Detoxing, Cleanses & Juicing... Popular Fads, Possible Dangers

 Especially with summer right around the corner advertisements for “fad” weight-loss programs are everywhere you turn. Two of the popular weight loss trends right now are cleanses/detoxifications and juicing. Before you invest your money and your time into one of these “fad” weight loss plans consider the scientific evidence available. Research all available options and information, and decide if the road you're looking down is safe and effective, or if there are other ways to achieve your goal. Most importantly, consult your physician before you try anything radical.

Cleanses & Detoxifications

Cleanses/detoxes (specifically colon cleanses/detoxes) have been around since ancient times. Colon cleanses were performed to rid the body of intestinal toxins because those toxins were believed to poison the body. Cleanses work similarly to enemas. By the early 1900’s the procedure was no longer widely excepted although in recent years practices of this type have gained great popularity.




(Picture: one cleanse made popular by celebrities involves consuming only water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.)

 Most cleanses are deemed “herbal” and/or “natural” which gives the general public a false sense of safety. Cleanses tout claims of weight loss, ridding fatigue and headaches, immune function improvement, and enhanced cognitive abilities. There is insufficient medical evidence available that supports most of these claims.


The Journal of Family Practice notes that colon irrigation is not advised especially if the individuals has a history of the following diseases: gastrointestinal, hemorrhoids, kidney, or heart because these preexisting conditions increase the individuals risk of adverse effects. Also, that side effects include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, acute kidney insufficiency, pancreatitis, bowel perforation, heart failure, and infection.

 Juice, Baby, Juice!

The American Cancer Society describes juicing as extracting juices from fresh, uncooked produce as an individuals main source of dietary intake. Juicing first became popular in the early 1990’s when claims that it could reverse ailments such as chronic disease as well as the natural aging process were being promoted.



Presently, there is no scientific evidence supporting any of the claims made by juicing proponents. In fact there are many disadvantages and complications with the use of juicing. Juice extractors actually remove the fiber containing pulp in the produce resulting in a lower fiber intake. Most types of produce used in the juicing process contain larges amounts of sugar, which not only can lead to weight gain, but also be harmful to diabetics.

If you are going to try juicing make sure to only make enough juice for one drink as freshly squeezed juice harbors harmful bacteria when left to sit.

It's not all bad news, though. Juicing can be a great way to include certain fruits and vegetables in your diet that you would not otherwise eat, but make sure that juicing is in addition to a healthy, balanced diet rather than your main source of energy.

Before beginning any new diet be sure to consult your physician and/or a registered dietitian.

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Post courtesy of Courtney Saia
Sources available upon request.

Food for Thought

The average individual tends to over estimate the amount of calories burned during physical activity, as well as underestimate the amount of calories in a food or beverage. While regular physical activity is important when trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight; most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake.



The two correlate with one another because physical activity reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes beyond weight loss itself. It also strengthens muscles and bones, improves mental health and mood, and increases your chances of living longer.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
The average American female 20+ years weighs 164.7lbs
The average American male 20+ years weighs 194.7lbs

An average weight American female will burn approximately:
266 Cal/hr of Pilates
263 Cal/hr of Yoga
349 Cal/hr of Dancing

An average weight American male will burn approximately:
314 Cal/hr of Pilates
311 Cal/hr of Yoga
424 Cal/hr of Dancing


Before you make that off-handed decision to grab a quick treat, consider the following:

Minutes it will take for an average weight female to burn off the following:


Note also that certain foods also bear different consequences. Alcohol, for example, affects the body in more ways than simply caloric intake. Taking a black and white approach, however, you can see how the numbers can add up!

(Article courtesy of Courtney Saia, references available upon request)

Sunrise Yoga... Why?

I often try to sell people the idea of early morning exercise and am usually met with one of two answers:

A) 6am? YUCK. - this can fork into several issues - either not wanting to get up that early because they are not obligated to be up early in general, or not wanting to get up even earlier than they already have to for work.

B) 6am? HAH! - this usually develops into "Do you know how insane it is to get (insert number of kids) out the door in the morning??"

I thought many of you might be able to connect with this:

"Recently, I recommitted to practicing each morning. With four kids, this is not always easy. It's always not easy, but it really is worth it. I quickly found that I feel better physically and I deal better with the morning nightmare. Getting four kids out the door with everything they need is stressful and starting off relaxed has made a huge difference."

-Pattie Hughes, blog writer for families.com
http://www.families.com/pattiewrites/#



We know about the excuses, but do we know about the benefits?

Getting It Over With
Now that's not a very yoga-friendly way to phrase it. Yoga's not about "getting it over with", but there are only so many hours in the day. As the day progresses, we are met with challenge upon challenge, usually unexpectedly. We pile on task after task all day long, we finally plop down at the end of the day and suddenly that intention of exercising has gone out the window. Set aside time right at the beginning of your day for you. If you don't, the chances of taking that time after you've taken care of everyone else are slim.

Calm Before The Storm
If you're reading this and have never experienced the awesomeness that is shavasana, you're missing out. It's the few minutes we take at the end of class to regroup the mind and the body. I generally take yoga in the evenings, and very much enjoy how I feel at the end of class. The idea of having that feeling right at the beginning of the day is enticing to me. Can you imagine approaching your morning with a fresh mind instead of the stress that most of us wake up with and input into our day?

Physiological Benefits...
...improved muscle and joint flexibility, better circulation and better body awareness, to name a few. You'll experience better posture throughout the day, you'll feel good, and you might even feel better about yourself knowing that you took that time just for YOU. If you suffer from poor circulation, you'll appreciate the feeling of better blood flow. (Many women unknowingly deal with Raynaud's syndrome - in which fingers and toes go cold or numb in response to stress or quick changes in temperature).

Look, some folks just aren't into the whole early morning thing, I get that. But for those of you who could make it work and could truly benefit, why not try it on for size?