HEALTH 'Fat Flush' plan is one of the detox diets

The diets promise you'll lose weight, have more energy and get relief from chronic ailments.
By JENNIFER K. COVINO
SPECIAL TO THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE
A diet that slims hips and thighs and cleanses your system in just two weeks?
Ann Louise Gittleman, creator of the widely popular "Fat Flush" plan, claims it's possible, with a combination of dietary changes, dietary additions such as cranberry juice and flax seed oil, and a regimen of pricey supplements to rid your body of yeasts, parasites and heavy metals.
Her "Fat Flush" protocol is just the latest in a series of over-the-counter detoxification diets promising weight loss, increased energy and relief from chronic ailments.
Such diets have the ear of nutritionists, naturopaths and other alternative practitioners who believe detoxification can restore balance in the body; reduce the toxic load caused by stress, pollution and processed foods; and ease people into a healthier way of eating. Conventionally trained health professionals, on the other hand, argue that the liver and kidneys can and will do the job they're supposed to do, especially when we eat a balanced diet that includes lean protein, whole grains and high-fiber fruits and vegetables.
See a doctor
Both parties do agree on one thing, however: No one should undertake any kind of diet plan without first consulting a professional. Detox diets, in particular, shouldn't be undertaken by pregnant or nursing women, children and teens, diabetics and people who are taking multiple medications (detoxification can slow or speed up the effects of medication on the body). And a detox diet that's undertaken too quickly can cause unpleasant side effects such as headache, dizziness and nausea.
Detox diets are "not necessary," says Nancy Ferriello, a Westport, Conn.-based registered dietitian/certified dietitian nutritionist, "and there's very little research that proves they are effective."
She says to be wary of diets that eliminate major food groups, promise quick fixes or ignore differences among individuals. Those prone to self-medicating with the latest fad diet "could delay appropriate, effective health care and spend more money than they need to," she says.
Need for guidance
That's the same reason why nutritionist Karen Siclare of Ridgefield, Conn., owner of a nutrition and exercise counseling service called Equilibrium, says detoxification diets should not be undertaken without professional guidance.
"You need to know how toxic the person is to begin with," explains Siclare, who uses a questionnaire about symptoms and lifestyle factors to help determine a client's toxicity. "If someone scores high, you want to take it very slowly."
Our bodies process toxins through the liver, kidneys, intestines and other systems and eliminate them in the forms of sweat, urine and feces. A toxin is a chemical or poison that is known to have harmful effects on the body. Toxins can come from food or water, or from the air we breathe.