About The Miracle Cleansing Diet

Some people seeking to lose weight search for the "miracle" cure that will melt away the fat without exercise or dieting. No "miracle" cure exists -- but that didn't stop Paris A. DeAguero, creator of the 7-Day Miracle Cleanse, from marketing his product as just that. The program has been dismissed as not only ineffective, but also dangerous, and DeAguero has since been disciplined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission for illegally selling medical products.

The Program

The 7-Day Miracle Cleanse kit contained an instructional booklet along with three supplements. The Herbal Mucus Eliminator contained probiotics and herbal stool binders, the Super Boost Green Mix was a chlorophyll powder, and Parasine 2 contained wormwood -- which can be toxic -- along with laxatives and anti-inflammatory herbs. Combined with a diet of mostly fruits and vegetables, drinking only distilled water and cooking with aluminum-free cookware, DeAguero claimed the program would flush toxins and fecal buildup from your digestive system and kill any intestinal parasites. He also recommended you use the program six times in a year, at a price tag of up to $293 for each course. For best results, DeAguero also recommended the use of a colonic irrigation device of his own design, also available through an infomercial.

The Claims

The 7-Day Miracle Cleanse infomercial promised "a body immune to all sickness," and DeAguero claimed that people on the program had overcome AIDS, cancer, diabetes and fibroid tumors among other illnesses. He maintained that strict adherence to the program would allow you to lose up to 25 lbs. in a single week and regular use would extend your life by up to 30 years.

Reality

The idea that toxins build up in the digestive tract was an old medical theory that was disproved in the early 20th century. The large intestine has been explored surgically many times over, and no evidence has ever been found of impacted fecal matter. The herbal ingredients are mostly diuretics and laxatives, which will produce bowel movements that may convince you that your colon is indeed being cleansed. DeAguero's suggestion that you eat mostly fruits and vegetables is a good one, and it will indeed make you healthier.

The Punishment

In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered DeAguero to remove the colonic irrigation tool from the market because the design, manufacture and marketing had not been approved prior to release. According to Infomercial Watch, the Federal Trade Commission charged DeAguero and the other owners of the company with false advertising in 2008, and the case was settled. As a result, the three Miracle Cleanse owners are banned from appearing in advertisements for any health-related product, and must pay more than $14 million in fines.

Where Are They Now?

The 7-Day Miracle Cleanse system is no longer available as of November 2010, and the address to the website redirects to another site advertising an Acai berry cleansing program disguised to look like a legitimate news site. The financial portion of the judgment against the company has been suspended due to an inability to pay.