Sunday, September 13, 2009

THE LIGHTERLIFE DIET, STARVATION, AND ANOTHER DEATH...


Lighterlife+founder+Jackie+Cox A picture of LighterLife founder, Jackie Cox, in all her finery
(and this is not a pre-weight-loss picture)



It should really be called "The Loss-of-Life Diet."

Deaths are mounting, and terrible side effects of this starvation diet are being felt by many who follow it.


The Lighterlife diet is eerily reminiscent of the Kimkins starvation diet.

Any diet program which recommends its followers eat no more than 500 calories a day is not only scandalous but deadly. Many of those who followed Lighterlife and Kimkins now suffer from eating disorders, and other major health problems.

Like Lighterlife's founder, Jackie Cox, the Kimkins diet was developed by the morbidly obese Heidi Diaz, aka Kimmer.


Heidi Diaz, Kimmer, Kimkins

Heidi Diaz (aka Kimmer) who never followed her own diet, but that didn't stop her from telling others to starve themselves

And here are the women who tragically died while following the Lighterlife diet:


Samantha Clowe:

Samantha Clowe

Samantha Clowe

Samantha and her fiancé, Andrew

34-year-old Samantha Clowe collapsed at her home in Leeds, UK from heart failure in June of 2009 after following the LighterLife diet for 11 weeks.

Samantha weighed 17st 6 lb (244 lbs) when she started the diet, and had lost three stone (42 lbs) by following the strict plan, desperate to be slender in time for her wedding to fiancé, Andrew Smith.



Jacqueline Henson:

Jacqueline Henson Jacqueline and Brian Henson on their wedding day


Jacqueline Henson

Jacqueline & her grandson

"Jacqueline Henson, 40, was ‘over the moon’ when she shed 11 and a half pounds in the first week on the Lighter-Life diet, which involves drinking four litres of water a day..

‘Jacqui was told by the slimming consultant that the more water she drank the more weight she would lose.

'It wasn’t made clear to her that you had to spread the drinking through the day.’

A post mortem examination revealed Mrs Henson died from swelling of the brain caused by saturating the body with too much water. "


Matilda Callaghan:

Matilda Callaghan


Matilda Callaghan, 25, died in January 2006 after losing 10 stone (140 pounds) in six months on the Lighterlife diet.

A post-mortem found Matilda died from heart arrhythmia – when a heartbeat is not allowed sufficient time to ‘recover’ and the next beat interrupts.

For six months Matilda lived on only 500 calories a day, 1,500 less than the recommended daily amount, and was drinking between four and six litres of water daily.

~~~~~

So, so sad. All these deaths, and Lighterlife continues to thrive and Jackie Cox keeps raking in the money. Scandalous.


To read the full stories on Samantha, Jacqueline and Matilda, click these links below:

Jacqueline Henson




And here's a great article on Lighterlife's founder, Jackie Cox:

Jackie Cox, The Obese Woman...



Rest in peace, Samantha, Jacqueline and Matilda.



For more information about Kimkins and Heidi Diaz, click here:

Mariasol

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4 comments:

Brandee said...

wow. Tragic. My sister has been on something similar with the 500 calories a day and another part to it involving injections I won't say too much because I don't want to promote something so sick. She's dropped 75 pounds in 6 months and looks ok but looks unhealthy in her face though she's not anorexic by weight standards but is in my book. She's obsessed and wants to lose more. It's never healthy to go below 1200 calories a day and that's low. So many want the easy way out in dessperation instead of dealing with feelings and fghting the fight the right way.
Just yesterday my step sister collapsed at work and was incoherent several hours. They thought stroke. She's 43. She's overweight and started a crash diet with slimfast. Doctors ran tests and ruled out stroke and heart and released her today. They think it was her crash diet. She got lucky!
Our diet obsessed world is tragic and sick.
Thanks for posting this. Makes me want recovery so much more.
((hugs))
B

Anonymous said...

Just an update on my granddaughter from last year - I think she'll make it, but lost her teeth and her beautiful thick ankle length hair. Her feeding tube has been removed from her stomach, but she still cannot handle solid foods w/o upchucking. Her cane is a necessity for balance. Her attitude is much improved, and she now reaches out beyond herself. But at least she may reach the ripe old age of 25.

Medusa said...

Brandee, so sorry to hear about your step-sister. And I'm afraid your sister may be on her way to an ED. These crash diets can be deadly.

And Anonymous! So great hearing from you. I've thought about your granddaughter often since you last posted, wondering how she was doing. So glad to hear her attitude has improved and she's off the feeding tube. Fingers crossed she's on the road to recovery.

Hugs,
Medusa

Brandee said...

Thanks Medusa. Re: Step sister~Doctors say it was her crash diet of slimfast but they have her on a heart monitor.
I fully believe my sister is eating disordered. she's done "crazy" diets for several years and is very negative towards my niece and comments on my weight so much I can't go see her right now because my therapist worried for my recovery. I'm at a crucial part of a recovery and struggling so I have to be careful. My sister is in big time denial which scares my entire family for her.
((hugs))
Brandee