The Wright Reaction: CNN Reports, Jobs & Kutcher Harmed By Fruit?

By Kevin Wright – Holistic Health Coach, Detox Specialist and Research Scientist

A story ran on cable news about Ashton Kutcher being taken to the hospital for abdominal pain, his pancreas levels were ‘out of whack’.  (Read Original Story Here) Apparently he is preparing for a movie role as Steve Jobs and had adopted a diet of all fruit because Jobs had done it.  I encourage you to read the article and measure your own response before reading mine below.  Detox is a word that is being thrown around alot lately, and has become quite popular in the health and wellness arena.  Consequently, there are many different interpretations on the meaning of the word and myriad programs and regimens being promoted.  Many people acquire information as it comes to them, through whatever source.  I am saddened to think of the ‘information’ that people will walk away with after reading that story and I encourage everyone to seek understanding rather than letting it be placed upon you.

The example in the article emphasizes that detoxing is dangerous without the proper guidance and supervision. It is unlikely that Kutcher did a transition diet, so I’m not surprised that his body was shocked on all fruit.  There’s no investigative journalism here, and unfortunately this is the type of ‘information’ that people are tuned to – so the impressions are immediately accepted as fact.  The impression, of course, is that all fruit is dangerous and protein is more important.  The underlying suggestion, that is cleverly imbedded, is that Jobs death from pancreatic cancer was caused by eating all fruit.  What’s missing from all this is detail and focus.  What was Kutcher’s program?  How much of what kind of fruit was he eating?  For how long?  What was Job’s diet?  What kind of treatment was he getting for the cancer?  etc, etc.

The only thing dangerous is accepting generalizations on diet without repsect to the individuals situation and the particulars of their practice. The article is designed for a specific purpose.   To scare people away from detox and secure them on a normal American protein-rich diet.  The cautions are valid in advising people to be wise about their dietary lifestyle, and how far they act on a concept that they merely read about or hear about.  But the reader walks away with fear rather than empowerment.

Detox is not a fad or a movie role, it needs to be respected in the same way we respect prescription drugs, which can be harmful.  We don’t even have to wonder if Kutcher took blood pressure pills or subjected himself to chemo-therapy for the role, so this stunt highlights his stupidity more than anything.  If I went and trained like an olympic athlete tomorrow, whether a runner or weightlifter or swimmer or boxer, I would probably end up in the hospital.  Is that to say that training like an olympic athlete is dangerous for your health?  No, being a fool is dangerous for your health.