully scrutinizing their labels for preservatives or sugar (often listed as sorbate). I ate small portions of food throughout the day and drank cascara sagrada bark tea, an herbal laxative. On day one I found that I made many more trips to the bathroom and became slightly lightheaded. By the next evening I had a headache, which was followed by waves of nausea. After lying down I began to experience muscle
pain. After several uncomfortable hours of this I caved and reached for the ibuprofen. I felt a little better and managed to get to sleep.

The next day, I awoke feeling only slightly better. I went to work and, still determined, I kept to my initial regimen of avoiding all the forbidden products. By nighttime, however, the unpleasant symptoms were back. I stayed on the detoxification diet for all seven days and for six of them the pattern was the same.



I have since learned that the symptoms I experienced—known as “retracing” or “feeling bad in order to feel good”—are common when a person first goes on a detoxification diet. Some advocates believe that the symptoms occur because toxins are flowing through the body before being excreted. “What people need to be careful of is the level of cleanse they want to do,” says Michelle St. Andre, owner of Nature’s Harvest, a health food store that distributes nationwide. “You don’t want to jolt your system.” She suggests keeping a journal and adjusting foods gradually, according to your lifestyle.

I did learn, however, that I was enslaved by my eating habits. My mood was ruled by my ability to eat the foods that I was used to. Detoxifying helped me to realign my eating habits and goals: I would eat to live, not live to eat.

Why Detoxify?
Over the past 50 years our food supply has undergone significant changes—from the organic, farm-fresh ingredients of a few generations ago to processed foods lacking essential nutrients. According to the Environmental Working Group, a D.C.-based nonprofit research organization, each day we are exposed to about 15 pesticides commonly sprayed on fruits and vegetables to eliminate pests. An estimated 60 million pounds of herbicides--designed to kill weeds and applied to corn, sugar, and other crops used in food products and as animal feed across the country—later make their way into our water supply. Synthetic chemicals leach out of plastic bottles, food containers, and food wrap. And, as if this weren’t enough, you can reasonably expect that the food on your table will come with a nice dose of artificial flavorings, colorings, preservatives, and emulsifiers.



Natural food experts say that this heavily processed, chemical-laden diet has resulted in a multitude of diseases known only to our present-day Western civilization. According to the International Journal of Cancer, “it is clear that environmental and lifestyle factors are key determinants of human disease—accounting for perhaps 75 percent of most cancers.”

Skeptics of the detoxification diet argue that your body is naturally detoxifying all the time. In your small intestine foods are mixed with bile from your liver and gallbladder and enzymes from your pancreas, broken down and absorbed through your intestinal lining and ultimately transferred to the liver. In the liver, toxins are converted from fat-soluble to water-soluble chemicals and excreted from your body.

Advocates of detoxification regimens don’t deny that the body has a natural detoxification system. They maintain that the body has a brilliant system that is very effective—when it is all working properly. However, many believe that when your liver becomes overloaded, it cannot process all the toxins. Instead, it stores the excess toxins in the fatty tissues of your body, such as your brain, endocrine (hormonal) glands, and breasts. Many of these carcinogenic chemicals stay there for years, possibly causing cancer or other health problems. Additionally, cleansing promoters maintain that the consumption of too many dairy products, meats, white flour, or processed foods or imbibing too much caffeine or alcohol results in the buildup of mucus in your intestines, which inhibits absorption of digested food into the intestinal lining cells. If you do not absorb the food it cannot be transferred to your liver for processing and elimination.

As with any filter, your liver and intestines need to be periodically cleansed. It is in this way that a detoxification diet can help. By eliminating toxins from your diet you can give your organs a break from working overtime, allowing them to process the substances that inhibit them from performing effectively. It is believed that by optimizing liver function you can increase your metabolic rate and cause more of the food you eat to be used for energy instead of being stored as fat. Some people report feeling better, “lighter,” more focused and energetic during and after a detoxification or cleansing program. Others say it allows them to concentrate on the emotional and spiritual parts of themselves—which they might be trying to escape or avoid by indulging in those burgers, fries, and milkshakes.

Whatever the pros and cons of detoxifying, many nutritional experts agree that a beneficial diet is based upon fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and water. Add regular exercise and you have a foundation for a healthy program.

For a look at what’s hot in detoxification and cleansing diets, and a sample menu of one, visit our website at www.WhatsUpMag.com.

What’s Up? Annapolis and What’s Up? Eastern Shore -do not give medical advice. This material is simply a discussion of current trends and practices. Please seek the advice of your doctor before making any changes in your diet or beginning any new practices.

Tags: health Kathy Day Lange detox diets

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