To detox, or not to detox: that is the question

Q: Hi Kate (or PJ, not sure who reads this email most of the time),

I got a book from the library this weekend called "The One-Day Detox Diet". It starts with 7 days of liver and colon building and then one day of only drinking water and a citrus/cranberry drink (recipe included in the book) and then 3 more days of the liver and colon building (http://www.fasttrackdetox.com/). So, even though it is a one day detox it's really 10 days of eating what the book says to eat.

I'm assuming this would be a good idea to do as it detoxes the body of toxins and chemicals but thought I'd ask what your thoughts are.

Seems like this might be a good 'kick-start" since I've been sort of stuck at this weight for a month.

A: This is a question I get a lot. This is an actual email we received this week from a client whose permission I have to share her question. If you are fans of NBC’s Thursday night, The Office, you will know that the season premiere was last Thursday. One of the plots going on was that Dunder Mifflin, the paper company portrayed in the sitcom, had a corporate contest to see which branch could lose the most weight over the summer. So, Michael Scott, their boss, had them on a strict diet. At one point the camera zooms in to a sick employee, Kelly, who is trying to get down the latest “cleanse” consisting of maple syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Now here is the funny but sad part. My wife and I looked at each other and said we have both tried that exact cleanse formula.

Let me also say this answer has NOTHING to do with the particular book or website mentioned by the client. I have not looked at either of them. There are dozens of similar books, websites, and cleanse diets out there. I want to approach the subject in a broader manner. I assume some of you might even disagree. And actually, Kate, my manager who has a BS in Human Nutrition, Dietetics, and Fitness ended up responding to the question and here is what she said.

“I would love it if you brought the book in so I could see what foods it prescribes for you to eat for the 7 days before the fast, the recipe for the fast day, and the 3 days after. I am normally not a fan of fasting because it is not ideal for one’s body to deprive it of food for long periods of time...But, if the diet recommends adequate nutrients leading up to and after the fast then I would not be as skeptical.

If you eat a healthy balance of food/nutrients on a regular basis (and don’t eat a lot of processed foods) then your body really doesn’t need to detox or cleanse. The liver and kidney already act as “cleansers” of the body, ridding it of any toxins produced by foods you have consumed and byproducts of bodily functions. This is more than adequate for a healthy diet, with some room for foods with less than stellar nutritionals. If you are eating a lot of processed foods with little nutritional value and or large amounts of alcohol (ie: alcoholics), then it could be too much for the ability of the kidney and liver to detoxify the body and a dietary/medical intervention could be needed to help the body recover. But I doubt your diet could be anywhere near severe enough to necessitate a serious cleanse.

If you are interested in jump-starting your metabolism and really cleaning up your diet it could be a good starting point. I would love to look at the book and even your current diet to suggest any changes that you could make to get you off the “plateau”.

Let me know if I answered your questions, and if I can answer any other questions/concerns you have.

Take care,
Kate”

I might also add that I am having a free "How to BOOST Your Metabolism Seminar" at Fitness Together on Thursday, October 23rd, at 7pm. This will be a great place to get more info on “jump-starting your metabolism”. You can sign up at our website http://www.healthybodyhappyyou.com/. I have also written a free report of the same title that can be downloaded on our website. Both resources are on the right hand side of our homepage.

OK. It is time for the question of the week. I let Kate pick this week’s question as well. The first person to correctly respond with the right answer and post it as a comment to this blog will be entered to win 3 free personal training sessions just in time for your New Year’s Resolutions. The drawing will take place January 1, 2009.

Question: How many calories does a Chipotle steak burrito with black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream, two sauces, and lettuce have? And this doesn’t even account for chips, guac, and a drink. Again, I am not coming down on Chipotle as I eat there often. I love their barbacoa fajita bowl! I am stressing portion control and splitting portions with a friend or saving it for later. I will give credit to the first person who answers +/- 50 calories of the correct answer.

Have a great week and enjoy half a burrito.

PJ