Rapid Detox Diets – the buzz, the bad and the dangerous

Sometime in the late 20th century, ‘detox’ became a dieting buzzword. Getting rid of those grimy, bloating toxins forced upon us by modern life was the key to finding balance (and shedding a few kilos). It’s a trend that has alarmed the medical profession and physical trainers alike. Before buying in to any kind of diet program, it’s important to sort the hype from reality, and understand the dangers.

A rapid detoxification diet is an eating plan generally based around a combination of fasting and drinking particular liquids – usually of a fruit or vegetable base. Lasting anywhere from 24 hours to several days, detox diets claim to purge toxins from the body. They can result in rapid weight loss and, potentially, many dangerous side-effects.

Detox diets are frequently referred to as a natural medicine treatment, adding fuel to the dispute about their nutritional validity. This claim generally conflates rapid detoxification with prescribed elimination diets – which are a common medical and naturopathic practice designed to identify specific sensitivities to food allergens within a monitored dietary program. Detox diets are not aimed at identifying any particular ongoing cause of health issues, but are intended as a type of ‘bodily cleansing’: wiping the slate clean so that we can either lay the foundation for better habits, or feel like we’ve earned the right to return to our bad ones.

In recent years, rapid detox diets have been promoted in many forms (or perhaps I should say ‘flavours’) – grape, apple, grapefruit, vegetable and, most popular at the moment, lemon. Whatever the format, the idea is the same. Followers are most likely attracted to the idea of rapid weight loss, which is probably the least beneficial and most dangerous part. Weight loss promoted through any sort of fasting and low-calorie intake may be a sure thing in the short term, but it affects the metabolism and blood sugar levels, making it likely that the weight will come back with re-enforcements. This is, however, only one of a whole slew of other medical risks that come with extreme dieting of this sort. In severe cases, fasting can cause the body to break down and the major organs to fail.

There’s no doubt that food and the environment around us can have a harmful affect on our bodies. The best way to address this is to seek a balance of nutritional food and exercise. No matter how much we want to think that a magic pill will be invented, or 48 hours of torturous fasting will atone for a lifetime of bodily abuse, this is no more than wishful thinking.

Following a nutritionally sound diet plan that includes a wide variety of foods is will reliably build a foundation of healthy ongoing habits. On nearly every commercial diet plan you will find a fine-print disclaimer that reads something like: ‘Individual results may vary. Program should form part of a balanced diet that includes regular exercise.’ There’s a good reason for that.

Dining Out on the Gluten-Free Trend

Image by Marc S. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Around one million Australians eat gluten-free products. Some of these are people with an allergic sensitivity to this grain-based protein, but many follow the trend because they think it will make them healthier. For the 1 in 100 Australians who have Coeliac Disease staying away from gluten is a serious matter. Until recently, being diagnosed Coeliac was a lifetime sentence of solo, home-cooked meals made with careful research and varying degrees of success. Thankfully, times have changed, leading to a greater variety of food products and dining options.

Coeliac Disease is a condition that affects the autoimmune system. When a person with Coeliac Disease eats something containing gluten (a composite protein found most notably in wheat, rye and barley) their body produces antibodies that attack the lining of the small intestine. This prevents the body from absorbing important nutrients, resulting in serious health conditions. In the short term it can also make them run for the nearest bathroom!

Being a Coeliac once meant cooking almost everything yourself from scratch, often with a lot of experimentation, since recipes and ready-made gluten-free products weren’t widely available. Going out involved bringing food with you because it was pretty much guaranteed there would be nothing suitable on the menu, which in turn led to restrictions on where you could eat, isolating people from shared meals. With the boom in gluten-free eating though, Coeliacs can benefit from the increased availability of a variety of food products – not only from specialty stores, but also in mainstream supermarkets.

This is great news for Coeliacs seeking convenience and quality in their kitchens – but what about dining out?

Happily, this trend towards gluten-free eating has opened up a brave new world of restaurant dining. Gone are the days where those with dietary requirements were shunned by the maître d’, or offered second-class menu options (well, almost gone).

Many restaurants readily advertise their ability and willingness to cater for those who require the absence of gluten from their food. Some have mastered this better than others – willingness doesn’t always translate to success – but there are a couple of simple ways to ensure a trouble-free, Coeliac-friendly dining experience.

1 – If you’re not already familiar with the place, check out their website.
Even if it doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, you’ll figure out what to ask. The Gluten Free Eating Directory offers a comprehensive searchable list of restaurants and eateries that have gluten-free options, as does The Coeliac Society of Australia.

2 – Call ahead.
Whether it’s a café, pub or Michelin Star restaurant, calling ahead will give you a reasonable idea of the menu options and the chef’s capacity (and willingness) to cater to your requirements. Knowing these things from the outset will relieve any anxiety and free you up to simply enjoy the dining experience.

So if you have Coeliac Disease, or know someone who does, reap the rewards of changing dining trends – share a meal out with friends and eat in good health.