Detox

I've been researching various detox programs (no, not for alcoholism, although alcohol is indeed a toxin) because I've been feeling sluggish and tired and bloated and just not quite right for a while now. Some of the products I've seen at Whole Foods or the Vitamin Shoppe make me skeptical or nervous; I think a one-day fast/cleansing product is likely to be either too gentle and therefore not really worth doing or too intense and therefore dangerous (or at least unpleasant). They're expensive, too! So, after some scouting around, I ended up buying a book called The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet. Despite the title, the program outlined in the book covers 11 days: a 7-day preparation for fasting, a 1-day fast, and a 3-day "sealing-in" period. The author, Ann Louise Gittleman, says over and over that if you're not planning to do the "prequel" and "sequel," then you most definitely should not do the fast.

I'm mostly hoping that cleaning myself out will just make me feel better (people talk about a marked increase in energy and mental clarity), but I won't mind if it can boost my metabolism as well. I don't think I've necessarily gained weight—I don't know because I don't weigh myself; my clothes still fit, but not as well as before—but I wouldn't mind dropping 5 lbs. in the bargain too. I've never had to worry about my weight and don't think I'm going to have to start anytime soon, but I do want a fresh start.

Gittleman makes very convincing arguments about what we should all be doing to rid ourselves of all the toxins we carry around in our bodies, which come from pesticides, chemical- or hormone-injected meat and the resulting eggs and dairy products, fish from unclean waters, and numerous environmental toxins, which are in everything from carpeting to cleaning products. She makes a strong case for buying only organic produce, which I can't say I always do. I do buy only natural meat, but I frequently buy the cheaper or better-looking produce, which is often nonorganic. She gives a list of the most toxic fruits and vegetables; she says that if you can't find organic for these items, it's better to choose something else entirely. The worst offenders are strawberries, cherries, apples, Mexican cantaloupe, apricots, blackberries, pears, raspberries, grapes from Chile, peaches, spinach, hot and sweet peppers, celery, and potatoes. It's pretty much impossible to wash the toxins from these items, and they're bad ones. So, for instance, if you can't find organic strawberries, she says it's better to buy nonorganic blueberries; if you can't find organic spinach, buy nonorganic chard. I didn't know about that, so I'm going to try to keep it in mind.

For the prequel and sequel segments of the program, you can't ingest any "detox detractors," including excess fat, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, soy, etc. You also have to eat a few things from certain groups of "liver-loving foods" and "colon-caring foods" and drink tons of water. On the one-day fast, you drink just water and "miracle juice" (cranberry, orange, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg).

So, I don't know when I can do this program; it's too hard to control everything that goes in my mouth while on vacation. Maybe not until September. I wish I'd done it this past month while I was home!

Comments

[Mir]

I saw a segment on this book on 20/20 or something similar. They followed 4 staff members who followed the regimen. They were all cranky and none of them lost any weight. LOL! But I agree it's an interesting way to think about what you ingest.

[Karen]

Yeah, I'm not expecting to lose weight; I'm just hoping to get rid of this sluggish, foggy, bloated feeling. (Something tells me that laying off the booze for 11 days will be more than just a step in the right direction...!)

[Leah]

I just requested a copy from the library. I weaned off a lot of the meds I'd been taking for fibromyalgia and have started feeling better alread (ironic), but still think I could benefit from a detox program. Any thoughts on when you're going to do it?

[votermom]

I used to fast (for holy days) as a teen -- meaning absolutely NO FOOD AND WATER between sunrise and sunset. This would be for 19 days in a row once a year. Um, generally, just felt weak and drained. No increase in mental acuity.
When I'm doing good on low-carb though, there's excellent energy and mental acuity. I think this may just mean that I used to be prone to sugar rushes and sugar lows. Or maybe there's adifference in teh body when I'm burning fat rather than storing it.
FWIW. YMMV.

[Karen]

I don't think that's the same kind of fasting, since you could probably eat whatever you wanted after sunset. (For the record, I fasted for Yom Kippur when I was young too.) Also, a detox fast requires LOTS of water and "miracle juice."

[Lisa]

Have you read the book French Women Don't Get Fat? It's interesting reading to see her perspective. One thing she recommends which might be easy-ish to do is leek soup for a weekend, I think--take a look.

[Joanne]

I felt that exact same way a year ago. Tired, sluggish, a little "blue" feeling some days. I found out after a physical exam that my thyroid level was high, indicating a sluggish thyroid. I now take a synthetic, prescribed thyroid pill (a very tiny one which is good since I do not like taking pills) every morning and feel absolutely back to normal. Have your thyroid levels checked if you haven't done that in a while.

[Karen]

I think the secret is that French Woman All Smoke!

[Karen]

I have my annual physical in the fall, so I will certainly mention my lethargy then. Thx!