Detox dos and don’ts: spring fads often promise instant results, but away from the juice cleanses, science shows that the body needs a healthy diet, exercise and sleep in today’s highly toxic world

Apr 17, 2025

Products that offer instant results for detoxifying your body may not be the best approach. Experts recommend adopting a healthy diet and taking plenty of exercise instead of going for the quick fix. Photo: Getty Images

Health experts unravel modern detox myths and stress the importance of a good diet, an active lifestyle and a long-term approach as the best ways to ensure underlying health risks are kept at bay

As spring’s first blooms stretch towards the sun, a familiar word begins to flutter through the wellness lexicon: detox. Once merely synonymous with purity and rejuvenation, detoxing has entered the realm of juice bars and influencers in the modern age – promising miraculous transformations wrapped in the glow of green smoothies and turmeric-laced elixirs. But before trading an almond-milk latte for a week of liquefied kale, it’s worth peeling back the shiny labels to uncover what’s behind the detox hype.

The idea of a reset is inherently appealing, especially during transitional times like spring. But beneath the wellness buzz lies a simple truth: the body is not a fixer-upper in desperate need of a deep clean. Dr Christina Rahm, founder of DRC (Deep-Rooted Causes) Ventures, explains that the human body is a finely tuned machine equipped with its own detoxification system, from the liver, kidneys and entire digestive system, to the skin and lungs. “These organs work tirelessly to process toxins and eliminate them,” she notes. Modern lifestyles – with their processed foods, environmental pollutants and chronic stress – can sometimes overwhelm these systems.