Are detox diets scams?

Are detox diets scams?

By: Jade Teta

I got asked this question the other day by a family member. They said that a friend of theirs was selling some supplement that only needed to be taken twice per day. 

The supplement was specially designed to “flush toxins” and burn fat because “toxins” are the real reason people store fat, not calories. 

Let me see if I can put this in perspective for you so you can understand how something like this sounds to my ears. 

Imagine you are an expert mechanic and one of your clients tells you that a friend of theirs said all they need to do is add a special bottle of barbecue sauce to their fuel tank to triple the fuel efficiency of their car. 

As silly as it sounds, this is what some of this detoxification and fat loss rhetoric sounds like to those of us who have expertise in the natural health and weight loss fields. 

How to really detox 

First of all, the vast majority of the “toxins” the body has to deal with day to day are internally generated. And taking some sugar laden product to help you detox will likely, you guessed it, increase the body’s internally generated body burden. 

Second, detoxification is one of the most natural processes of the body.  It does it day in a day out and does not require any help from some magical elixir that costs $40 every single month. 

Give the body plenty of fiber so the bowels move regularly, eat adequate protein so your detoxification enzymes can be made and get adequate sleep, movement, and rest time. Do that and you have won the detox battle. 

A real detox requires one other thing, but it is not something you add in. It is something you take away.  For the body to adequately detox it needs times away from food especially junk food. Simply not eating, or eating only easy to digest liquid based foods, for a period of time is one of the best detox medicine you can "buy". Eating lightly shifts more of the body's resources to recovery, repair and regeneration versus digestion and assimilation. 

So, a good detox comes from eating lightly, dramatically increasing fruit and vegetable intake and drinking plenty of water.  Oh, and relaxing movement and sweating aid the process along greatly. 

In other words, the best detox on the market is a bucket load of produce, a gallon of water and time resting instead of eating.

 

Sorry, I know it is not quite as sexy as a magical rain forest juice that you sprinkle on your head, turn counter clockwise and then have a perfectly clean liver. 

A quick spring detox 

Since I know it is going to come up now that spring is here, let me give you one of the best detoxes you can do and all it takes is a long weekend.  Start thursday night and here is what you need: 

• Make up several big jugs of lemon water. Add some ginger if you have a juicer.
• Go to the store and buy a ton of celery, cucumbers, and any other vegetables
• Add these veggies into a chicken broth and cook until the veggies are soft.
• Set aside 4 liters of water a day.

Now all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday do the following:

 

• Drink 1-2 liters of your lemon ginger tea
• Eat three large servings of the vegetable soup
• Drink 4 liters of water a day.
• Eat nothing else.
• Take a few hot baths or do a sauna to make yourself sweat.  
• Go for as many long, but non-strenuous walks as you can
• Sleep as much as you can and rest
• Do not do any strenuous exercise

Simple, powerful and effective detox.  And you are likely to lose 3-5 pounds of water in the process. Repeat this for 2-4 weekends if you want and you have a perfect healthy, cheap detox minus the magical elixir. 

Healthy Snack Ideas For A Fit 2014!

Let's get 2014 started right with some healthy snack ideas!

-       1 apple, 1 cup skim milk

-       ½ avocado & 2 oz  1% cottage cheese

-       3oz of light tuna on 6 whole wheat crackers

-       Lentil spread on pita:

o   1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed and drained

o   1 tablespoon lemon juice

o   1/4 teaspoon salt

o   1/4 teaspoon pepper

o   2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

o   1 celery stalk, finely diced

o   1 scallion, finely diced

o   2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

o   2 pitas, halved

1. Combine lentils, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a blender; process until smooth.

2. Stir in sunflower seeds, celery, scallions, and parsley.

3. Microwave pita at HIGH 1 minute. Serve with spread.

- Shrimp Snack:

·       1 tablespoon fat-free plain Greek yogurt

·       1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice

·       1/4 teaspoon jalapeño sauce

·       1/4 avocado, chopped

·       1 crisp rye flatbread

·       5 cooked large shrimp

Chopped fresh parsley and cracked black pepper (for garnish) Stir yogurt, lime juice, sauce, and avocado; spread on cracker. Top with shrimp, parsley, and pepper.

- Berry Smootie

·       1 cup frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)

·       1/2 cup water

·       1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

·       1 teaspoon honey

·       1 tablespoon unsweetened soy protein powder

o   Combine ingredients in a blender. Purée until smooth; drink immediately.

-       Warm pear w/ cinnamon ricotta:

o   1 small pear, halved and cored

o   1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

o   1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat broiler or toaster oven. Place pear on a baking sheet; broil 10 to 12 minutes until tender.

2. Combine ricotta and cinnamon in a small bowl. Top warm pear with ricotta mixture.

- 1 cup edamame (soy beans)

- Cauliflower w/ white bean dip:

·       4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

·       2 whole garlic heads

·       2 (16-ounce) cans canellini beans or other white beans

·       1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

·       1/4 teaspoon salt

·       1/4 teaspoon white pepper

·       1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.

2. Cut the top third of garlic heads off so tops of cloves are exposed. Place heads, unpeeled, in ovenproof dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Cover with aluminum foil; bake 30 minutes.

3. Uncover and bake until the garlic cloves are soft and golden brown, another 30–40 minutes. (Make ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.)

4. In a food processor, combine the beans, roasted garlic, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add the salt and white pepper. This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

- Luna protein bar

- Veggie Tostada

·       Cooking spray

·       2 cups sliced mushrooms

·       2 small zucchini, sliced

·       1 large red bell pepper, chopped

·       4 BASIC TOSTADAS

Place a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper to pan. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Spoon about 3/4 cup vegetable mixture over black bean mixture on each tostada. Top with lettuce, salsa, and cheese.

- 1 hard boiled egg, 15 asparagus spears

- protein hot chocolate

·       1 scoop plain or vanilla whey protein powder into a mug

·       1 Tbsp raw unsweetened cocoa powder into the mug

·       2-3 Tbsp cold water into the mug. Mix into a paste and let sit for a few minutes.

·       Heat 1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk in separate glass in microwave (1 min) and slowly mix into mug with the paste stirring the whole time.

·       Fill the rest of the mug with hot water, stirring the whole time.

·       Stir in 1 Tbsp honey

- Spiced green tea smoothie:

·       3/4 cup strong green tea, chilled

·       1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·       Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 TBSP)

·       2 teaspoons agave nectar

·       1 small pear, skin on, cut into pieces

·       2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt

·       6-8 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Drink cold.