I think it's a GREAT idea. Doing away with food. Drinking some horrible stuff. Having the weight (the water weight) fly off in no time, only to put it back on the second you take a bit of food. Spending that time being anxious and cranky, instead of spending the time accepting and embracing that there are no quick fixes and working on a plan that you can sustain throughout your entire life. Oh yeah. I think it's a fabulous way to spend ones time and money.
I'm going to be a bit more moderate and say "sometimes, depending on definition".
Compare something like Phase 1 of South Beach (which advocates eating a fairly limited variety of foods in order to break a cycle of blood sugar highs/lows and the resultant cravings) with a pill, program, colon cleanse, etc. The first can be actually helpful, if you have bad food cravings that can influence you going off plan. A lot of diet plans start with an "Induction" or more restrictive period that could be thought of as a "detox", and these can help you stick to those plans. But in terms of juice fasts/extremely low cal diets/colon cleanse products, that "Master Cleanse" drink, etc, it's just not going to do you any good except perhaps causing you to drop a little water weight.
I did a detox, but it wasn't like I couldn't have food. It was Dr Natura, and it was basically a colon cleanser. You just drank this tea and put this powdered stuff in your juice and you just pooped. It's not meant to lose weight, but to help with bowel problems, irregularity, constipation, etc. I'd recommend it, and the only detoxes I'd recommend are easy and light colon cleansers where you don't deprive yourself of food.
I'm going to be a bit more moderate and say "sometimes, depending on definition".
Compare something like Phase 1 of South Beach (which advocates eating a fairly limited variety of foods in order to break a cycle of blood sugar highs/lows and the resultant cravings) with a pill, program, colon cleanse, etc. The first can be actually helpful, if you have bad food cravings that can influence you going off plan. A lot of diet plans start with an "Induction" or more restrictive period that could be thought of as a "detox", and these can help you stick to those plans. But in terms of juice fasts/extremely low cal diets/colon cleanse products, that "Master Cleanse" drink, etc, it's just not going to do you any good except perhaps causing you to drop a little water weight.
Oh yes. Agreed - about something like a phase one of South Beach.
I was clearly, clearly (hopefully clearly) only speaking about the Master Cleanse and other "detox" liquid type products.
In fact, I've often spoke of myself having to allow myself to "detox" from the high quantity/high calorie foods that I so accustomed to eating and having to let my cravings, wants and desires for them die up and atrophy - by switching to a healthy diet.
Several weeks ago when I decided to make the commitment to healthy eating and exercise, I thought that a cleanse would be a great way to prepare myself physically and emotionally for the change.
To be specific, I did the master cleanse- which basically entails eating absolutely nothing for ten days, and drinking a concoction of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Oh.. and taking laxatives. How could I forget those? :P (btw, the book encourages people to go for longer than ten days- apparently some people have done the cleanse for over 300 days)
I actually quit after about 4 days because I realized that it wasn't having a positive effect on my body. My first inclination was to ignore the messages my body was sending me, but in the end I realized how important it is to pay attention to them.
The only good thing that came of the half cleanse that I did, was that it prepared me psychologically for my new lifestyle... It sounds silly, but I just sort of needed something to mark the end of being unhealthy. For whatever reason this just made the transition easier.
Honestly though, I wouldn't do it again. People have the tendency to really talk up cleanses and make them sound like the best thing since sliced bread. I don't get it at all, and I think it's just a trend.
Most people see it as an easy way to lose weight, a way to avoid having to live a healthy life style- and I think that's why it's become so popular. There are too many people out there who are willing to exploit other peoples desires to look a certain way.
I think that if I could go back I wouldn't do it again. But I might do some sort of mild "detox"- maybe spending a day or two eating only raw foods or a one day fast for spiritual reasons.
But I think that as long as you practice healthy eating habits there isn't really a reason to do a cleanse.
That's just how I feel about it. There's lots of conflicting info out there about it though :P
(btw, the book encourages people to go for longer than ten days- apparently some people have done the cleanse for over 300 days)
You're kidding, right? Or that's a typo? 300 days? That's 10 months.... no way would anyone survive that, or they'd be terribly malnourished. I'm surprised people aren't malnourished after 30 days.
You're kidding, right? Or that's a typo? 300 days? That's 10 months.... no way would anyone survive that, or they'd be terribly malnourished. I'm surprised people aren't malnourished after 30 days.
Nope, no typo. And of course the book went on and on about the supposed health benefits that this individual gained.
The creator of the cleanse, Stanley Burroughs, was actually charged in the death of a man who he talked into doing the cleanse for 30 days. The man was a cancer patient and Burroughs claimed that the cleanse would cure his cancer. He was also charged with practicing medicine without a license.
(Just to add: I think that the charge was eventually overturned and there was talk of him being guilty of manslaughter- but I can't remember the details). I'm sure that there would be more information on wikipedia about Burroughs.
Basically, the master cleanse books encourage you to ignore your doctors- Burroughs barred the man with cancer from seeing his doctor, for example.
While I generally try to avoid doctors and medications as much as possible.... I really think that there are a lot of illnesses that require medical attention.... I'm pretty sure cancer is high up on that list!!
I think that there is too much information out there promoting the cleanse and not enough exposing the other side of the story.... maybe some people have had great experiences with it- but I think it's important to gather ALL the information before committing to something that extreme.
I think cleanses are bunk. I'm basing this on personal experience. Everytime I've decided to lose weight in the past, it's been by cutting out junk food (chinese take-out, pizza, etc) and exercising 3-5 days a week. This time, I'm not cutting out anything, I'm teaching myself to eat proper portion sizes and count calories. The weight's coming off slower, but it's definitely coming off. I don't see any more huge jumps when I eat the slightest bit of carb. So I'd have to say it's an unnecessary step and that a committment to better health and eating choices will go much further than a cleanse ever can.
I agree with other posters who say that cleanses are targeted to people in search of a "quick fix" weight loss cure. People are desperate, especially now when looks are even more important.
That's frightening. I am so surprised not more people have died from it, consdiering they're doing it for up to 300 days.
I absolutely positively cannot ignore my doctor, as I have hypothyroism (technically no-thyroidism lol) and have to take synthroid every day. I'd imagine you'd go crazy after 2 weeks of doing the master cleanse.
I don't think they are bunk IF they are reasonable- the fat smash has a ten day one that cuts out a lot of stuff that you crave- the first few days are miserable but by day 10 you lose a substantial amount of weight and if you follow Dr. Ian's plan exactly in I believe 90-120 days you should be eating very well and not depriving yourself of anything.
Fasts like drink nothing but water and cayenne pepper (or whatever) are insane IMO.
I did a detox, but it wasn't like I couldn't have food. It was Dr Natura, and it was basically a colon cleanser. You just drank this tea and put this powdered stuff in your juice and you just pooped. It's not meant to lose weight, but to help with bowel problems, irregularity, constipation, etc. I'd recommend it, and the only detoxes I'd recommend are easy and light colon cleansers where you don't deprive yourself of food.
Dr Natura is a bit scammy in how they advertise and I believe I read something lately that they and a couple other 'colon cleanse' products are going through a lawsuit. They claim to clean out parasites but its really what you ingest that makes it looks like you are ridding yourself of parasites but its not.
I wouldn't recommend it or other colon cleanses. Your colon cleanses itself.
detox (as first step to a eating plan/diet) work or is a lotta bunk?
