The Poop Scoop on Diet Cleanses

Winter layers come off and warmer weather arrives, hurrah! We pull out last year’s summery wardrobe full of excitement.

And the beastly realization steps in: we often have put on more than few extra layers of clothes through the winter. Have a few extra pounds or chubby bits crept their way on as we hid in our sweaters? Sound familiar?

Off we head to ‘google’ to find the latest celebrity endorsed ‘diet’. Or worse still, the dreaded ‘cleanse’.

Over the years I’ve been working in holistic health care and wellness, I’ve noticed the ‘cleanse’ fad growing. And in my opinion, it’s one of the most health damaging fads around.

But the idea of a jump start on weight loss is just soooo appealing!

Dream shattering about to begin…but don’t worry, keep reading. There’s a silver lining.

Most cleanses on the market place and the internet do work very well to give us a quick weight loss boost. Woohoo!

They work because they are mostly laxative.

Poop away your excess weight!

 

Beware the ‘completely natural weight loss’ fix. You are mostly likely picking up a box of laxatives-and quite harsh ones at that! They will go through you like ‘a dose of salts’ and you will come out lighter. But often with a messed-up digestive system and loss of healthy gut bacteria.

Look at the product list: does your intended cleanse contain the following:

• cascara sagrada
• buckthorn
• and Turkey rhubarb

All are major laxatives. Definitely not meant to be used regularly. Why? The body begins to tolerate them. They don’t have the same effect. And eventually you need to increase food consumption to maintain regular bowel movements.

That’s right. You’ll lose poop and water weight. Then, you’ll have to eat more, so you can poop, and you’ll gain weight.

Nerdy extra info: Many contain Wormwood, which is used to worm animals and can be extremely toxic. 

And, your body can be further distressed by taking supplements that contain a whole heap of herbal stimulants to rev up the metabolism!

In other words, you get instant results. But your body doesn’t like it in the long run.

Shock announcement: the body is a self-cleaning organism. Yep, you don’t actually need to cleanse it.

That said, it’s a good idea to eat healthy. That way, the body has a way to work its natural cleansing magic.

Silver lining Cleanses reveal:

A simple, easy, quick start to giving your digestive system a break. Cleansing, if that still floats your You can kick start that weight loss without any adverse side effects. It also won’t break the bank.

Eat a diet of mung beans, rice and vegetables for 14 days.

I’ve never made it beyond day 8 because the sheer boredom drove me insane. But it’s cheap and easy to do. I let clients break it a little with a few raisins and the occasional baked apple. This diet allows the body to cleanse while giving the digestive system a rest apparently. It’s a yogic thing. It works, but takes will power.

Try giving yourself a break with a three-day version. See how it goes.

Your body isn’t dirty and doesn’t need to be purged, poked and puked to get it squeaky clean. I come from the school of thought that says love and accept yourself back to health.

Eating healthy for the long run.

For a long term approach to be comfortable in your body and having lots of energy I highly recommend taking the home study course Nutrition 101, Live Healthy, Eat Healthy.  It’s an excellent experiential approach to learning what to eat, tuning into your body and eating a healthy diet.

Final words: here’s cleansers disclaimer:

Health Warnings: See your primary health care provider prior to use of any cleanses or any major diet change. Do not go on any type of cleanse other than eating well and being good to yourself if you are pregnant or nursing, any medical condition exists, or when taking any medication. Read and follow any product recommendations carefully. Always remember that cleanses are not intended for prolonged use. Do not use cleanses if you have diarrhea, loose stools, or abdominal pain is present or develops as use of these products may worsen these conditions and be harmful to your health. Chronic diarrhea can result in serious illness. If there is any discomfort dosages may be lowered. Keep your cleanse products out of sight and reach of children.