How green is your diet?

Biggest diet myths are demystified. Getting ready for some binge eating, drinking as the party season gets under way? Then some binge purging perhaps? Or rather one of those much-talked about detox plans?

Detox diets promise a lot: Rapid weight loss, ridding oneself of cellulite, age reversal, glowing skin, treatment of problems such as psoriasis and arthritis, fewer headaches... The benefits touted are many.

A look at the various diets may give you the feeling that you’re expected to to give up on everything you like: no meat, fish, dairy products (in some diets only), spices, tea, coffee, alcohol and often carbs and fats. There are some detox a d v o c a t e s who also suggest saunas, massages and body brushing. Certainly, you may need those to help you relax and get your mind off your favourite foods. But there are other unpleasant methods which are getting to be quite a fad as well — for ins t a n c e , colonic irrigation, bowel enemas and fasting. Herbal supplements such as milk thistle, detox drinks and liver tonics are also gaining in popularity.

But there isn’t any clinching scientific evidence to prove the efficacy of these diets. Ergo the controversy, with nutritionists and doctors insisting that healthy bodies don’t need such assistance to get rid of toxic elements. That’s in fact the job of the liver, lungs, kidneys and skin. In an interview with CNN on one such detox diet, Dr. Peter Pressman, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California, says: “There’s no such thing as detoxification through a three-week diet. It’s certainly not medicine and it’s potentially quite dangerous, especially if embarking on such a diet delays seeking mainstream medical care.”

Other experts warn that such strict abstinence could lead to deficiencies and related health problems. For instance, a completely vegan diet could cause calcium deficiency and ought to be a complete no-no in a country like India where the highest cases of osteoporosis is reported.

True, detox diets do induce some healthy habits such as eating more fruit and vegetables, drinking more water, avoiding caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, cutting down on junk food, etc. But many do complain of weakness, dizziness, and tendencies to put back all that weight when you are off that diet. Gorging on your favourite foods is another danger. On the other hand, if one’s focused and keeps going back to a detox diet frequently, there is the danger of getting some kind of an eating food order, experts say.

The best bet, experts say, is to eat sensibly and exercise regularly to stay fit – and then you don’t even need to worry about that occasional binging if you’re disciplined most of the time.

1. Prev:HCG the most reliable way to loose weight
2. Next:HCG- a weight loss plan worth experimenting