THE DIETITIAN
// LYNDI
POLIVNICK
YES
“You can expect to lose weight, but
mainly due to water and muscle loss after
depriving your body of essential nutrients
such as protein. That only sets you up for
more weight gain later on because muscle
burns extra energy to boost energy and
boosts metabolism.”
NO
“In short, no – no one needs to detox.
Detox diets promise enticing benefits, but
most are medically meaningless. The belief
that your body needs help ridding itself of
toxins is not based on science. The human
body is truly amazing in it’s ability to
eliminate toxins naturally.
“While juices do provide hydration,
nutrients and minerals, they don’t contain
any protein. When your body doesn’t
have enough protein, it eatsaway at your
hard-earned muscle to get what it needs.
Losing lean muscle tissue actually lowers
metabolism – not useful if you’re trying to
lose weight.
“Without fibre, you’ll also be perpetually
hungry. Fasting and a lack of protein – two
hallmarks of cleanses – also deplete your
liver’s store of an antioxidant that provides
crucial fuel for the immune system and
helps in the detoxification of blood.”
DIRTY-CLEAN
“Short term is better than long term
because less is more when it comes to
dramatic detox diets; the shorter the
amount of time spent detoxing, the better
as you will do less harm.
“Raw foods are a better choice because
unlike trendy juice diets, they provide fibre,
which is the body’s natural cleanser.” If you
are going to detox, focus on nourishment
minus items that irritate or inflame. “Don’t
undereat because your body requires
important nutrients such as energy, protein
and fibre to function properly. Fasting
compromises liver function, causing waste
products to accumulate in your body and
as a result, you end up with the opposite
of what the cleanse claims. Moodiness,
lethargy and irritability are signs that your
body is struggling.”
CLEAN
FREAK
HY N TH N
IF YOU ANSWERYESTO MORE OF THE BELOW
THANNO,CONSULT A DIETITIAN SPECIALISING IN
DISORDERED EATING OR BODY IMAGE.Y/N
YOU SPEND MOST
OF YOUR LEISURE
TIME THINKING
ABOUT FOOD.Y/N
YOU FEEL GUILT
AFTER EATING
FOODS THAT YOU
DON’T CONSIDER
‘CLEAN’.Y/N
YOU
METICULOUSLY
PLAN EVERY
MORSEL YOU
EAT.Y/N
YOU KEEP
ELIMINATING
MORE FOODS.Y/N
YOU FEEL STRESSED ABOUT SOCIAL
OCCASIONS BECAUSE THEY MAY DISRUPT
YOUR FOOD ROUTINE.Y/N
YOU PRE-COMPENSATE FOR FOODS YOU CONSIDER ‘INDULGENT’
OR‘BAD’ SUCH AS CAKE OR CHOCOLATE, NO MATTER HOW
SMALL THE PORTION.Y/N
YOU CONSIDER THE SENSE OF TRIUMPH
FROM CONTROLLING YOUR CLEAN EATING
MORE GRATIFYING THAN MOST OTHER
THINGS IN YOUR LIFE.Y/N
YOU DON’T EAT
HEALTHY FOODS SUCH
AS FRUIT OR WHOLE
GRAINS FOR FEAR THEY
CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN.