A "Healthy" Move That Can Hurt You

When celebs such as Beyonce and Gwyneth rave about a detox diet, it's easy to think they're onto something. Who wouldn't want to lose 5 pounds in three days? But the truth is, these plans aren't good for you and could even make you sick. SELF went to top women's-health experts to bust the biggest myths.

THE MYTH. You'll clear disease-causing toxins.

THE FACTS. "The body isn't a cesspool that needs to be drained," says David Robbins, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Your intestines were made to hold and eliminate toxins. As long as you eat a complete diet with plenty of fiber, they do their job fine.

THE MYTH. You'll shed pounds quickly.

THE FACTS. Some diets ban solid food, but "weight you lose on a liquid diet is mainly water," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., a spokeswoman in Chicago for the American Dietetic Association. "When you reintroduce solid foods, you'll gain it back." SELF's Jump Start Diet on page 77 is a better plan.

THE MYTH. You'll feel more energized.

THE FACTS. If your diet is high in refined carbs, you will get a temporary lift when you cut them out, Jackson Blatner says. But that's because you're eating healthier and avoiding sugar highs and lows. Eliminating food groups, especially protein, or fasting will tucker you out.