Cleanse-related stories
Gwyneth Paltrow Pushes Detox Diet
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
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| Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images |
Of course, Gwynnie delivers. This week's newsletter focuses on a three-week "Clean" detox program that she's just completed. "I feel pure and happy and much lighter (I dropped the extra pounds that I had gained during a majorly fun and delicious 'relax and enjoy life phase' about a month ago)," she writes. The newsletter contains an interview with the man behind the program, Dr. Alejandro Junger, in which he explains why Clean is so beneficial.
Here's the thing -- she might have dropped pounds now, but time and time again, doctors have spoken out against cleanses and detoxes. It's not that they're necessarily bad things (although the extreme cleanses can be damaging), but in terms of weight loss, slow and steady is the name of the game.
And why seek advice from celebrities on something like this anyway? Your time will be better spent learning more about nutritious food, hitting the gym and talking to your doctor. Although, if you want to read a celebrity magazine while working up a sweat, we won't tell.
Crazy Diets
By Jennifer Fields and Mary Kearl
Fad diets are so alluring with their promises of fast weight loss and their skinny celebrity followers. The problem is that they're often unhealthy and make outrageous claims that are untrue. Here's a roundup of the some of the most strict and downright ridiculous diets around and the famous names that champion them.
Going Bananas
Eat bananas for breakfast and lose weight? That sounds easy enough. But the Morning Banana Diet -- such a craze in Japan that grocery stores there can't keep the fruit in stock -- involves a little bit more than just eating this favorite breakfast food. On this plan, which is supposed to boost metabolism, you'll eat one or more bananas with room-temperature water for breakfast and have an optional snack at 3 p.m. You can eat anything you want for lunch and dinner. There are no desserts, dinner has to be eaten by 8 p.m. and you have to go to bed by midnight. Does it work? Japanese opera singer Kumiko Mori announced on a TV show that she lost 15 pounds using the Morning Banana Diet. The creator's husband is also said to have lost 37 pounds. We're not sure those two instances count as solid proof of its effectiveness, but this diet certainly rates high on wackiness.
C is for Cookie
We like the sound of any diet that involves eating cookies and promises you'll lose 15 pounds in a month. Sanford Siegal, M.D., is the creator of the Cookie Diet in which followers eat six of his specially formulated cookies along with one meal a day. It's not surprising people lose weight on this diet, considering they're eating a mere 800 calories a day -- a calorie count so low that experts would classify this as a crash diet that is not sustainable. We classify it as just plain crazy.
Dubious Cure
Kevin Trudeau's book, 'The Weight Loss Cure,' made HCG a household name. HCG, a hormone extracted from the urine of pregnant women, is used to treat reproductive problems, but injections of the hormone are also thought to curb appetite. We suspect any weight loss might be the result of the 500-calorie-a-day diet you're supposed to follow on the plan, not necessarily the self- or doctor-adminstered shots. The FDA denies weight loss claims about HCG, but the hard-to-find shots are still widely sought after. Aside from the obvious ick factor, there are some intense side effects including water retention, mood alterations, headaches, and high blood pressure. Men who receive the injections may get positive results on pregnancy tests.
Part-Time Diet
Who wouldn't go for a diet that promises you can eat whatever you want and as much as you want? But the s have more than one third of your daily sodium allowance. 'Alternate-Day Diet' by James B. Johnson, M.D., has a pretty big catch: You can only indulge every other day; on alternate days you'll be eating a mere 200 to 1000 calories total. Switching between overeating and starving sounds like torture, but does it work? A review published in a 2005 issue of the 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition' found that non-obese followers of the plan did lose weight on the diet, but they reported high levels of hunger and irritability that would likely prevent this from becoming a long-term plan.
Pain in the Rear
Sure, the Martha's Vineyard Diet calls for mud treatments, but following it is no day at the spa. You'll also be drinking most of your meals and enduring weekly colonics and enemas. Robin Quivers does look great since she tried the detox, but with all those trips to the spa, this diet is heavy on the pocketbook and light on lasting results.
Diet in Vein
Any diet that requires a test of your blood type raises our eyebrows. And depending on the results, you could be stuck shopping for an all-veggie diet or one where the main component is veal. Why? the Blood Type Diet claims certain foods react differently with various blood types. A better idea than eating politically incorrect meat? Cut back on your portions.
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Cuckoo for Coconuts
Another contender in the realm of the single-food eating plan is the Coconut Diet. Jennifer Aniston swore by this plan where you load up on coconut oil (Almond Joy doesn't count), which is supposed to boost metabolism and help you lose weight quickly. Most experts agree you should limit coconut in your diet because it's rich in saturated fat which can raise cholesterol, so it's best to avoid this one.
Funny Face
Voluptuous Kate Winslet swears the Facial Analysis Diet helped her drop baby weight. On this wacky plan, a so-called facial analyst proposes a special diet based on food intolerances revealed in the texture of your skin, eyes and hair. But the only reason this diet ever works is because people tend to drink more water, get more sleep and eat more fruits and vegetables while on it.
Tart Diet
Beyoncé revived interest in the Master Cleanse when she used the juice fast to slim down for 'Dream Girls.' Drinking a mix of maple syrup, lemon juice, water and cayenne pepper for days is hardly a healthy approach to weight loss. Even Beyoncé said she wouldn't advise anyone follow her diet lead.
Have You Tried Detox?
If you're looking for a quick slim-down, just look to the stars. No, not the ones up in the sky, I mean all the detox-happy celebs out in Tinseltown.
Cleanses are quite popular right now, but they've been around for years. They can lead to some quick (though likely temporary) weight loss and, as Bethany found out, detox diets can leave you feeling quite good (after a few days of feeling kind of lousy, anyway).
Proponents of detox diets will leave you believing that your body is full of nasty toxins that have no other way to come out. But many health experts will tell you that your body does a pretty good job of getting rid of toxins on its own. So I wonder what you think ... do you detox?
If you've done a detox diet, what did you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Best Detoxes, Dieting Duo Successes and Walking Decoded - Links We Love
Considering trying a detox diet? "AOL Health" heads to the experts to review Hollywood's hottest cleanses -- judging for safety, effectiveness and cost.
Tired of dieting alone? These Weight Watchers winners reveal why losing weight together leads to double the weight loss success.
Are you a fast walker, a slow walker or a slouch when you stride? Discover what your walk reveals about your personality.
Is Your Detox a Waste of Money?
Diet & Weight Loss, Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements
This week marked the beginning of, I imagine, thousands of detox diets across North America. It's only natural, really, that after weeks of indulging in more sugar, fat, alcohol and laziness than we do all year that we're looking for ways to cleanse our bodies of our holiday sins and start 2009 off right. But before you rush to the drug store to pick up a detox kit to the tune of $30 or more, keep in mind that leading scientists have declared many so-called detoxes to be a waste of money. You can save your hard-earned cash with a do-it-yourself detox. It won't be easy -- most experts believe that detoxing requires you to cut out sugar, salt, refined carbs, wheat, dairy, alcohol and caffeine, not to mention drinking lots of water and eating plenty of fruits and veggies -- but doing it yourself is healthier and more economical.
Click here for some more DIY-detoxing tips.
Gwyneth Paltrow Wants You to Suffer With Her
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
In her most recent GOOP newsletter, Gwyneth Paltrow talks detox. And ... it's a little bit scary. She talks about doing the Master Cleanse last year, which she describes as "hallucinogenic (in a bad way)" and says she wants to do a different sort of cleanse or detox to drop the holiday pounds.She talked to her doctor, who actually said the Master Cleanse "can be dangerous because the liver is not supported by the nutrients it needs." He explained to her that it's possible to detox while eating as long as you're not eating the wrong stuff.
Gwyneth created a menu plan for a "seven-day elimination diet," saying "I will be suffering along with you to kickstart my year a bit lighter." So, does that mean being rich and famous doesn't make a nasty detox any easier? Who knew?
Acai Hype is Hard to Swallow
When a food item becomes a health trend, it starts popping up everywhere -- from energy drinks to sodas to diet pills, sometimes even in shampoo. The acai berry trend is one of the more recent nutrition buzzes... but is it worth all of the fuss? According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, acai berries are rich in antioxidants and are a very nutritious food. However, Dr. Oz states that acai is as good as any other healthful food, not any better. One reporter and her husband decided to try out the acai diet -- he took capsules and she used a powdered drink mix. Not only was it expensive, the drink was gritty, and neither saw any weight loss results. And the cleansing drink that came with the acai diet was completely gag-inducing.
The lesson here is to not go overboard. When nutrition news hits the media, the marketing folks clamor on board and try to sell as many products as possible based on very limited science. Acai is a great food to incorporate into your diet but if you're expecting it to help you magically lose weight, cure disease and unclog your kitchen sink, you're going to be sorely disappointed.
Detox symptoms or sickness - how to tell?
Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Anyone who's tried any sort of a cleanse or detox is probably well aware that detox symptoms feel a lot like actual sickness symptoms. You will very possibly experience diarrhea, gas, headache, lightheadedness, and irritability when entering a cleanse and unless you know what you're getting yourself into, it can be hard to tell whether or not something is actually wrong.Raw foodist Nomi Shannon did an interview with Renegade Roundtable, touching specifically on this problem. She talked about the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, where people can go for a "raw retreat." Shannon mentioned that, on the fifth day of each cycle of visitors, everyone would be angry, hating their roommates and feeling irritable.
This is why she recommends following a program, either attending something like what the Hippocrates Health Institute offers or using a good book that describes the different phases of your cleanse and gives you a bit of guidance. If your body isn't accustomed to tons of raw fruits and veggies, you're going to feel different for a few days if that's all you're eating. But, of course, if you're really not feeling well, you should certainly contact your doctor. There's no point in taking chances!
5 ways to detox, naturally
Motivation, Alternative & Green Health
Not only are we constantly barraged by noise and air pollution, we're regularly filling our bodies with garbage: chemicals, additives, even poisons. So it's never been so important to cleanse both our minds and our bodies of the toxins we can't seem to escape in our day-to-day life.
But detoxing doesn't have to mean forking out a small fortune at an uppity spa. Divine Caroline offers a number of ways you can give your body a break, naturally:
- Drink lots of water. It flushes the system.
- Sweat, either in a sauna or steam room, or through exercise.
- Meditate or pray regularly, and take deep, cleansing breaths when you do.
- Eliminate electronics from your bedroom.
- Cleanse your body with natural herbs like dandelion and ginger root.
There are plenty more tips where these came from -- head over to Divine Caroline for more detox data.
Denise Richards aims to take off a few
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Take drastic measures, that's what.
According to a celebrity gossip TV show (can't remember which one), Richards is embracing the latest diet cleanse sweeping Hollywood. It's all about lemons, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. Called the Master Cleanse or Lemonade Diet, this technique for losing weight is essentially a 10-day fast. Doesn't sound so fun to me. To Richards either, who says she might rather be fat than drink this stuff. Will she do it? Tune in to That's Complicated on E! tomorrow at 10 PM, EST to find out. In the meantime, check out this video, all about the Master Cleanse from a dietitian's point of view.
We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Round-up: June 27, 2008
We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Roundup, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements
Keira Knightley has battled allegations that her slight build is due to an eating disorder, and though she has publicly denied having anorexia (if fact, she insists she eats like a horse), speculation has continued. Her mom is now speaking out, saying that Keira eats well and has her father's genes.Jamie Lee Curtis once again proved to be a breath of fresh air in Hollywood. The actress is turning 50, and at this point in her life, she has come to some realizations about age, body perception, and life in general. Not only is she a class act and a role model -- she's wise, too!
Oprah Winfrey ended her 21-day vegan cleanse, and she says she got out of it exactly what she intended to get out of it -- enlightenment. She kept an online journal of her diet and talked about what she found difficult and what she found surprisingly easy. While the talk show host isn't making any commitments to going vegan, she did say, "I will forever be a more cautious and conscious eater. That's my commitment for now. To stay awakened."
Post-holiday cleansing
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Motivation, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Here's something that would benefit us all, whether we went overboard at Christmas or not: A post-holiday cleanse. I'm not talking about one of those harsh detoxes--rather, do a healthy, one-day vegetable cleanse.
For one day, eat nothing but veggies and the occasional fruit. You can take it a step further by pureeing the veggies and making it a liquid cleanse. Either way, make sure you drink lots of water and some herbal tea if you fancy. It's only for one day and it will help replenish all those nutrients that you traded for gingerbread over the holidays. It's made me feel worlds better and I suspect it will work for you too.
Detoxing: Unnecessary?
I think CNN hits the nail on the head with this article on detox diets. In short, they're unnecessary if you're healthy. Your liver can clean itself, and while a lot of stuff might come out with that colonic, keep in mind that you're losing all your good bacteria too. And colonics have been shown to lead to infection. As for those liquid fasts? They might seem like a good idea at the time, but they're just not good for you. But if you must, do a one-day juice fast.
What do you think of detoxing?
You're not the only one who's fallen for fad diets
You see, we often put celebrities in a pedastel, when really, they're just like us--and just as prone to the same stupid fad diets that we fall for. Here's proof. So next time you see a celebrity and envy her body, keep in mind that she's gone through the same things you have to get there.
What fad diets have you fallen for?
It's January -- time to detox
Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
For those of you who are unfamiliar with a detox, it essentially involves cleaning your body of toxins. The diet is restrictive -- no dairy, wheat, caffeine or alcohol -- but you health is worth it, right? No smoking either, but that's not a problem for me because I am a non-smoker. This website is a great resource for detox-related information if you're thinking of joining me.
Have you done a detox? This is my first so any tips would be appreciated.
Inside an Ayurveda detox with Jessica Ashley
Celebs & Entertainment, Motivation, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
I'm fascinated with the idea of the detox, as it seems a concept rooted deeply in the human psyche. My four-year-old, Everett, has been periodically detoxing since he could reach the carrots at our local organic produce store. When he's feeling badly, he'll eat nothing but oranges, bananas, carrots and water -- a sharp detour from his usual diet of toast, hot dogs, ketchup and potato chips.
So I was thrilled when I saw a friend, Jessica Ashley, was delving deep into an Ayurveda detox on her ParentsConnect blog. She's just completed a two-week cleanse; avoiding caffeine, alcohol, refined flour, refined sugar, animal products, raw vegetables, fermented foods, and vinegar. While at first she could only mourn her "creamy, sweet coffee" and insist that she did not eat beans!, by six days in, she was feeling good but overwhelmed by the concept of a liquid diet. "I drank tea and more tea and more tea until water sounded like an extra dirty gin and tonic on a hot summer night," she writes.
It's really fun to accompany Jessica on the detox; I especially laughed out loud at her accidental trip to a raw foods restaurant with her family. ("Raw foods, according to Ayurveda, are hard to digest and leave behind a lot in the intestines.") Way to go Jessica! I can't wait to try that Carrot Subji.
