Leaving aside jokes about alcohol consumption, a liquid diet is what the name suggests – consuming only liquids for a period of time and banning solids altogether.
Why would you wish to do that?
Dieting – The Search For Quick Fixes
Most health care professionals agree that the USA has one of the worst obesity problems in the world – and perhaps the very worst. For individuals, health care professionals, dietary consultants and government, the problems here for the health of the nation, both now and in the future, are a source of constant concern.
Inevitably people from many of these sectors have looked for miracle cures and quick fixes – mostly with disappointing results.
One diet that has been pushed by some individuals, companies and some dieticians (though interestingly, very few physicians) is the liquid diet. In this form of diet, liquids replace all solid matter. In extreme cases this may be only water and herbal tea, perhaps some fruit juices and some light liquidized food. In other cases this is supplemented by the use of high-protein liquid supplements and vitamin pills.
Some companies have marketed liquid diets and their own supplements as a way of losing weight fast and staying healthy.
This diet can help lose substantial amounts of weight and relatively quickly – but it is typically not recommended for extended periods and many physicians are against its use under any circumstances as a weight-loss measure unless it is under strict medical supervision and the patient is constantly monitored.
Medical Objections To Liquid Diets
Apart from a few rare chronic cases treated under the sort of medical regime as outlined above, many medical professions are deeply critical of liquid diets as a method of losing weight. The objections vary but typically include:
- The loss of fiber and protein for even relatively short periods may prove very harmful to health including the digestive system;
- Extreme versions of these diets can leave people short of key vitamin intake;
- The levels of various key compounds in the body can fluctuate unhealthily;
- It does not deal with the fundamental problem, which is often eating practices and behavior.
The liquid diet as a pre-cursor to a medical procedure
Of course, not everyone on a liquid diet is necessary overweight and desperately trying to shed a few pounds.
In some situations, your physician or a surgeon may prescribe a liquid diet in the run-up to diagnostic tests or surgery.
Perhaps one of the most common examples of this arises is the familiar colonoscopy – a procedure that involves inspection of the colon via the insertion of a small flexible camera. To be effective, your colon and internal ‘plumbing’ needs to be clear and as clean as possible to aid inspection. It is therefore normal for the physician or surgeon to ask that you follow a clear-liquid diet for a day or so beforehand (the actual period can vary depending upon the procedure and your medical professional’s views).
Even in these medical cases, a liquid diet pre or post surgery is usually only followed for a very limited amount of time and the patient’s health is subject to medical monitoring.
Liquid Diets As A Fashion Accessory
One sometimes sees in the newspapers that one household name or another is following a liquid diet as part of a ‘cleansing’ or ‘de-tox’ regime.
There are an almost infinite variety of the theories and practice that this may involve but many of them have their origin in the idea that the bodies ‘cleansing organs’ (often regarded as the liver and the kidneys) need a rest and perhaps a complete flush thru.
In practice, the medical evidence for the efficacy of this is limited. It is true that for many people hydration is an issue and medical professionals recommend an increased consumption of water as a matter of norm (within sensible limits). However, this isn’t the same thing as saying that one should cut out all solids for the duration.
It may be sensible to go through periods where the consumption of certain foodstuffs (alcohol or certain fats) is eliminated and more attention given to a simpler and healthier diet but stopping the intake of solids may be a step too far.
Once again, if solids are cut out of your diet for extended periods, you run the risk of consequential health problems – a high price to pay for conforming to a fashionable idea.
Liquid Diets – Seek Medical Advice
Going onto a liquid diet is an extreme step unless a physician has prescribed it. If you are tempted because of what you’ve read, heard or what a friend has told you, it may be highly advisable to run it past your physician before you take it any further.
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