The Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet

The Martha's Vineyard Detox diet is a popular new diet from the book "21 Pounds in 21 Days," authored by Roni Deluz, director of the Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat. The book is a New York Times bestseller and claims improvement of the digestive and immune system, increased mental clarity and reduces cellulite.

Claims and Basics

• The Martha's Vineyard Detox diet is a 21-day detox plan. The creator of the diet claims that within the 21 days, dieters will loose 21 pounds. The fruit and vegetable consumption is believed to provide the body with enzymes, vitamins and minerals, not only cleaning toxins out of the body but also helping the body by providing a multitude of needed nutrients. On average, dieters receive about 20 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, two times the recommended serving from the American Food Pyramid. The diet is not geared for weight loss; however, weight loss comes along with the detox plan. The average daily caloric intake for the Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet is 1,000 calories. The diet should be repeated as many times as you are able to withstand the limited food choices. Many dieters follow the 21-day diet, and a few months later repeat it.

Foods

• Puréed vegetable soups, fresh fruit and vegetable drinks, and herbal teas are the staple of this diet. Permitted vegetables for soups include beans, carrots, cucumbers, celery, garlic, sweet potatoes, squash and purple cabbage, broccoli, mushrooms and peas. Before consumption, vegetables must be processed into liquid form.

List of Necessities

• In order to follow the detox diet accordingly, you must have a juicer for making fruit and vegetable juices and a blender/food processor on hand to prepare soups and shakes. Preparing the juices, soups and shakes can be very time consuming. It is recommended that you keep your pantry and refrigerator stocked with the vegetables and fruits needed for juicing and soup making. The book "21 Pounds in 21 Days" contains the list of needed supplements and recipes that will make the most out of your 21-day detox.

Advisory

• As aforementioned, the Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet is not designed for weight loss; however, weightless is inevitable. If you are underweight or fear the weight loss associated with this diet, discuss your concerns with your doctor before embarking on the detox. Those with diabetes need to be cautious of the high amount of fruit in the diet. Fruit contains high amounts of sugar, and can cause serious issues for diabetics. Discuss this diet with your healthcare provider.