Dietary cleanse

[Mamabug]

I've been considering a dietary cleanse. Have read that it's a good thing to do, occasionally, in general, and, can also aid weight loss.

Many of the products out there, however, are high in synthetic anti-oxidants. What do you suggest, Tara? (Or, have others of you found something that works that is not contra-indicated to MS?

~ Faith

[Sequoia]

Hi Faith,

I don't think Tara advocates dietary cleanses, but hopefully she'll be along soon to give you her expert opinion.

As for anti-oxidants, there have been problems with some synthetic ones (beta carotene in particular), but I'm not aware that they're particularly contra-indicated for MS. Is it just the synthetic ones you're concerned about?

Weight loss from cleanses tends to be transient, unless a person also commits to long-term dietary changes. Basically, it's just water weight that's lost, and as soon as you stop the cleanse the weight comes right back.

[Mamabug]

Yeah; that's why I'm looking for advice. Som cleanse diets that I've read about do not appear healthy (too low in calories, etc.). I've seen some products in health food stores for cleanses, but, they are high in anti-oxidants, and I assume, since it's a supplement, not a food, that those anti-oxidants are synthetic.

I tend to be cautious of anything that is even a "theoretical risk". So, although I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, I avoid green tea, echinacea, etc.

I'm not looking for a quick fix, in terms of weight loss, but, maybe something that could jump start it and would be healthy. I've lost 18 lbs during the past 12 weeks. And, that's even in spite of 3 weeks on steroids, where I gained 7 lbs, which I had to re-lose. I'm watching my calories, carbs and fats.

Need to start increasing my water intake, and would be good to exercise. But, due to stamina and fatigue issues, it's difficult to do much other than a (not very fast) walk for exercise, and, I've never been (and still am not) someone who enjoys exercise.

Maybe a cleanse isn't the way to go. Will wait for Tara's advice.

~ Faith

[copeching]

Rather than a cleanse diet, why not try a MS diet? I am on the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis diet and because it eliminates dairy and concentrates on drastically lowering saturated fat, I am both losing weight and taking care of myself (in fact I am finding it hard to keep weight on). You'd be amazed how much weight we carry simply from eating dairy.

[Mamabug]

Thanks, copeching.

A cleanse diet isn't a lifetime change, like the MS diet. I already eat fairly healthy, on an every day basis. I limit my calories to 1200 to 1300 most days, I limit my carbs (not just gluten, but starchy carbs in general), I don't use much dairy. I eat fairly low fat.

I was just looking for a way to get past my plateau and jump start my weight loss. A cleanse diet is real short term. I've made a lot of healthy long-term changes already. The MS diet appears too restrictive to be something I'd be willing to live with, or commit to. Glad it's working for you.

~ Faith

[rstowhee]

Stupid question.... what is the 'Overcoming multiple sclerosis' diet? I googled it and came up with nothing......

[Sequoia]

Stupid question.... what is the 'Overcoming multiple sclerosis' diet? I googled it and came up with nothing......

It's what George Jelinek, M.D. recommends in his new book by the same name.

http://www.overcomingmultiplesclerosis.org/Book/

I have his earlier book, Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis, which is quite good. Jelinek is an ER physician and professor in Australia who has MS himself.

He's even stricter than Swank about eliminating saturated fat, and he has a list of other "forbidden foods" including all meat and all dairy products.

[Sir-Voor]

Faith,


I’m with you and see no need to go overboard and do a diet the few people can stick with, but changing a few things in the diet to make it less inflammatory is easy and enjoyable.
Stuff like adding spices like turmeric, garlic and onions in powder or fresh, cooking with olive and canola oils can really help and are easy to do.
Nutritiondata.com helped me to get on the right track, with my diet.
And it has fullness factor, weight loss and weight gain scores for most foods.

Why are your avoiding green tea? I have heard nothing but good about it, and is one of the main 8 drinks. (There is a thread of drinks look for “What to drink....Herbal Tea anyone?” )

FYI: if you drink a lot of cow’s milk, I recommend trying rice and almond milk.
For me it was a easy switch and I think will help your weight loss goal.

Almost forgot, to me cleansing see just a seemingly easy quick fix that really does nothing but empties your wallet.

[nutritiontara]

I'm not a fan of cleanses.
It has to be set up right. Its easy to kill adults in the bowel. The trick is to bring the "hatch" into the bowel and give them their last supper. This has to do with the correct pH in the tissues. Kinda complicated.
Ok "thanks a lot!" I didn't help you.
Cleanses you can do "safely" on your own, without making it worse:
1. greens: juice em, use a green powder mix, how ever you can get them in.
2. castor packs: its ssooo simple everyone pooh poohs them. yeast, fungal, balance the pH in the small bowel, drains lymphatic tissue, increases lymphocytes (WBCs)...
3. more water
4. ??? more whole foods
5. water
6. sulfur foods: eggs, onions, garlic, cruciferous vegetables

[Mamabug]

Yeah, Tara. Complicated. I'm not following everything that you're saying.

I might try to research some of your suggestions, and try something like that.

I know that I need to drink more water. I've been trying to add more to my daily intake, usually starting the day with water, with 1/2 a lemon squeezed into it, and, then drinking some more through-out the day. I don't think that I'm usually up to 8 cups a day though.

The green powder mix that you suggest sounds like something that might interest me. It would be simpler than purchasing my own greens and juicing them, and sounds healthy.

I don't quite understand the castor pack concept.

The sulfer foods thing -- just include them in my diet? I eat some of the cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts. I can choose to eat them more often. I don't do alot of onion or garlic stuff.

I eat egg whites a lot, but, because I have high cholesterol, I usually don't have more than one whole egg per week.

~ Faith

[nutritiontara]

The greens are alkalizing. The more alkaline the system the less 'harmful stuff' will survive. Most people don't get enough and powdered greens or juicing greens can get them in.
Castor packs: cleans out your whole "drain field". Easiest, cheapest, messier, harmless cleanse available. Google it.
Yes, just sulfur foods.
Whole vegetables raw or slightly steamed.
Water

[Mamabug]

Faith,

Why are your avoiding green tea? I have heard nothing but good about it, and is one of the main 8 drinks. (There is a thread of drinks look for “What to drink....Herbal Tea anyone?” )
Sir Voor --
I avoid green tea because that's what NMSS recommended when I called them regarding anti-oxidants, in general, and green tea, specifically. It's considered to be a "theoretical risk" for those with MS. My MS flares are an absolute nightmare, and generally land me in the hospital for 1-3 weeks. I don't choose to do anything that might additional "confuse" my immune system and possibly trigger a flare.


FYI: if you drink a lot of cow’s milk, I recommend trying rice and almond milk.
For me it was a easy switch and I think will help your weight loss goal.

I already eat fairly healthy, on an every day basis. I limit my calories to 1200 to 1300 most days, I limit my carbs (not just gluten, but starchy carbs in general), I don't use much dairy. I eat fairly low fat.

The greens are alkalizing. The more alkaline the system the less 'harmful stuff' will survive. Most people don't get enough and powdered greens or juicing greens can get them in.
Castor packs: cleans out your whole "drain field". Easiest, cheapest, messier, harmless cleanse available. Google it.
Yes, just sulfur foods.
Whole vegetables raw or slightly steamed.
Water

Thanks, Tara. I checked out powdered greens at my locl health food store, and they are just too expensive -- about $1/day. I'll just continue to eat my greens. I eat a lot fruits and vegetables. Greens include broccoli and spinach, and, I enjoy cabbage and brussel sprouts.

The castor pack thing just seems too weird for me. Sorry.

I've been doing better with more water, and I've read that squeezing a lemon into is good, so, lately, I always put squeezed lemon in my water.

I start out every morning with oatmeal, but, I don't eat a lot of whole grain foods, because I try to eat a diet moderate in carbs, and get most of my other carbs from fruits and vegetables. I don't eat a lot of simple carbs.


~ Faith

[nutritiontara]

MamaBug: "too weird??" and your doing all the other things you're doing? Castor packs are the easiest and most beneficial of it all!!

[Mamabug]

Actually, Tara, I've re-thought my "weird" comment, regarding castor packs. Someone, on another thread, posted a YouTube link (and, I also watched others) that demonstrated the method. Seeing it made it more clear to me, and it sounds like something I'll try. Maybe in January, when life settles down.

~ Faith

[manchop]

Hey, I got to learn a lot of new facts after reading this thread. Thanks a lot to everyone. Many of my misconceptions have been removed. I will never go for cleanse in any manner what is the use if they don’t give the weight loss advantage. In the long run, it should be beneficial, but the weight comes back.