Since this thread has been dredged up by a spammer I'll state my opinions on "detoxes". I think if one's usual diet is "dairy, caffeine and processed foods" and "sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten and animal products" as some "famous people" report, then one probably needs a "detox". Or at least to eliminate those toxic substances from one's diet for a week or more. If the usual diet is high in fresh and mostly raw veggies, some fruit, and some high quality protein with none of the unhealthy stuff then a "detox" will never be necessary. The most I ever do to detox is to use raw garlic for a few days and ensure my water intake is sufficient. I expect there are some parasites attached to fresh imported produce which is why I like to use raw garlic occasionally. If I have no parasites the garlic probably won't hurt and I like the flavor anyhow. I try to use "food as my medicine".

Hi everybody and Welcome Dody and Mirren!!!! I'm very happy to announce that I'm nearing another 5-lb. increment------yesssssss----I'm nearing that 20-lb weight loss mark. Only 30 more flabby fat pounds to go!!! Goodbye, fat!! Ladies, I have done this by not joining any groups, by not starving myself to death, by not adhering to a diet so strict that I have to spend hundreds of dollars a month on certain foods--------but by changing my regular pepsi to diet Dr. pepper (I still have a Pepsi occasionally) eating smaller portions, eating more fruits and veggies, drinking more water, and exercising more. I know myself----I would not do well joining a group---it's fine if that's what motivates you and I surely don't want to offend anyone-----but, I know what I'm supposed to be eating and drinking-------and I've reached the point that I know what I have to do to lose this flab, get in my clothes, and feel better. Please, please, don't give up!!! And if you break over and eat something sweet, or super fattening----that's okay---just exercise more and eat less the next day. This is a long process---I started out with 50 lbs. to lose----I now have 30 more to go. I just recently got into a jacket that I couldn't wear last year. THAT FEELS GREAT!! We are lucky, though, that we have so many food choices at the grocery----just check out the products. There's some great-tasting diet ice-cream out there. And many other foods. I've been fixing the diet jello---it's great! Pardon this longgggggggggggggg post, but I get irritated when I see people on TV talking about diets that require you to buy their foods-------and they act like this is the ONLY way to go. Well, it isn't. In 2004, we all know what makes us fat! It's not brain surgery. By all means, if you don't have the time and have plenty of money and want to join these groups-----go for it!! People have had great successes, I'm sure. As I said, I know myself, I know what I can do---believe it or not, I'm an introvert!!LOL LOL I'd rather stay at home, do my exercise at home, and prepare my own foods. Okay. Rant's over. We're all taking it one day at a time, one pound at a time. And it takes a while for our bodies to adjust. I finally got used to drinking diet soda. It takes a while. So, don't give up!! That would be a crying shame. But, don't get pushed into something that really isn't what you want. Am I making any sense here? I have a lovely yellow 2-toned yellow/gold Iris blooming!

lydia -- the 100+ food Elisa test sounds very interesting. I may give that a try, eventually. I'm convinced that I have quite a few food allergies. I used to throw up when I was given white milk as a child. Never drank any once my mother figured out the cause. Except in elementary school when I was forced by a teacher and I threw up. Funny how I was able to drink chocolate milk, though. I read later (as an adult) that in fact the chocolate in chocolate milk reduces the allergic reaction. Anyway, regarding food allergies, I know I'm sensitive to wheat though I'm not a celiac. I am also sensitive to dairy. (Ask me why I can't give up my goatsmilk yoghurt, this is the last frontier for me, hope to give it up eventually.) I subscribed to the test at http://www.enterolab.com/ which is where I got the results about wheat and dairly. The test was expensive. I think over $300.00. Glad I did it though. Sounds like the Elisa test may give you the same results plus some. This food allergy thing is tricky, I think. One of our dogs now it seems has food allergies. I asked the vet to test and she said that testing for food allergies is not very reliable (for dogs). I wonder if this is true for humans? A food elimination diet was the only thing she could recommend plus eating only a particular type of dog food that was "engineered to have a small enough molecule size so it doesn't trigger the allergic reactions" (her words). I was amazed and am wondering if raw food has "smaller molecules" than cooked food, HA, HA. Perhaps moite's methods that she got from her doctor about measuring her pulse rate may be the best way. I'm going the simple route with this raw food diet (for now) because it meets many other needs also. I had a great day yesterday. I went the whole day without the "wave of tiredness" that comes over me every day after lunch. I hope it wasn't an anomaly. Bad news is that with the raw food diet, there is a "detox phase" initially where some claim that you are ridding your system of toxins. The detox phase can produce acne which is what I just got yesterday. I haven't had a pimple on my face for many years but I have two now. Oh well. If my energy level stays good, I'll have to add that as one more reason why I'm glad I found this diet. I was craving cooked food day before yesterday but managed to get by without it. Hopefully those days will get less in number. This was kind of like craving a cigarette after quitting, as I remember it many years ago. Keep us posted about your food allergies. I'm becoming more and more convinced that for some of us, they are literally killing us or are reducing our quality of life (for some of us) to a very very large extent producing chronic problems and diseases that mainstream medicine doesn't have a clue. In my case, I definitely feel like I've become a guinea pig for trying out different "cures". I'm hoping that raw food will by my answer. I realize that because there is no definite proof, I could be wrong on this but as my DH says, it's gotta be better than being so overweight and hungry all the time. We were killing ourselves eating cooked food so how could this be any worse.

I'm glad it works for you and you're right about the meat, some need more then others. One always hear that red meat is not good for you, ..I was very easy on meat for a while but I didn't feel good, now I'm back to my normal, [moderation], lot's of apple and cherry juice since I have my own organic..wonderful! Hopefully you can eat solids again.