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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Chinese herb drink diet- is it healthy, will it help me loose weight?

    Related Topic
    Weight Management
    I've heard about this diet, It is to drink 3 portions of of chinese herbs for 15 days and have a daily massage and acupuncture for 10 days.
    Most people I know who have done it have lost between 10-15 kg in the 15 days.
    Is it healthy to do? I'm male, in my 60s and overweight, Should I try it?
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    Arlene Normand

    Dietitian

    Arlene is a registered practising dietitian, with a private practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and has built a strong business over the last … View Profile

    'Diet' is basically how we eat and drink and consequently the manner in which our body gets nutrients to operate, heal and survive. Any diet should be a lifestyle - a pattern of eating that you can maintain forever. You want to set up a healthy intake that is balanced, healthy and which provides he body with the nutrients you need. It is not difficult to go on such a regime and lose weight gradually, but establish habits that you can live with and which will not progress into you gaining weight.

    I am aware of the regime you are talking about. Firstly it is too drastic! Losing that much weight so quickly should imediately set up warning signals! Yes it is a quick fix - so if you have an urgency to lose weight rapidly, then this is the way to go. Is it healthy? No. Quick weight loss can lead to complications as it puts a strain on the body. The Chinese herbs do not provide the nutrients you require, the daily massage helps with the movement of the bowels, and the acupuncture is an ancient well proven Chinese method. You cannot live like this forever, so how do you continue after such a severe method of weight loss. During this time you cannot sit with the family or friends and enjoy a meal. You cannot exercise as you will not have that much energy to do so - and exercise is a part of a healthy lifestyle.

    I guarantee you that this is an expensive program, which I cannot recommend for the longterm goal you wventually want to achieve. Rather consult a dietitian and lose weight gradually, but establish balanced eating and exercise habits.

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    Ashleigh Jones

    Dietitian, Nutritionist

    Unfortunately, I cannot really recommend a diet like that. I am certain that it would help you lose weight, but the problem with it is that it will not help you keep it off. With any fad diet like this, you do not actually learn how to lose the weight healthily, or to maintain the weight loss so once you go off the diet you end up returning to those old habits which actually caused you gain the weight in the first place. Also, any diet that replaces food with an herbal tonic is not going to be healthy. There is not enough protein to support healthy weight loss, so you are actually at risk of sacrificing your muscle mass. The majority of weight you are going to lose on a regime like that is going to be water weight which means once you go back to normal eating, it is all going to come straight back on.

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    Joanna Baker

    Nutritionist, Registered Nurse

    Everyday Nutrition founder Joanna Baker has been working in healthcare for 2o years. As an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and a Registered Nurse, she has seen … View Profile

    Something that sound too good to be true usually is. To lose weight successfully, keep it off long term and gain health benefits from doing so is a slow and steady process brought on by modification of eating patterns and lifestyle.

    I woud hesitate to advise any “diet” that involves a quick fix, or restriction of food or food groups without a good reason to do so (such as allergies, celiac disease or following a vegetarian diet). All food and food groups provides nutrients for the body to function in a healthy way and restriction is not only not sustainable but will lead to deficiencies if the nutrients are not sort elsewhere. If you are interested in losing “real” weight both lifestyle and eating patterns need to be modified. A Dietitian can guide you through this, it is not as scary or daunting as it sounds and food can be good for oyu AND taste good at the same time.

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