Thread by @Botanygeek

Thinking of starting a ‘detox’ or ‘cleanse’ this January?

While there is absolutely no science behind the idea, it does offer us an interesting insight into how our brains are wired up.

The idea behind a detox is that our bodies are constantly accumulating toxins. Ultimately these toxins are the cause of all ill health.

This is an idea that appears cross culturally, and has been recorded in some of the earliest texts on health.

Interestingly, what these toxins actually are is never identified, but we *are* told what causes them to build up: Basically anything fun / tasty.

The solution? To purge these from you body. How? By doing something really not very fun: Laxatives, fasting, enemas, blood letting.

Across time & culture, people might use different words for the concept...

But the basic premise of believing illness is one’s own fault, caused by a immoral desire for pleasure is universal.

(As is the idea that atoning for this sin by doing something grim is the only cure.)

Thanks to science we now know that immorality isn’t the cause of ill health. (Duh!)

AND that attaching weird moral labels like ‘clean’ and ‘pure’ or ‘sinful’ and ‘junk’ to different foods is bat shit crazy.

So do yourself a favour and spare yourself the agony.