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Old 12-30-2008, 08:48 PM   #1  
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Question acai berry question

i have been taking the acai berry ( the actual juice) and the colon cleanse... so i have not lost this miracle weight they speak of but i have an amazing amount of energy! does anyone know how long it takes to lose the weight they claim it will help us lose?
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Old 12-30-2008, 08:52 PM   #2  
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I have heard about this being a major hoax. Acai Berry is an antioxidant, not a weight loss tool. All it should be doing is making you feel better.
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Old 12-30-2008, 08:59 PM   #3  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by katiejames View Post
i have been taking the acai berry ( the actual juice) and the colon cleanse... so i have not lost this miracle weight they speak of but i have an amazing amount of energy! does anyone know how long it takes to lose the weight they claim it will help us lose?
Suprise!!! You have been duped. In my experiences there truly is nothing that will work in the losing weight process other than a correct diet and exercise. You can use the extra energy and maybe exercise more?
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Old 12-30-2008, 09:26 PM   #4  
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It's a horrible marketing ploy I agree with the other posters that this is a hoax. We've checked and there are no studies or evidence that acai helps in weight loss. Furthermore, colon cleanses are also a scam and are potentially dangerous, and 100% unnecessary.

Many of the products also contain stimulants, which might explain the increase in energy.
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Old 12-30-2008, 09:29 PM   #5  
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acai does have amazing antioxidant properties just like some many other fruits and veggies..weight loss will come from one thing--diet and exercise just as the others have already mentioned
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Old 12-31-2008, 02:31 PM   #6  
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i am NOT taking this stuff to lose weight.. i like how much more energy i feel and how regular i feel.. if it doesnt help me lose weight then i wont be bothered by it. my doc recommended the colon cleanse..
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Old 12-31-2008, 03:17 PM   #7  
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I'd be a bit skeptical of a doctor who advocated colon cleanses. There's little evidence that they are helpful, and a lot of evidence that they can be harmful, and even dangerous (for example coffee enemas are known to have potentially hazardous effects).

Except in the case of (plain or salt water) enemas for severe constipation, I wouldn't expect a physician to recommend them (and even that would be a pretty archaic treamtement with less harsh modern treatments).

Often colon cleanses have a side effect of increased energy, feelings of well-being and even in extreme cases euphoria - but this effect is temporary (at least until the next cleanse) and does have a scientific explanation beyond the placebo effect (though that certainly often can be a part of it). The body treats a colon cleanse as an assault or trauma to the body, and as a result triggers pain-relieving endorphin production.

The placebo effect also cannot be discounted. Colon cleanses and antioxidant juices are rather expensive - and studies show that the more expensive a "treatment," the more likely a person is going to feel better after using. In fact, the more expensive, the better the person feels (even if the treatment is plain water).

I'm not accusing you of being gullible - this effect occurs even for people who are aware that the treatment has no "reason" to work. I just recently read a study in which the folks were told they were receiving a placebo - and the "cheap" placebo was still less effective than the "expensive" placebo, and both were more effective than receiving "no treatment."

I'm not saying that antioxidants do not have health benefits, but eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is a better source of those antioxidants than any specific juice or supplement (and eating the whole fruit is even better), and you don't need the most expensive of them.

One good thing about the rage over acai berry juice, is that it has resulted in a drastic price drop in the previous favorites (blueberry and pomegranate). Cranberry juice (not so much cocktail) is just as high in antioxidants, but because it is common and inexpensive, it's often overlooked. My guess is that when a newer miracle fruit is found, that the price for acai berry juice will drop (then I might buy it).

Last edited by kaplods; 12-31-2008 at 03:19 PM.
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Old 12-31-2008, 03:48 PM   #8  
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i was sure that i looked into the ingredients in the colon cleanser i take and it is almost all the same ingredients as what are in metomucil (sp).. which that is also a common thing that docs presribe or request their patients to take.. many people confuse colon cleanser and laxitives... a colon cleanser that is all natural can be very beneficial to our bodies.. this is not something that i learned on tv or oprah either. i did much research on this subject and i have never felt euphoric or any of the other symptoms above. i do not eat veg and fruit the way i should because i suffer from haileys haileys diesease which causes my body to have horrible rashes when i eat acidic foods and juices... this is why my doc recommened this for me. i just like being able to use the bathroom on a regular basis. as for the acai berry... i actually like it. i am not one of those who buys into every little pill or diet fad out there... there is no such thing as a miracle pill.. but if i can add a juice to my diet that is not acidic and i am able to fully enjoy it and it helps cleanse my system i would be stupid to not taking it. i do much research in all i put into my body... i go deeper than oprah or rachel ray... or what the ads say. i actually do more in depth because it is important to know. our bodies are not meant to digest all the harsh things we eat on a daily basis.. as a society we intake so much processed food and fat and trans fat and all that nonsense... we dont realize that sadly we are causing more damage to ourselves than we think. losing weight will not take away the permanant health problems that we have invoked on our bodies. also... i have a gorrendous stomach ulcer and some liver problems that have caused that weight gain ( another reason why teh doc suggested colon cleanser) i am not able to gorge on fruits and veggies... it hurts my tummy
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Old 12-31-2008, 03:55 PM   #9  
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there are also procedures that adults can have done that do actually cleanse the colon... many fitness professional and personal trainers recommend this procedure but it is not in all areas....
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Old 12-31-2008, 04:00 PM   #10  
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Colon cleansing is a term that is used for a wide range of treatments, and very often do include laxatives, enemas, and specific herbs/juices. Some of these treatments are mild and relatively benign others are harsh and extremely toxic (despite being all-natural).

A gentle fiber laxative such as metamucil is normally not what most folks are talking about when using the term colon cleansing. They're generally talking about much more extreme procedures. From juice fasts on the mild end to harsh colonics at the extreme.

Yes, you can clean the colon - and many health "professionals" (most of them without RN's or MD's) advocate them, but for most folks they're completely useless. Your body generally does a fine job of cleaning itself, if you're eating properly. If you're eating whole fruits and vegetables, for most folks, your colon will be as clean as it needs to be.

Except for treatment of some digestive problems (primarily constipation), cleaning the digestive tract is virtually useless for "overall health and well-being."

Last edited by kaplods; 12-31-2008 at 04:02 PM.
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Old 12-31-2008, 05:27 PM   #11  
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Hmmm, thought I posted on this thread but it must be a different one about acai. I've posted that I like the acai "smoothies" I used to buy at my local grocery (they stopped selling this brand so I stopped drinking acai as every product that has it in there is pricey). I felt the juice drinks were "energizing," tasted good and filled me up and there was nothing that I disliked about the ingredients. I loved the chocolate-fruit taste that I assume came from the acai, which has a chocolate undertone to it.

That said I had wanted to clarify wherever I posted before that I do not think there is any magic weight loss property to acai. It's just a nice berry from South America, tastes good, antioxidant.

I do not think "cleansing" in the human body is a reasonable idea, personally, just my opinion.
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Old 04-10-2009, 04:53 PM   #12  
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There's this fiberous powder that I mix with water, in a smoothie or any kind of beverage really that I drink right after every meal to help promote good colon health. I've always had trouble with irregular bowel movements and this helps me stay regular, which in return helps me maintain my weight. It does cause gas which could be a problem if your body isn't used to fiber. 25-30 grams of fiber should be consumed everyday so I don't feel worried drinking it.

I've also tried consuming acai in its every form (juice, pill, powder and even acai fuit chews) but I didn't get anythinb out of it. In fact I found myself feeling tired a few hours after taking it so I don't take it anymore.

I'm a sucker for the latest diet fads so I'll try anything with positive testimonies to find out for myself so for me colon cleansing yes and acai no!!!
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Old 04-19-2009, 06:59 PM   #13  
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Something I've learned a long time ago is that if I get spammed about something multiple times a day, whatever it is they're selling is not worth my time. Acai berries fall into this category. I think it's dangerous whenever anyone suggests that anything other than healthy eating and good exercise can help someone lose weight. Just my thoughts..
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