How to detox

If you're feeling sluggish, under stress or just hungover, here's how to flush out the toxins that riddle your body and drag you down.

By Dr Sarah Brewer

Detox is a buzzword these days as more and more people wake up, smell the coffee and take stock of their diet, stress levels and lifestyles.

When you detox it encourages your body to get rid of unwanted chemicals that result from your own metabolism, enter your system from the air you breathe, or from what you consume.

Detoxing will also help to improve the function of important elimination organs such as the liver, kidneys, intestinal tract and skin. It is especially vital for those under stress or who often feel tired, run down, have a low immunity or a tendency to symptoms such as allergies, headaches, poor concentration and dry skin.

When you detox it should be a fun, healthy process - not the commonly imagined horrors of abstinence, endless fasts or even colonic irrigation.

Healthy eating
A simple eating plan combined with the sensible use of herbal and nutritional supplements will help you detox safely and naturally - without risk of a so-called 'toxic detox' in which those who eliminate toxins from their system too quickly can develop headaches, irritability, outbreaks of pimples or a coated tongue

 A detox diet typically involves eating or drinking nothing but:
* Mineral water - aim to drink at least two to three litres of fluid per day
* Freshly squeezed, organic fruit and vegetable juices
* Thin, home-made soups
* Steamed organic vegetables such as broccoli, spring greens, pak choi, cauliflower, carrots, sweetcorn
* Cooked organic pulses
* Simple cereals, eg, organic brown rice, oatmeal
* Protein sources such as organic fish and chicken
* You may also choose to eat organic dairy products such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, cottage cheese, fromage frais and natural bio yoghurt.

What supplements can I take to help the detox?
During the detox process, supplements that may be recommended initially include:
*Antioxidants (eg, Vitamins A, C, E and mineral selenium)
* Milk Thistle extracts to aid liver function; cynara artichoke extracts may also be used to promote bile production and reduce feelings of bloating.
* Dandelion extracts to support kidney function.
8 Probiotic supplements containing 'friendly' bacteria (eg Lactobacilli species) for healthy intestines.

How long does it last?
This simple detox regime is usually followed for at least seven days. Once cleansing is underway, nutritional supplements may be added, including:
* A vitamin and mineral supplement.
* Chlorophyll-containing algae (eg, Chlorella, Spirulina, Aphanizomenon flow-aquae).
* Essential fatty acids (eg, evening primrose oil)

Although regimes vary, the classic rationale of detox is that nutrient supplements (apart from antioxidants and acidophilus) are not started immediately - just as you would not add new oil when servicing a car until the old, dirty oil (the toxins) have first been drained away.

After two weeks, you can start to add in other foods that you enjoy - but try always to select healthy foods and drinks. While in the short-term detox is beneficial, it is the long-term dietary and lifestyle choices you make that will reduce the future build up of toxins.

Who should not detox?
Do not follow a detox programme if you are:
* Pregnant.
* Breast-feeding.
*Convalescing.
* Receiving medical treatment (unless your doctor agrees you are fit enough to follow a detox programme).