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HEALTH
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Cleansing diets, also called detox diets, are all the
rage right now. Most cleanses require liquid meals
of either smoothies, shakes or juice. Some are
food-based, but the type of food is strictly regulat-
ed either by type or portion size. Each cleanse has
its own rules, and they can be quite complex.
Dr. Richard L. Griffths, a surgeon with Holy
Spirit Health System in Camp Hill, Pa., says
people who try cleansing diets usually do it for
one of two reasons: quick weight loss or
a concern that the body has built up
toxins that need to be purged.
A:
Q:
Can a detox diet really
help reset my digestive
system, clear up my skin,
or give me more energy?
A:
Maybe, says Dr. Griffths, but it probably won't
be the specifc diet that helps. Instead, it may just
be the effect of changing an unhealthy way of eat-
ing. The claim that any eating regimen will purge
the body of toxins has no medical or scientifc basis.
The real truth
about cleansing diets
Everyone I know seems to be on
a "cleansing" diet of some kind.
What are they?
A:
Q:
How about weight loss?
My friend says she lost 10 pounds
in two weeks!
She probably did if she stuck with the diet that long,
but that will happen because of dehydration and
caloric restrictions, says Dr. Griffths.
"The problem is when they come off the
diet, that water weight will come back on,"
he explains.
Q:
A:
Q:
But are cleansing diets safe?
Lesley Kendall, a registered dietitian at Schneck
Medical Center in Seymour, Ind., worries about
the negative health effects of a cleanse.
"People think of a cleanse as a way to reset
the body, but in fact, you're denying the body
nutrients it needs to function," says Kendall. "Those
ill effects you feel after the frst day or so—head-
aches and fatigue—are not from the success of
the cleanse, but from deprivation. Yes, you will
adjust, but it's not right to adjust to a diet that
isn't optimal."
For the average healthy person, says
Dr. Griffths, a cleanse is a relatively harmless
exercise that won't hurt them all that much. But
it's a bad idea for others, such as those who suffer
from an undiagnosed kidney disease or a hidden
heart condition.
A:
Q:
So if a cleanse isn't the answer,
what is?
Improving your diet, says Kendall. It may not have
the spectacular results of a short-term cleanse, but
it has real, long-term health benefts.
"Eat a lot of different fruits and vegetables, lean
meats, yogurt, whole grains and drink plenty of
water," says Kendall. "That's all the cleansing
your body needs."