Detoxification (alternative medicine)

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Detoxification in the context of alternative medicine is an approach that claims to rid the body of "toxins" – accumulated harmful substances that are alleged to exert undesirable effects on individual health in the short or long term.

Detoxification usually includes one or more of: dieting, fasting, consuming exclusively or avoiding specific foods (such as fats, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, juices, herbs, or water), colon cleansing, chelation therapy, or the removal of dental fillings.

Body cleansing has been described by the British organisation Sense About Science as "a waste of time and money"; many researchers agree that there is no clinical evidence that such diets are effective. The "toxins" are usually undefined, with little to no evidence of toxic accumulation in the patient.