Does detoxification cleanse the stomach?

Judging from the formal definition of modern medicine, there is no so-called "intestinal poisoning" concept, and there is no need to use extreme methods to deliberately "cleanse the intestines and stomach." The reason why this topic has always been controversial is essentially that there is an information gap between ordinary people's somatosensory feedback and professional cognition.

Not long ago, I went to Qingdao with some friends for three days. We all had barbecue, seafood and cold beer. After we came back, everyone had heavy stomachs and acne on their cheeks. The group was divided into two groups: one group has quickly ordered enzymes and intestinal cleansing tea, saying that they want to get rid of all the "toxins" they have accumulated for three days.； Another group of people working in the Department of Gastroenterology directly poured cold water on the problem, saying that "constipation" and "intestinal poisoning" are all marketing concepts created by businesses, which are purely IQ taxes.

If you think about it carefully, you will understand that our intestines have a stable metabolic rhythm. The residue after digestion and absorption of food will be excreted from the body with regular bowel movements in 1-3 days under normal circumstances. There are no "toxins" that will stick to the intestinal wall and accumulate for several years. Those who drink bowel cleansing products and have diarrhea immediately, either have added stimulant laxative ingredients, and most of what they pull out is water and shed intestinal mucosa, which is not poisonous at all. ； Or it's just that the dietary fiber content is high, which just makes up for the lack of vegetables you usually eat, promotes intestinal peristalsis, and has nothing to do with "detoxification".

When I was in the hospital with my family for a check-up, I met a girl in her early twenties who only drank cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices for a week in order to cleanse her intestines and detoxify. Finally, she fainted due to low potassium and was sent to the emergency room by a friend. The doctor said that not only did she disrupt the balance of intestinal flora, but also her electrolytes. It took her less than half a month to recover.

But having said that, it doesn’t mean that you can’t “relax” your stomach after eating a lot. Every time after eating a heavy oil and salty butter hotpot or barbecue, I will cook more multi-grain porridge and stir-fried vegetables for the next day or two, and drink enough 2 liters of warm water. I will not deliberately starve. It just appropriately reduces the digestive burden on the stomach, and the feeling of bloating will disappear soon. This is actually giving the intestines a normal rest time, and there is no need to use the bluffing title of “detoxification and intestinal cleansing”.

To put it bluntly, as long as you have regular bowel movements, eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, and don't mess with your intestines as much, it will be more effective than any intestinal cleansing product that costs hundreds of dollars. If you really feel that your bowel movements are not smooth, it is better to walk two more steps and eat two more mouthfuls of spinach, which is worse than anything else.