Q & A Detox

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By Teri Tom, RD

For an article in Woman’s Day Magazine.  Can you answer?:

Q:  I’m looking for qualified health experts (dietitians, nutritionists, nurses or doctors) who can comment on some of the more popular detox and cleanse diets out there and give their recommendations about the dos and don’ts of each (from the master cleanse to detox teas)–are they healthy or not? What are the recommendation and warnings about them?

A:  This is a loaded question, as my usual stock answer applies here as well—“it depends…”  On what the person is trying to do, where their current health is, pre-existing conditions, etc.  I think the Master Cleanse for a limited time is not a bad way to reset your taste buds and caloric intake and to give your poor Gastro Intestinal Tract a break. But if you have any issues with blood sugar, be careful.  I also think gout can be an unpleasant side effect as you are breaking down muscle on so little calories, which can elevate your uric acid levels.  And if muscle loss is a concern, this is not the cleanse for you.  I just see too much muscle loss to recommend for some people.

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on October 31, 2009 at 10:16 am, filed under Food, Life is Fitness, Lifestyle and Spa, Nutrition and tagged , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.