Cleansing on Campus: Extreme Diets Persist as Spring Arrives

As snow melts in most of the country, Arizona's winter clouds dissipate to reveal the state's famous clear skies and blazing sun. Layers of clothing around the University of Arizona campus are shed in turn -- and then some. Consequently, students flood the newly improved gym and cut portions. For those more extreme, the cleanses and detoxes commence.

Though not meant for weight loss or continuous use, these techniques (usually requiring a diet of water and little else) are used to shed pounds across campus. One of the most popular is the Master Cleanse, also known as the "lemonade diet."

Those abiding by the rules of the Master Cleanse replace their daily meals with water and fresh lemon juice, organic maple syrup, and cayenne pepper mixed in. The directions at a Master Cleanse online magazine require the participant to drink a minimum of six glasses of water and a maximum of 12 per day.

"I just couldn't do it," University of Arizona freshman Lauren Fletcher admits. "I was just depressed." She spent $80 on the ingredients and tried the Master Cleanse for two days after hearing about it from a friend, hoping to slim down quickly before Halloween. "Food makes me happy, so I decided to just work out and eat healthily," she said.

Though there is no definitive data on how popular cleanse/detox weight loss is among students at UA, cleanse stories and rituals routinely come up in conversation. In a survey that I conducted of my friends, many of whom are in sororities, about a quarter had tried a cleanse at least once to lose weight. While these results are not scientific by any means, it is clear that these extreme weight loss tactics are a part of campus life.

According to registered New York City dietician Joy Bauer, 12 glasses of the Master Cleanse mixture contain 1,300 calories. Likewise, a full day's worth of whole-grain cereal, milk, grapefruit, a turkey sandwich, carrots, nuts, salmon, salad and broccoli results in the same sum of calories yet incorporates vital nutrients.

Bauer said that it's "disheartening" that sophisticated and smart people who know better continue to partake in these detoxes and cleanses out of desperation for a quick fix. "You don't experience long-term success on them," Bauer explains. "You may be less bloated. You may feel lighter. You may be losing some weight, but much of it is water weight."

For most cleanses, the two main rules amount to no eating and nightly laxatives (due to lack of fiber in the cleanse foods). It is suggested that participants cleanse for a maximum of ten days every three months. Continuous cleansing in an attempt to drop weight fast is neither healthy nor rational. It's only a matter of time before the laxatives and lack of nutrients result in detrimental effects to dieters' bodies, blurring the line between a voluntary cleanse and an eating disorder.

According to the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, laxatives become ineffective after a period of abuse and begin "working against you." Adverse side effects include severe abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, dehydration, stomach ulcers, constipation, development of blood stools and even death. Nutritionists also worry that the lack of protein in detoxes and cleanses like the Master Cleanse is detrimental to participants. A spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association claims that the lack of protein in many cleanses and detox diets make them nutritionally insufficient.

Despite its lack of nutrients, fiber, and concrete data supporting its effectiveness for weight loss, the Master Cleanse has survived for about 50 years now, enjoying significant support from celebrities, and students across the country continue to depend on it for slimming down.

University of Arizona English Studies junior Amanda Johnson has conducted research and written a paper about the Master Cleanse, and she continues to use it to lose weight. She knew the risks and warnings but felt secure because her friends knew what she was doing.

"If they saw it getting out of hand, they would stop it," Johnson asserts. "I have no history of heart problems or anything."

Of course, even the best of friends are unlikely to detect nutrient deficiency in its beginning stages. Regardless of whether a cleanser achieves weight loss goals, the long-term health risks outweigh the potential rewards. Effectively dropping weight is not a ten day process. In order to truly alter one's body, there is a clear yet difficult path that requires the replacement of junk food and large portions with healthier alternatives, smaller portions, sufficient nutrients and exercise. Many colleges are currently pursuing innovative programs to support and communicate the benefits of these lifestyle choices among students.

It is one thing if responsible cleanses and detoxes are used as part of a health program, but it is quite another if they come to dominate a person's diet. The temptation to slim down can certainly be powerful as springtime approaches, but a diet of research and restraint when adopting a weight loss program is the real key to looking and feeling great.