Using Detox Tea For Weight Loss

By Steven Wallace


People are very interested in feeling and looking better, especially around the New Yea when resolutions are made. Losing weight is a popular goal. Using detox tea for weight loss can be a step in the right direction. However, care should be taken before taking even natural remedies. Knowing more about the herbs in teas like this is essential to a safe and effective process.

Of course, anyone taking prescription medicines must be especially careful. Most laymen and even most doctors don't know how a drug might react when used with an herb. Many medical practitioners recommend avoiding all herbs, but this really does limit their patients' ability to regain health and well-being. Detox teas often contain some of the more potent herbs, however, so caution is important.

Teas that purport to cleanse the body of toxins often contain standard herbs that have been used for this purpose for centuries. This list includes purifying herbs, diuretics, laxatives, digestive aids, and plants added for a pleasing taste and aroma. Tradition may say that an herb is OK for daily use, or the recommendation might be to use it sporadically.

Purifying herbs include burdock, which is a blood cleanser and skin tonic. Dandelion is another well-know plant; research shows that it has beneficial actions on the liver and kidneys, as well as on intestinal health. Milk thistle helps detoxify and heal the liver; it also aids digestion.

These nutritive and tonic herbs must still be considered as diuretics and laxatives when combined with more targeted herbs. In other words, consider the effect of the formula as a whole when deciding what to use. Stronger diuretics include horsetail, lemongrass, parsley, juniper, hawthorn, and hibiscus. Losing water weight can help reach a 'pounds lost' goal, but care must be taken. Those on prescription pills for edema or water retention should be doubly cautious.

Laxative herbs are also found in detox formulas. Mild ones include cascara sagrada and flax, while senna and rhubarb are considered slightly stronger. Fenugreek and chickweed are other mild laxatives. Aloe vera is an herb that is soothing to the skin and intestines but can have a strong purgative effect when used internally.

Using herbs in combination is considered a good practice, as the effects of one herb can be enhanced or buffered by those of another. Anyone using detox formulas must closely monitor the results. A particular formula with several of the laxative herbs might be too strong for daily use. Similarly, too many diuretics in one product might lead to dehydration, which is already a common problem for many.

A formula based on ginger or peppermint, both of which boost digestion and add a tasty flavor to a tea, could have some mixture of the herbs listed above and be a pleasant help in shedding excess pounds. Consumers should monitor the effects of any herbal product and make sure it is gentle as well as effective. When formulated and used properly, a detox tea can be very helpful. Most detoxes are suggested for a one or two week period, not for continuous use.




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