Can you say, "Politically Motivated"?

[averygoodun42]

The first lady's cleanse involves eating as many fruits and vegetables as possible and cutting out fats, oil, dairy, meat, caffeine, sugar and starch for a short period of time, according to the White House.

Heather Mangieri, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said of a cleanse such as the one described by the first lady: "I definitely wouldn't recommend it because you're missing food groups."


Oh for... what food groups? It doesn't say she's giving up protein... Oh, I guess she means grains (starch), but honestly? It's been proven time and again that Americans eat way too much in the way of grains.

Sounds like someone (or two) is on the meat industry's payroll. (And no, I am not a vegetarian, but I do know it's not going to kill you, which is what that quote implies!)


ETA: http://www.salon.com/wires/allwires/2010/08/04/D9HCR3TO0_us_michelle_obama_diet/index.html

It's not her daily diet, btw. It's an occasional two or three day detox thang. The dietitian is overstating the dangers by a long shot, judging by the however many cultures there are that do overt fasting (no food, just water) as ritualistic cleanses. And survive.

Comments

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

That's a vegan diet, and that is a very difficult diet to manage unless you really know what you're doing. The absence of dairy coupled with the absence of meat for one, the absence of fats and oils which are solvents for vitamins.

Even veggies have to be careful to make sure you're getting balanced proteins in the absence of meat, and that involves balancing starches and pulses.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

True, but even a diet of nothing but water for a few days isn't going to kill the healthy.

[anonymous-plume.livejournal.com]

No meat makes for a very angry Nom.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Oh, and it makes for a very unhappy Lizbit, too! I can not be a veggie, though I can and do, every now and again, cut it out for a few days because my body feels like it.