Detoxes and Cleanses
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Sarauk2sf
Posts: 28,072 Member
There are multiple posts on a daily basis about people wanting to do detoxes and cleanses. Some are merely cutting out say sugar, meat and dairy for a few days to ‘kickstart’ their diet and 'boost' their metabolism and some are much more extreme such as the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet.
There is no real definition as to what constitutes a detox diet, however they tend to be lower in calories and cut out things like sugars, processed foods, meat and dairy and encourage lots of fruits, vegetables, water, and tea. Some, such as the Master Cleanse, recommend some awful concoction of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
In fact, the Master Cleanse is a particularly ridiculous and potentially dangerous one as the extreme version of it encourages the use of enemas and laxatives. The loon who came up with this in 1940, Stanley Burroughs, was convicted of practicing medicine without a license and imprisoned, and he was convicted of second degree murder, later overturned, for his role in the death of a desperate leukemia patient, whose cancer Burroughs tried to cure with the Master Cleanse and other irresponsible batsh!t crazy practices. To put his totally whacko’ness into perspective, here is a following quote from him when asked about protein “we are able to assimilate and build the nitrogen also into our bodies as protein … by natural bacteria action….” In other words, by breathing!
Unfortunately the media has reported a few celebrities that have done them which encourages people to try them.
There is absolutely no reason you need to detox or cleanse anything. Our body does a very good job of it already and there is no medical evidence that these diets actually rid the body of any toxins that would not be discarded in bodily waste under a normal diet.
We tend to forget that the body is equipped with a perfectly good detoxification system of its own, which includes the following:
The skin: The main function of the body’s largest organ is to provide a barrier against harmful substances, from bacteria and viruses to heavy metals and chemical toxins.
The respiratory system: Fine hairs inside the nose trap dirt and other large particles that may be inhaled. Smaller particles that make it to the lungs are expelled from the airways in mucus.
The immune system: Our network of cells and molecules is designed to recognize foreign substances and eliminate them from the body.
The intestines: Lymph nodes in the small intestine screen out parasites and other foreign substances before nutrients are absorbed into the blood from the colon.
The liver: Neutralizes harmful metals and regulates the metabolism of drugs.
The kidneys: Very efficient in filtering out waste substances and moving them out of the body.
There are a number of potential issues with these detoxes and cleanses, apart from the fact that they do not actually detox anything including:
- very low calories and a lack protein. Depending on how long it lasts you run the risk of losing LBM
- very low fat. Fats are necessary for healthy body functions.
- a lack of nutrients. They are often lacking in a range of minerals and vitamins
- the ones that promote cleanses that have a laxative effect have additional issues regarding cramping, depleted electrolytes, dehydration and the need to stay near a bathroom to deal with a case of the squits.
- a feeling of deprivation which can lead to binge eating
- they can also be dangerous to people with certain medical conditions
- disruption of intestinal flora (good bacteria in the intestines)
- perpetuating an unhealthy relationship with food and not encouraging healthy eating habits
In short: you want to feel better, eat a balanced diet with mainly nutritious foods and keep yourself hydrated. You want to lose weight, eat at a reasonable calorific deficit.
Added: If anyone is still thinking about doing a cleanse like the Master Cleanse, I urge you to read this persons story when they did one. They have graciously given permission to link to their post and I want to thank them for posting about their experience. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/851582/master-cleanse-aka-lemonade-diet-my-30-day-story
Added: linking an excellent thread by EvgeniZyntx laying out in a totally sexy geek fashion why cleanses/detoxes cannot work and why that really is a good thing: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/927327/cleanse-why-you-are-lucky-they-don-t-work
Some additional reading:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/detox-diets/AN01334
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/01/mayo-doctor-is-no-fan-of-cleanses/
http://www.jfponline.com/pdf/6008/6008JFP_Article1.pdf
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox_overview.html
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox.html
http://www.livescience.com/947-colon-cleansing-money-toilet.html
http://www.skepdic.com/detox.html
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4083
There is no real definition as to what constitutes a detox diet, however they tend to be lower in calories and cut out things like sugars, processed foods, meat and dairy and encourage lots of fruits, vegetables, water, and tea. Some, such as the Master Cleanse, recommend some awful concoction of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
In fact, the Master Cleanse is a particularly ridiculous and potentially dangerous one as the extreme version of it encourages the use of enemas and laxatives. The loon who came up with this in 1940, Stanley Burroughs, was convicted of practicing medicine without a license and imprisoned, and he was convicted of second degree murder, later overturned, for his role in the death of a desperate leukemia patient, whose cancer Burroughs tried to cure with the Master Cleanse and other irresponsible batsh!t crazy practices. To put his totally whacko’ness into perspective, here is a following quote from him when asked about protein “we are able to assimilate and build the nitrogen also into our bodies as protein … by natural bacteria action….” In other words, by breathing!
Unfortunately the media has reported a few celebrities that have done them which encourages people to try them.
There is absolutely no reason you need to detox or cleanse anything. Our body does a very good job of it already and there is no medical evidence that these diets actually rid the body of any toxins that would not be discarded in bodily waste under a normal diet.
We tend to forget that the body is equipped with a perfectly good detoxification system of its own, which includes the following:
The skin: The main function of the body’s largest organ is to provide a barrier against harmful substances, from bacteria and viruses to heavy metals and chemical toxins.
The respiratory system: Fine hairs inside the nose trap dirt and other large particles that may be inhaled. Smaller particles that make it to the lungs are expelled from the airways in mucus.
The immune system: Our network of cells and molecules is designed to recognize foreign substances and eliminate them from the body.
The intestines: Lymph nodes in the small intestine screen out parasites and other foreign substances before nutrients are absorbed into the blood from the colon.
The liver: Neutralizes harmful metals and regulates the metabolism of drugs.
The kidneys: Very efficient in filtering out waste substances and moving them out of the body.
There are a number of potential issues with these detoxes and cleanses, apart from the fact that they do not actually detox anything including:
- very low calories and a lack protein. Depending on how long it lasts you run the risk of losing LBM
- very low fat. Fats are necessary for healthy body functions.
- a lack of nutrients. They are often lacking in a range of minerals and vitamins
- the ones that promote cleanses that have a laxative effect have additional issues regarding cramping, depleted electrolytes, dehydration and the need to stay near a bathroom to deal with a case of the squits.
- a feeling of deprivation which can lead to binge eating
- they can also be dangerous to people with certain medical conditions
- disruption of intestinal flora (good bacteria in the intestines)
- perpetuating an unhealthy relationship with food and not encouraging healthy eating habits
In short: you want to feel better, eat a balanced diet with mainly nutritious foods and keep yourself hydrated. You want to lose weight, eat at a reasonable calorific deficit.
Added: If anyone is still thinking about doing a cleanse like the Master Cleanse, I urge you to read this persons story when they did one. They have graciously given permission to link to their post and I want to thank them for posting about their experience. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/851582/master-cleanse-aka-lemonade-diet-my-30-day-story
Added: linking an excellent thread by EvgeniZyntx laying out in a totally sexy geek fashion why cleanses/detoxes cannot work and why that really is a good thing: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/927327/cleanse-why-you-are-lucky-they-don-t-work
Some additional reading:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/detox-diets/AN01334
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/01/mayo-doctor-is-no-fan-of-cleanses/
http://www.jfponline.com/pdf/6008/6008JFP_Article1.pdf
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox_overview.html
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox.html
http://www.livescience.com/947-colon-cleansing-money-toilet.html
http://www.skepdic.com/detox.html
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4083
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Replies
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Great helpful nd very informative post Sara thanks!0
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I tried one because there was a groupon and I'm an awful impulse buyer.
It was one of the uncomfortable laxative types...
Never again...
Lol0 -
Excellent insight as always!!
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Not to take anything away from all the good information you posted, but isn't it sorta sad that you even had to post it in the first place? Honestly everything you posted should be appended with a "DUHHHHHHH!"
I'm convinced that people will believe anything these days. (no pun intended)0 -
Too many people looking for a crappy way to get where they want to go.0
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But... But... But, I want to eat whatever crap I want! Then I'll do a "cleanse" and magically get rid of all the junk in my system!Too many people looking for a crappy way to get where they want to go.
Nicely played.0 -
Added to the OP at the end:
If anyone is still thinking about doing a cleanse like the Master Cleanse, I urge you to read this persons story when they did one. They have graciously given permission to link to their post and I want to thank them for posting about their experience.http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/851582-master-cleanse-aka-lemonade-diet-my-30-day-story0 -
That poor girl. I thought Master's Cleanse was just for 3 days and supposed to just target the liver.
I have had luck doing a light cleanse when I've had trouble using the restroom, but a cleanse should not be used for weight loss. It is temporary and water weight mostly. The weight does NOT stay off.0 -
That poor girl. I thought Master's Cleanse was just for 3 days and supposed to just target the liver.
I have had luck doing a light cleanse when I've had trouble using the restroom, but a cleanse should not be used for weight loss. It is temporary and water weight mostly. The weight does NOT stay off.
It is supposed to be 3 days to transition on, 10 days for the 'cleanse' and three days to transition off.
There is no reason to do a cleanse at all, whether for weight loss or not. Please read the OP for more explanation.0 -
I did discover one graph from a holistic practitioner that should explain the rationale behind detoxing.
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I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
Note from Sara: this makes no sense out of context...but it's staying anyway1 -
I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
Liar. I know that you just *kitten* in your garage on your recycle bins and do nothing else in life.
I WIN.
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I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
Liar. I know that you just *kitten* in your garage on your recycle bins and do nothing else in life.
I WIN.
True but did you notice your channel just changed?0 -
I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
Sounds legit!0 -
I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
That's you? Please stop I'm trying to watch my cartoons.0 -
I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
Carbon dating is a lie. If I eat a piece of bread and you try to track a carbon, how do you know it's completely unhindered by my body's environment?0 -
Great info! Thank you! :flowerforyou:0
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I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
I don't know about television channels, but somehow my browser just redirected me to brazzers.com.
How hard were you squeezing?0 -
I can change my neighbors TV channel by sitting in my garage on a recycle bin and squeezing my penis.
Please disprove.
I don't know about television channels, but somehow my browser just redirected me to brazzers.com.
How hard were you squeezing?
^ win0 -
Note from Sara: original post by cray cray removed due to excessive drivel - keeping response as not drivel
You don't seem very interested in providing science to back up your claims, but when you do, I'd ask you to provide links to some randomized, controlled trials. And if you don't understand why those are important, here's an article on why reversing medical opinion on a current stance after a randomized controlled trail is performed (and realizing you were completely wrong) harms the medical community. Stop harming the medical community, look for actual science that is unbiased before spouting off recommendations for how people should treat themselves.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3238324/
ETA: That's what I was thinking of. I was just at a lecture for how to best design trials, and the big example they used for correlation studies was proscribing women HRT to help with heart problems. Became widely popular, and everyone prescribed it. Then they did a randomized, controlled trial and realized that it not only had no affect on heart problems, it could actually increase mortality rates in some groups of women.
Selection bias and confounders. Learn what they are...0
