It must have been 10 years ago now that I found this book on my way home from a family vacation in Oscoda, Michigan. There was an outlet mall in West Branch and we pulled over to shop and kill some time- the girls were young and needed to stretch their legs. While walking into a Barnes and Noble bookstore, I came across this book in the nutrition isle at 50% off. 
I was immediately drawn to the cover and started reading the table of contents. The book addressed everything I was having issues with at the time- lack of energy, needing to lose weight, dull hair, tired complexion…
I read the entire book on the way home and was inspired at how knowledgeable the author was. I was excited to try a fat flush detox. I purchased all the vitamins and oils needed to complete the flush. I followed the instructions completely and lost 10 pounds and a few inches in the two weeks. I was extremely pleased with the results and have since tried to do the cleanse a few times a year.
For a successful flush you need to eat the lean protein, vegetables, fruit, and drink the psyllium and cranberry juice each day as Dr. Gittleman suggests. You are not permitted carbs, sugar, processed foods, nuts or beans. I didn’t miss regular food too much except the carbs- my toast and craft beer were calling me this last cleanse. I lost 12 pounds in two weeks and hope to keep most of that off. I always feel better after a cleanse, my complexion is brighter and my hair looks shinier. I sleep well and wake feeling completely rested . Also, during the cleanse period I have no digestion problems which means I’m not taking Tums every night.
My energy level is not the same when I cleanse, but that is to be expected. I needed more rest periods and loved taking cat naps when I could. I still ran daily and lifted weights every other day. I hope to continue eating protein and mostly veggies for lunch and dinner and oatmeal with nuts and honey for breakfast. I am hoping to continue to lose more weight-ideally I would like to weight 136 and I now weight 144. We will see.
You must go to Dr. Gittleman’s website http://annlouise.com/ and read up on the detox and fat flush program. She has some amazing recipes. I tried the fat flush soup the other day and Dave loved it. 
Fat Flush Soup
Makes 10 to 12 cups (serving size is 2 to 3 cups)
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1 ¼ lbs. lean ground beef, turkey or chopped chicken*
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large red, orange and/or green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large zucchini or yellow squash, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 bottle (46 oz.) reduced-sodium tomato or vegetable cocktail juice
1 can (15 oz.) pinto, garbanzo or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
¼ cup each fresh cilantro and parsley leaves, chopped
Directions
1. In sauce pot over medium-high heat, cook oil 30 seconds or until heated.
2. Add beef, turkey or chicken and cook 5 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from skillet; drain, if desired.
4. In same sauce pot, cook onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic for 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in next 6 ingredients and cooked meat.
6. Add up to 1 cup water to thin soup, if desired.
7. Cover and bring soup just to a simmer (do not let boil).
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Stir in cilantro and parsley; cover and let simmer 5 minutes more.
Soup can be stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator or frozen for 2-3 weeks.
*Or for vegetarian option, omit meat and add another can of beans.
The movie we ended up watching was The Founder with Micheal Keaton. We all really enjoyed it and came away from it with lots of questions for further discussion. What a smuck Ray Kroc was. I can’t believe he never paid the agreed upon percentage that he and the McDonald brothers shook hands on. Really?! It’s not like he couldn’t afford it. His wife ended up giving his fortune to the Salvation Army and NPR. Next book I plan to read is …curious to find out more about their relationship.
