Should I do a detox diet?

I have received several questions from people about whether or not detox diets really do work. A dietitian in Candada posted an article today about detox diets and it answers this question pretty clearly (click the link below to read the full article). Another research article I read looked at the effect of detox agents in rats given methamphetamine. It stated that detox agents may not affect the metabolism or elimination of methamphetamine, a major metabolite given to rats. Your best bet to eliminating toxins in the body is to continue eating a well-balanced diet, rich in fiber and drink plenty of water throughout the day!



Article: Do Detox Diets Really Work?

Do you find yourself constantly talking about your body image, diet, and exercise?

I read this blog post after my sister called me and told me about it and the Lord really convicted me while I was reading it. I confess that I am someone who is constantly thinking and talking about body image, calories, diet, exercise, etc., but I realized when I read this post that I need to be thinking and talking more about what Christ is doing, what He has done, and what He will do. My hope is what Jen said, "that our bodies will one day celebrate function in right relation to form, living in the glorious truth of that future hope now." I hope you enjoy this reading as much as I did!!

http://jenwilkin.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-year-new-self-control.html



The Facts About Gluten Free Diets

What is Gluten? Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats.

I came across this article today that talks about whether or not people should consume a gluten-free diet. One of the statements that caught my attention was this: "People who cut gluten out of their diet often lose weight and begin to feel better, but it likely has nothing to do with avoiding gluten. They are probably eating a better diet by consuming less fast food and processed food, and eating more fruits and vegetables. The change toward a better diet makes the difference, not the gluten." Bottom line is this, gluten-free diets are probably not the best diet to follow if you want to lose weight and keep it off due to the diet being hard to follow for a long period of time.

Read the article here: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/a-gluten-free-diet-reality-check/250750/

The HCG Diet: Does It Work?

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone that is produced by the placenta when a woman becomes pregnant. It is the hormone that shows up on a pregnancy test when the test is positive. This hormone increases each trimester a woman is pregnant.

To everyone out there who thinks the HCG hormone aids in weight loss, it's most likely the 500 calorie diet you are on that is making you lose weight, not HCG. If you normally eat approximately 2,000 calories a day and then all of a sudden start eating only 500 calories a day your body will start quickly shedding the pounds off. It takes eating 500 calories less per day to lose 1 pound per week, 1,000 calories less per day to lose 2 pounds per week, and 1,500 calories less per day to lose 3 pounds per week. So 1,500 calories less per week for 6 weeks will give you a 18 pound weight loss over the course of 6 weeks. Don't inject something you don't need to inject!

If you want to lose weight the best thing to do is eat a healthy, well balanced diet, exercise for at least 20-30 minutes a day for 5-6 days a week (incorporating both cardio and weight training), and eat less than you normally do (500-800 calories less). Taking the weight off slowly will help you better maintain your weight loss in the future.

A great article posted on the ADA's website: http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/0310/hcg-diet-controversy-strikes-again.aspx