And it makes me mad! Yesterday I was logging on to check my email and this headline caught my eye – Katie’s Take: The truth about juice cleanses. I clicked through to read the related title, “Not so Fast: The Truth About Juice Cleanses” by Katie Couric. Sounds pretty definitive, right? Wrong!
What was clear was the negative tone throughout the two-and-a-half-minute video. In the video, Katie spoke with Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Marjorie Nolan and promises to share “everything we need to know about juice cleansing.” In the post below the video, Katie wrote that she spent time with Ms. Nolan “to find out if there’s any solid evidence that juice cleanses work.” Early on in the video, Katie asks about the healthy benefits of juice cleansing and Ms. Nolan replies, “studies aren’t showing that there are any healthy benefits” of juice cleansing. Again, wrong!
My intention for this post is not to judge or condemn Katie Couric or Marjorie Nolan, but to show you how careful you need to be when it comes to your health and well-being because there is so much misinformation in the media. “Generally no,” is how Ms. Nolan replied when Katie asked her if she would recommend juice cleanses “at all, for anyone.” That’s too bad, because there are some people who would really benefit from a good cleanse. Ms. Nolan did offer that a cleanse could be a “good weight loss motivator” for an “otherwise healthy person who is taking their cleanse mindfully.” Then she really got me, “but as far as health and nutrition, it really is not [beneficial].”
This is where I want to shout: Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead!!!! The documentary follows Joe Cross, a man 100 pounds overweight and loaded up on steroids due to a debilitating autoimmune condition, who turns to the “body’s ability to heal itself,” as he believes that is his only option. He vows to drink only fresh fruit and vegetable juice for 60 days and the health and nutrition results are astounding! On his journey, Mr. Cross meets a Phil Staples whose own journey is equally amazing (and heartwarming). I love this movie.
The press release for Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead describes the documentary as “an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves.” I’m not trying to suggest that juice cleansing is for everyone. Just like eating 100% raw, or being vegan may not be for everyone. I do, however, wholeheartedly believe that all of us are truly unique, and our physical bodies are all different. What works for you may not work for someone else (including a family member).
Trust your gut and seek out the information you need to be your best – healthy, happy, managing stress and living a fulfilled life. Don’t leave it to the lobbyists and the publicists (talking about what they are paid to promote) to decide what is right for you.
**{Before beginning a cleanse, please check with your doctor.}**
Next Steps:
- Listen to commercials and notice print advertisements. What are the messages?
- Be a detective. Notice how you feel after drinking fresh vegetable juice or eating a bountiful salad or after eating a hamburger on a bun with french fries.
- Determine and connect with trusted wellness sources who you believe have YOUR best interests in mind.
- Commit to being the healthiest, happiest YOU.
While I don’t see a juice cleanse in my future, I do know that many of my friends are fans. I think all of us can benefit from the four guidelines in this post. When you look at an opinion or a piece of research, think about the author’s agenda. I often read and read and read until I can see clearly how the arguments of various “experts” line up and then make a decision.
I think that the concept of this blog applies to much more than just juice cleanses. One person’s opinion of what may be beneficial to someone else’s health is not necessarily accurate. When thinking about making a lifestyle change in hope of receiving some health benefits, everyone should conduct their own research and decide what is right for them and their bodies.
This is a great lesson on doing research with anything health related. There is tons of information out there, and of course not all of it is top-notch.
I’m no nutrition expert, but I know how a juice cleanse makes me feel – great! I believe cleansing is necessary to rid the body of toxins and do so periodically throughout the year.
– Dorethia
http://www.connercoaching.com
Ahh yes… the mix of tricky marketing titles and a lack of critical thinking skills and what do we have? An unhealthy America.
I’ve been playing with my juicer, just waiting to create yummy, healthy blends…. I believe in the power of nutrition and that every little bit counts!
That documentary sounds quite compelling. I hope to see it. In the meantime, I’m with you – it’s important to consider any author’s agenda.
I try to eat healthy fruits and vegetables everyday and definitely feel different depending on what I eat. I have never tried a juice cleanse, but I love how you pointed out the important points which are the steps anyone should follow. Checking facts is especially important when it’s your health!
Bravo to you, Jodi! I have completed several juice fasts and always feel so much better, both during and after! I have learned to go with my intuition and not to believe everything I read, see or hear.
I’m glad you like the four guidelines. I love what you wrote about reading and reading through the arguments of the “experts” and then making your own, informed decision.
Indeed, Elizabeth, the concepts do apply to all the shifts and changes we consider for our health and well-being. And, as you said, it is so important to conduct your own research and decide what is right for you. We do know what’s best for you, but sometimes we don’t trust ourselves enough to follow our inner guide.
Thanks for posting your thoughts, Emily. I appreciate you taking the time to read my post. There is tons of information available, and we need to sift through it and make the best decision for our own health and wellness.
Dorethia, I’m so glad you to hear you’ve had good results from a juice cleanse! You are an expert on YOU. 🙂 Keep up the good work taking good care of you.
Our intuition never lies, right Ellen? Good for you for taking good care of yourself and knowing and trusting yourself to make the best decisions for your body, mind and spirit.