Oprah's 21 Day Cleansing Diet
Oprah Winfrey frequently discusses dieting issues - often going as far as teaming up with particular weight loss regimes (such as YOU: on a diet, or the Best Life Diet).
Recently Oprah embarked on a 21 day vegan 'cleansing' regime and blogged about it. It makes interesting reading.
The "cleanse" means eliminating caffeine, sugar, alcohol, gluten and animal products from your diet for 21 days.
Detoxes are very popular these days - however the science behind some of these diets (such as Martha's Vineyard Diet) is dubious indeed. Some cleanses are extreme, and possibly even dangerous. Mike Howard does a great job here pointing out the various arguments for and against a detox.
Quantum Wellness
Oprah's 21 Day cleanse is based on a book called Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston. For Oprah it meant going beyond eating mindfully, but going to a "higher level" of "conscious eating".
"She [Freston] speaks of 'spiritual integrity.' How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?."
It seems like there is a bit of hyperbole here. I would point out that not everyone around the world is eating animals because of gluttony - for some it may be survival.
However - being conscious of where our food comes from is a good thing. As food prices rise and the world's resources are consumed in ever-higher amounts - I cannot help wondering how sustainable a high-meat diet is. All kudos to Oprah for experiencing a vegan diet for 3 weeks (even if she does have chefs on hand).
Sample Menu Plan 5 (see more)
- Breakfast: Strawberry-rhubarb wheat-free crepes
- Lunch: Mezze plate (white-bean hummus, millet tabouli, balsamic fig compote, marinated olives and almond-rosemary crackers)
- Dinner: Celery root soup and Tempeh Creole over grilled corn cakes
A brief read through some of Oprah's posts shows how at times she was gagging for a glass of wine. I can't help thinking how - for many of us - food and alcohol is our (socially acceptable) drug of choice - something we rely on to relieve the boredom or to cover over the stress.
While I'm doubtful about whether there are proven medical improvements resulting from such a "cleanse" - increased awareness of how our food choices affect us and the world around us is a good thing.
UPDATE: Check out this interesting interview of Kathy Freston.
A detox diet may be good to get rid of toxins however i'm not sure it a good method for weight loss. So many of these detox's involve eating and drinking little which means you will likely become dehydrated and weight loss is more likey in the fluid loss and will come straight back on.
ReplyTHIS IS THE DANIIEL 21 DAY FAST!!!!! tHIS FAST IS DONE TO GROW A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LORD.And also to hear directly from him. I think it is so sad how someone would try to turn it into a diet and then change the name.
Replythe day I start taking lectures from Oprah on gluttony is the day I start taking marriage advice from Liz Taylor.
ReplyI second that!
ReplyIts not about glutny, its about cleansing!!!!
ReplyAgree with your position its about de-toxing the body but what most forget or don't strive for is the ability to detox your habits. We all have some form of bad eating habits. A Detox like the one I just completed taught me a lot about my body, mind a spirit. Understanding what portion size is good for me and how my mind craves versus my body is a critical aspect to learning about what is right for me. We need to stop following and we need to listen to what our bodies need, not what our commercially trained mind is telling us. My goal was to break the habits and becaome more aware of just how badly I was eating and the byproduct was a loss of 6kgs and let me tell you it was'nt water either. My journal at www.inboxication.org has all the detail. Hope it helps.
ReplyHow did you just replace the word Cleanse with Gluteny? What a moron..
ReplyI will certainly read the blogs as I heard about this adventure of hers. I have to admit, the sample menu actually sounds pretty tasty - I just love meat too much though..
No doubt that if the outcome is positive, millions will flock towards it.
Completely agree that increased awareness of how our food choices affect us and the world around us is a good thing.
ReplyJust an addendum...
Oprah has a world-class chef to prepare all of these meals. I wonder if the average omnivore would be able to sustain this on their own.
ReplyI agree Mike. I looked at a lot of the recipes and they look very time intensive. Most of the ingredients aren't at everyones disposal either.
I have read through most of the posts since it started. In the beginning the people posting were very kind, informative, and full of great recipes; however, it has turned into a preaching forum. If they are not preaching animal rights they are preaching religion. It is a shame because I enjoy a vegan diet about 95% of the time for health reasons and I loved all the knowledge the posters shared.
ReplyReally, aren't vegans a drag? Like you, I often go days without consuming any sort of animal product, but it's seldom a conscious decision, especially in the summer--I just happen to favor animal-free meals. But 5 minutes with a preachy vegan makes me want to eat a t-bone steak with a side of spring lamb!
ReplyI agree too, Mike. Most of the ingredients in those recipes are specialty ingredients that are probably fairly expensive and difficult to find. I seriously doubt most people are going to be willing to devote that much time and energy to doing a detox program.
ReplyI really don't get the "I love meat too much" mentality. If I just loved eating puppies I doubt anyone would think it was okay to eat one every day. Drawing an arbitrary line between dogs and pigs doesn't make it okay to eat one and not the other. I bet dogs are pretty tasty, but somehow I think I'll be okay without them.
ReplyNo, dog is far too stringy and has a kind of pungent taste, I think that’s why we don’t eat them instead we keep them as watchers over the house. However they are at least good for something.
ReplyAlso, I just wanted to thank you for the article.
Replyamen caffeine free.
ReplyIm sure we could----but it would be farFAR more blah.
I don't understand how this diet could supposedly be a cleanse, yet includes grains and legumes. The only foods I (and most others) would regard as cleansing, in the least, are fruits and vegetables.
If Oprah can afford to hire such talented chefs, you'd think she could also hire a nutritionist who would keep these whackos away from her.
ReplyI reject the notion that any of those things (except for alchohol) are "toxins" or that we need to "cleanse" our body of them. Humans have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years consuming gluten, sugar, and animal products. There is no meaningful sense in which they are "toxic."
That doesn't mean there aren't health benefits from reducing or eliminating animal products, and cafeinne from our diets or from reducing sugar and gluten. But stating that these things are "toxins" that need to be "cleansed" seems like a very silly way to discuss health issues.
Even certain forms of alchohol (red wine) drunk in moderation appear to confer some health benefits.
ReplyHumans have not been eating grains for hundreds of thousands of years.
Gawd bless ya
Reply~Mike.
Oprah still seems to be on the quest for the perfect diet. I mean, if she's been eating clean on her healthful regime--and Lord knows she's got enough expert help on hand--then why does she need to "detox."
I would assume eating well, drinking plenty of clean water, and exercising are all ways to keep yourself "clean", healthwise.
I think this sounds like another wacky weight loss thing--like her protein drink diet. She needs to stop glamorizing extreme diets and be a role model for sane eating, not "how fast can I lose what I regained" dieting. She knows she's got a huge army of Oprah-ites who'll do everything she does/says.
Sheesh.
Anyway, I don't think eating animals is gluttony, either. It's a protein choice and only has a moral component if one thinks animals can't be a food source. Me, I think humans are omnivores digestively and can eat anything that's edible, animal or vegetable. I disapprove of cruel animal raising/breeding conditions, but hey, some animals were made to be food. Nature has plenty of meat-eaters, and we have the option (choose it or not) to eat meat.
But agreed: As we deal with planetary/global issues, including best use of growing space, food prices,e tc, we need to discuss this and make wise decisions. I try to have several vegetarian days a week, and I eat some purely Vegan meals a week, as well. But I don't rule out meat...yet. It's a great protein source, and I don't do well with soy (sadly,cause I like it, really LIKE it.)
Oprah, stop with the wackiness!
The Princess
ReplyHeather from dooce.com did this cleanse, and after day 4 she was so sick her doctor instructed her to stop.
She blogged about it here: http://www.dooce.com/2008/06/25/revelations
Reply"Detoxes" and "cleanses" are just socially-acceptable ways of trying out anorexia. It's not sustainable over the long term and has no demonstrable physically beneficial purpose over simply eating clean.
Full disclosure - I used to do the Master Cleanse diet once or twice a year until the lemon juice in the "lemonade" jacked up my tooth sensitivity so much I can't even drink cold water from the tap without jarring pain.
ReplyHave to disagree with you slightly there. Sick people definitely benefit from detox in my view, if not fasting even.
I was in such a mess, eating clean wouldn't have done it. Extreme circumstances often require extreme measures.
~Mike.
ReplyI'm always a little cautious when it comes to diet changes like this. I don't have any idea if this is a good alternative or if it is helpful, but I am reluctant to try relatively extreme diets compared to what I already do.
ReplyI'm a little skeptical of most "cleansing" procedures because I don't think it's a very sustainable way to eat long term. I mean, sure, I could probably go without sugar and meat and alcohol and all that for 21 days and I'm sure Oprah can too but what's she going to do after the 21 days are over? Drink a bottle of Merlot and eat a T-bone? I think I'd rather eat healthful foods 90% of the time and allow myself 10% of my diet in treats so I never get to the point wher I have to detox or whatever. Your body has a liver for a reason...we encounter toxins every day in our environment and the liver metabolizes them and gets them out of our system.
ReplyA "Quantum" diet?
Does that mean you get to have your cake AND eat it too (at least as long as nobody's looking, otherwise the probability wave will collapse). I guess you could call that Schrodinger's Cake.
Calling something "quantum" doesn't make it any more scientific than if you called it "magic". Especially when sounds like they're essentially using the q word to justify using a lot of New Age-y concepts. Just because quantum mechanics is really counterintuitive and difficult to understand doesn't mean it can be co-opted as a mechanism for metaphysics and pseudoscience.
ReplyRooGrrrl -- that was the best comment EVER! Schrodinger's cake indeed -- can you send me the recipe for one of those? :)
Seriously though, I agree with your comments about the abuse of quantum physics in current culture. Quantum physics is interesting and amazing -- but doesn't support all the things the New Age group would have you think it does.
ReplyExcellent points Roo and paprika! Very well articulated. I was actually going to make a similar comment but you explained it better than I ever could have.
ReplyWow, I'm speechless. I haven't got a clue what you're on about but I believe you anyway!
~Mike.
ReplyI have been doing a cleanse that lasts 15 days. You can read my experinces starting here http://nutritionbits.com/blog/my-challenges/eating-the-good-stuff-part-1 and I speak of a number of challenges that I have gone through.
ReplyThe reason I choose to do a cleanse is not because I eat terribly it is because of the envoirment that I live in.
Either people don't read or study and, instead, preach or they are just plain stupid.
Gluttony has nothing to do with Oprah's behavior: that's a judgement, on a biblical level, and just plain wrong.
There's nothing wrong with Oprah. She has an eating disorder: compulsive over-eating for whatever reasons...and no one's business who doesn't care about her.
There are solutions. She hasn't found them yet, but she will. In the meantime, keep the tired, judgemental observations to yourself. They aren't spiritual and they don't help the situation.
Imagine putting your life under a microscope every day: how would you like being called slothful? You call that benevolent? Helpful? Compared to Ms. Oprah's schedule, I suspect the "description" would fit.
Read a book and step off the high horse. It's not that difficult.
Best to Ms. Winfrey.
Karen F
ReplyI love Oprah and the fact that she keeps trying to find what works for her without resorting to gastric bypass or other surgical procedures (despite her wealth) is admirable. She keeps trying and so do many many others like myself.
This particular diet is most beneficial, but certainly not for everyone. I tried to give up coffee, but couldn't.
ReplySo Habit, how long did u fast?
ReplySorry for the delay :-)
Fasted for 11 days on water only. Would only recommend in extreme circumstances and then only supervised.
I slept for the first 48 hours non-stop.
~Mike
ReplyI'm never sure whether I'm in favour of these stop-start cleansing or dieting or whatever other stop-start programs we try. Frankly I'd rather try to eat consistently healthily than subject my body to 21 days cleanses or whatever. However, I'm not sure Oprah is going this for weight loss reasons.... I think this has a spiritual component to it as well and I think that makes an important difference.
Replyhttp://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/21-day-cleanse.html
Does someone have a copy of the Pasta Puttanesca recipe recently published in a Women's magazine? I tried this vegetarian dish and it was DELICIOUS. It was listed under Oprah's 21 Day cleansing diet and I can't find my magazine or the recipe anywhere. I am desperate to make more!
ReplyYou can find most of the recipes at Oprah.com.
ReplyExtreme circumstances often require extreme measures.
ReplyIf you just simply ate healthy without all the animal flesh that is clogging your body you wouldn't need to do detox or cleansing diets. Your body would naturaly cleanse itself. It doesn't matter how many poeple make fun or, mock, or try to belittle the vegetarian or vegan style of eating. The fact that vegetarians and vegans are healthier, live longer, have fewer diseases,look,& feel younger and more engergic is proof in itself. You don't need anyone to tell you you are healthy when you feel,look and act healthy. The proof is in the pudding as they say. Instead of mocking and trying to prove vegetarians eating is stupid or a fraud, or spending a fortune on detox and cleansing diets, try eating vegetarian or vegan, and e if it doesn't make a difference in your how you feel and look.
Replythen how come all the vegans i've seen look like they are malnourished and ready to keel over?
ReplyPamela Anderson, Woody Harrelson, Natalie Portman, Tobey McGuire, Andre 3000 ... these people don't look like they're about to "keel over".
ReplyAll rich people with master chefs to ensure nutritional needs are met. The average off the street vegan looks pathetic, weak, jaundiced and malnurished...but not to be outdone by the bloated, fat, mouth-breathers who pile on the meats. Ideal is somewhere in the middle.
ReplyI have to admit that I've been thinking about experimenting with eating vegan, especially after watching that video on "Meet your Meat".
Maybe this New Year's will be time for me to learn and try something new.
ReplyIf Oprah would hire my husband to teach her an easy way to enjoy exercise, she could lose 10 lbs. a week easily. She would be able to keep it off just by simply spending an hour a day with his instruction. A fun way to lose weight and be able to eat basically what she wants to.
ReplyA cleansing diet has worked for my model friends the best. Whenever they have a modeling shoot coming up they loose weight with a simple toxin cleansing using the system from www.ModelHerbs.com It's easy because you just take a pill in the morning and night and drink a bunch of their simple instant fiber juice drinks. It's a complete diet system that doesn't feel like a diet! The girls loose an average of 12-20 pounds in a month - can't beat that.
Replyi did this diet.. and on day 22 i looked at the scale and had lost 19 lbs. FANTASTIC DIET.. so im on it again... this time less cheating
Reply