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Jo-Anne M. Rizzotto, M.Ed, R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E.
Jo-Anne Rizzotto, MEd, RDN, LDN, CDCES, is Director of Educational Services at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. She is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator with over 25 years of clinical, research, management and industry experience and is a key member of the clinic leadership team. Jo-Anne is co-chair and an active member of the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators Exam Board. Jo-Anne has a proven track record of managing many facets of quality assurance and improvement with documented outcomes including advancing the use of technologies in the clinic for the management of diabetes. Jo-Anne establishes, directs and manages all aspects of diabetes education programs including overall direction, content, design, delivery, budgeting and staff management. She ensures all programs and staff delivering education meet the highest quality standards and do so with the highest level of efficiency and effectiveness. Jo-Anne participates in and has been the co-principle investigator in numerous clinical research studies. Jo-Anne chairs and participates in a variety of high level selection committees, clinical guideline committees, publication review committees and academic promotion committees. She also chairs the quality committee with the General Counsel at the Joslin in addition to the Clinic policy and procedure committee.
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Q:
I've been curious about cleansing fasts since a friend of mine did one last year. A doctor supervised his over a two-week period. Is it necessary to seek a doctor's guidance before starting one of these juicing fasts? What do I need to know to get started?
A:
It is absolutely necessary to seek a physician's help if you plan on doing a cleansing fast. I do not recommend anyone use this method for cleansing or weight loss. There are more negatives to juice fasting than positives, including these potential side effects: hunger, weakness, bad breath, cankers, colds, viruses, blackouts, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, dehydration, irregular heartbeat and the slowing down of one's metabolic rate.
There's no solid evidence that fasting of any kind removes toxins from the body. Furthermore, fasting for weight loss purposes is merely a temporary fix; once you go off the fast, any weight lost will be regained. People who have diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, liver disease, and who take prescription medications should not fast. Pregnant and nursing women, along with infants and children, should not fast either.
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