Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I'm considering a cleanse called "Clean" - Alejandro Junger's book. My wife got sold on it on the Dr Oz show a few weeks back, and wants me to join her. it seems like it might help with any lingering leaky gut issues, and kick a few pounds away. The claim is that through limited solid food (but reasonable nutrition) you help your digestive system take a break, while you go on an elimination diet. Digestion break ==> better liver function/toxin removal. What do you think? Here are the basics, with my commentary:

Elimination diet for a few days prior: excludes all major allergens, sugar, high sugar fruits, nightshades.

Liquid meals for breakfast and dinner: fruit/veg smoothies with some protein powder, soups. At least 12h fast between dinner and breakfast, except for 2T of olive oil (seth roberts style). Some of the smoothies have avocado, almond butter (odd; an allergen), most are just a variety of fruits and vegetables. Soups are usually squash based. - Seems reasonable to aid in digestion. I will probably be hungry.

solid meal for lunch - eat off of the elimination diet menu: Chicken and rice, Fish and quinoa or squash, lamb, mint and veg. No beef - "too hard to digest"
- No issues here except that I don't buy that my grass fed ground beef is harder to digest than the lamb chops he recommends. I'll do this but I will have some beef meals.

Alsnacks are OK, but first make sure you are truly hungry. Use this experience to push your limits and determine what true hunger is - I could really stand to do this - I eat at the first hunger pang quite often, I could probably be in a lot better touch with myself here.

fiber supplement, liver enzyme, 2qts water/day, herbal tea/yerba mate OK - Never big on taking fiber supplements, his goal is to get you to flush your colon though. I will probably limit this, maybe just take more of the prebioitc inulin supplement that I favor, over the psyllium husks he recommends. I know nothing about these liver enzymes.

Eliminate as many toxins as you can - clean water supply, reduce chemicals. air filter - I could stand to clean up my chemical use and will pick up a natural shampoo and eliminate hair gel.

What do you think? Worthwhile 3 weeks of my life?

flag	asked Apr 9 2012 at 15:58 Matt B 563●2●9

Jules K · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-09 17:53:29Z UTC

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I did the Clean program a couple years ago, and that's how I figured out that I am gluten-intolerant. It does allow non-gluten grains and legumes also, and cuts out a lot of protein sources. You can do Clean while still just eating paleo foods but you will be quite limited! Doing this program was a huge step in the right direction for me, but I now feel that GAPS or Whole30 is even better than doing Clean (because of the legumes & grains that it allows and the good meats it excludes).

answered Apr 9 2012 at 17:53

Jules K
9,583●8●26

	I don't think Clean allows grains outside of a little quinoa here and there. I plan to do it staying paleo, and not shying away from well sourced ground grassfed beef. – Matt B Apr 9 2012 at 18:13
	Cool, good luck! Back when I did it, brown rice, amaranth, etc. were allowed, maybe they've cut some more grains from the program. Like Dr. J recommended, the forum on their site can be a great source of support. – Jules K Apr 9 2012 at 18:59
	Well, we did it, and it went OK. I'm trying to bring wheat back slowly, and I don't seem to be having much in the way of reaction. Lost a few pounds and some bloat, and it's motivated me to stop eating after dinner, and to exercise more! – Matt B May 9 2012 at 16:55
	Great, glad it went well! – Jules K May 9 2012 at 17:17
	Yeah +1 on recommending GAPS instead. I mean, if you are going to do a strict thing, that would be the top notch. – JeJ Sep 15 at 18:38

Kelly · Answer 2 · 2012-04-09 16:53:51Z UTC

It sounds a lot like the GAPS intro which is a 30 day 'elimination' diet which also cleanses and detoxifies and gradually allows for reintroduction of foods in a planned order, testing for reactions all the way. Some might be able to do it in less than 30 days, other more...

Consider looking GAPS intro protocol (I find it also correlates strongly with Paleo principles) no starches like rice or potatoes but literally everything else.

You can eat as much of the foods on each stage as you want/need as well as lots of bone broths which help to heal the gut and also aid in the detox, cleanse.

I only mention it because I'm am currently doing it and its a highly recognized plan, similar to what you are describing.

Alejandro Junger · Answer 3 · 2012-04-09 16:52:23Z UTC

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I think it's a great idea. I have seen thousands of people jump start their health to a whole new level with it. Let us know how we can help, and join our web community at www.cleanprogram.com

Warmly Alejandro Junger

answered Apr 9 2012 at 16:52

Alejandro Junger
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Noticed there was a downvote on this answer- I've added an upvote; I don't see anything wrong with Dr. Junger dropping his link here, he wrote the program we're discussing after all. You don't have to pay him a dime to do his program, and it actually helped me a great deal. – Jules K Apr 9 2012 at 17:58

mapleleef · Answer 4 · 2012-09-15 01:52:35Z UTC

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Cool!! Dr.Junger was here!!!!!!! If the J is silent in his last name, is it coincidence that his last name is phonetically "younger"?

answered Sep 15 at 1:52

mapleleef
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Dan · Answer 5 · 2012-09-15 02:13:42Z UTC

I did Junger's Clean protocol on and off for about 4 months. It was extremely beneficial. Very cleansing, when done right. Basically works like a supercharged IF.

I didn't buy his supplements, though. I bought my own fiber, and took L-glutamine sometimes. Did the milk thistle too.

I'd recommend it.

Hannah F · Answer 6 · 2013-02-05 05:22:07Z UTC

I've done CLEAN four times now and love it. My new trainer is very pro-Paleo and I have a hard time with Paleo thinking. I don't understand how a little quinoa or brown rice at lunch is so bad for you, or lentils or black beans. Tons of protein. The Paleo meals seem so meat-heavy and all the nuts and nut butters so fatty. I know it's good fat, but it still seems like a lot of fat and cholesterol with the eggs and butter and such. I'm really trying to understand both sides. I'd love for a definitive answer on lectins or leptins or whatever they are that are so bad for you. If they "perforate your gut" why are quinoa and brown rice allowed on CLEAN?

lacey · Answer 7 · 2013-02-05 15:32:23Z UTC

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I could never do that, my body prefers solid foods. But if it works for you thats cool

answered Feb 5 at 15:32

lacey
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Hack this cleanse - Clean/Alejandro Junger

7 Answers