When I was offered a seven-night stay at the infamous Mayr Clinic in Austria I jumped at the chance believing the trip would be the perfect opportunity to sort out my poor eating habits and overworked brain after a year of stress-induced debauchery. Most of us will be glad to see the back of 2009, myself included, after two house moves and several upheavals in mine and my partner's working lives, all of which has resulted in a seven-pound weight gain, a poor complexion, constant tiredness and a short fuse that was becoming shorter by the minute. Thankfully the Mayr Clinic has had more than its fair share of grumpy, spotty men and women looking for fast weight lost, throwing open its doors to people looking for a natural lifelong cure to all of their ailments since 1936, making it the first ever detox centre.

The Mayr Cure

Situated on the south bank of Carinthia's largest lake in Dellach, South Austria the clinic offers jaw-dropping views of snow-capped mountains, clean fresh air and deathly silence, all of which will help you on your way to complete relaxation and rejuvenation. That and the reason why so many people continue to flock to the clinic year on year, the FX Mayr Cure, devised by Dr Franz Xaver. The Cure works on the premise that a malfunctioning of the intestines is the cause of most physical and emotional disorders. Each guest is assessed by one of the specialist FX Mayr Cure doctors on arrival and is then placed on a specially designed alkaline diet specific to their needs and ailments, along with a staggering amount of supplements and base powder (to make the blood alkaline) before leaving several weeks later completely cured and, hopefully several pounds lighter.

The diet

I was considered one of the lucky few at the Mayr Clinic as my doctor diagnosed me with Candida, a controversial overgrowth in the stomach which causes the sufferer to crave sugar and feel lethargic, among many other symptoms. This meant that instead of the bland, potato-based soup given to everyone else at lunch and dinner, I was allowed a potato at lunchtime with a side of vegetables and then the usual soup for dinner. Bread was strictly forbidden and in their place were piles of rice cakes. Breakfast was by far the favourite meal of the day, with a pot of sheep's yoghurt (tastes better than it sounds) a portion of protein paste (again, this was actually delicious) and the obligatory rice cakes.

The meals were the same every day, which meant that towards the end of my stay I began to dread meal times and probably would have skipped them completely if I hadn't have felt so hungry. The complete ban of sugar, yeast and of course, caffeine, meant that by day two I had one of the worst headaches of my life and felt so tired and spaced out that moving from my room to the dining room was all I could manage for the first two to three days. I also learnt that I have a very strong gag reflex and after downing one of the multitude of supplements I was given I spent the entire evening with my head stuck down the toilet. After this bleak period of a couple of days when I was cursing my decision to come to the clinic at all, the mist cleared, my headache vanished and my skin transformed from blemished and haggard to youthful, healthy and clear. My stomach went from bloated to flat and firm, I woke up naturally early without feeling groggy or craving a mug of strong tea and my intermittent bouts of heart-racing anxiety completely vanished. I wouldn't go so far to say that I woke up and felt like a new woman because I didn't, I had very little energy the entire stay due to feeling so hungry but my new reflection certainly made the hunger worth it and I actually began to believe in the Mayr Cure.

The rest of my stay passed in a blur of detoxing massages, reiki sessions, Pilates classes, invigorating bike rides and Nordic walking and before I knew it I was being let out into the big wide world again full of all its toxic temptations, stressful timetables and dismal surroundings. I left two pounds lighter and arrived at work to a barrage of complements at how incredible my skin looked. Despite these obvious benefits I won't be rushing back the the Mayr Clinic anytime soon as I haven't been able to look at a potato since my stay. But the stories from the other women at the Clinic, who were all regulars, which included tales of their IBS vanishing after only a fortnight, two stone weight-loss and turning back the biological clock 10 years would definitely make me consider heading back in about 10 years or so when my body and mind are in need of an intense MOT. One thing is for certain though, the Mayr Cure does work, but it's not for the faint-hearted or weak-willed.

Visit www.mayrclinic.com for more information.

A 7-night stay at the Mayr & more starts from €1,500 per person (approximately £1,340 per person- subject to change) staying in a single room on the F.X. Mayr Classic programme. Price includes 2 medical examinations (1 initial and 1final); 2 abdominal medical treatments; 1 alkaline powder; 3 massages; 1 Jörgensen Acid Alkaline definition; 1 urine analysis; 2 Alkaline Detox bath; 1 detoxing full body sea salt oil peel; 3 hayflower liver compress; all meals on F.X. Mayr diet; use of fitness facilities and activities in programme.

To book contact call 360 Travel on Tel: 020 7437 3601 or visit www.360travel.co.uk

Try out the Mayr Cure for yourself at home with Viva Mayr Cure Diet: 14 Days to a Flatter Stomach, £8.41, www.amazon.co.uk

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