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Detoxification or ‘detox’ as has become fashionable, is a huge subject, which I cannot do justice to in a snappy article format. However, I shall aim to introduce the concept to you, and give you some hints and tips on a good detoxification plan which aims to offer your body a refreshing respite from the festive season’s rich pickings. Whilst Christmas traditionally is a time of feasting and eating extra than we perhaps normally would, January makes the headlines as the month to cleanse, but truth be told, the body appreciates a time to rest and rejuvenate on a regular basis, so what I am about to share with you here, would be good to apply once a year, once a quarter or once a month, maybe even once a week if you get the bug! To detoxify, means to rid (the body) of toxins. It is like a ‘spring clean’ for the body, in much the same way that you benefit from a holiday after a long period at work, the body too appreciates a rest from the usual functions it has to perform day in day out. A traditional method is to fast, whilst some people fast for spiritual reasons; it is suggested as a method of purifying the body by many complementary health practitioners also. A fast can be total abstinence from food and just taking water or clear soup and herbal teas or can be very specifically defined - such as liquids and vegetables only for example. Many people will testify to the fact that after a fast they feel they have more energy, feel lighter and look better too. This is a good indicator that as well as improving the body’s ability to detoxify, the intake of the right kind of food, promotes optimal wellness. The liver is the major detoxification organ in the body and much of what is put into the body, from a chemical perspective, involves substances, being broken down and turned into something else to make them safe to eliminate from the body. 80% of this involves detoxifying potentially harmful substances. External toxins (environmental toxins such as car fumes, chemicals in our food, household cleaners and body products) are just a tiny fraction of what the liver has to deal with. In addition to these the body makes toxins which also have to be eliminated. Whether a substance is bad for you depends on your ability to detoxify it as much as how toxic a substance it is in the first place. In order to remove substances from the body the liver attaches things on to them in a process called conjugation. Needless to say, an adequate supply of nutrients which are used at each phase of this process, is vital to provide the liver with the ‘tools for the job’. From a food point of view this is includes cruciferous vegetables (kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage). Additionally maintaining the right acid/alkaline balance and as we have a tendency to eat more acid forming foods (which creates inflammation in the body) so we need to eat more alkalising foods – namely fruit and vegetables. The Role of Antioxidants Oxygen, the basis of all life, needed by every cell, every moment of every day, astonishingly is also chemically reactive and highly dangerous. Within the process of normal chemical reactions oxygen can become unstable and oxidise neighbouring molecules. (If you cut an apple in half and leave it it will go brown – this is oxidation) This is the process that can lead to triggering cancer, inflammation, arterial damage and ageing. Oxidants (as they are known) are the by product of all combustion processes such as smoking, exhaust emissions, radiation, frying or barbequing food and the normal body processes. Antioxidants are the wonder that disarm and render these oxidants harmless. (Going back to the example of the cut apple, if you rub lemon juice over the cut surface it will delay the surface turning brown, quite significantly). Vitamins A, C, E and selenium and zinc are the essential factors and contained in a wide variety of foods – primarily which include fruit and vegetables. In my view, due to the nature of the world in which we live we cannot get sufficient antioxidants from the food we eat and therefore it is wise to ensure that you supplement (especially if you are over 60 and/or live in a city). An good combination is as follows :- Vitamin A as retinol 2,500mcg – 6,600mcg Vitamin A as betacarotene – 7,500iu – 20,000iu Vitamin E 66mg or 100iu – 330mg or 500iu Vitamin C 1,000mg – 3,000mg (in my view Vitamin C can be taken to bowel tolerance – people with cancer would be taking in the region of 12,000mg + daily) Note: Vitamin C is water soluble and therefore should be taken at 2 – 3 hourly intervals throughout the day as the body will dispose of what it does not use rather than store it. Selenium 30mcg – 100mcg Zinc 10mg – 20mg These supplements can be taken individually or as part of a multivitamin and mineral. The above is intended as a general guide – as each person may have specific additional requirements you should seek the advice of a nutritional therapist for personal guidance. Drinking aloe vera juice is excellent for drinking as a tonic and helping to cleanse the gastro-intestinal tract whilst fasting. Guidelines for a 7 day detox 1. Begin at the weekend when you do not have anything pressing to do – you will need to be able to be quiet and rest. 2. Walk for at least 30 minutes to increase your heart rate every day. 3. Drink at least 2 litres of water – preferably filtered or bottled spread evenly throughout the day. You may also drink aloe vera juice, dandelion root coffee (without sugar), herbal teas, or lemon juice and sparkling water. 4. Drink ½ pt fresh vegetable and fruit juice a day. You can either buy these ready made or juice your own if you have a juicer. Carrots, apples and tomatoes are a good base and to these you can add ginger or lemon. 5. Eat the following fruit and vegetables in abundance: Fruit – any kind of berry, any kind of melons, citrus fruit, kiwi, papaya, mango, peaches and red grapes – try to eat seasonally where possible. Vegetables – as previously stated cruciferous vegetables + carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watercress, sprouting seeds, cucumber, beetroot, artichokes and peppers. 6. Avoid – wheat based products, all meat, all dairy, eggs, salt and any foods containing any additives, spices and dried fruits. 7. Eat sparingly (no more than one portions daily) grains - rice, millet, quinoa; fish – salmon, mackerel, sardines 8. Eat one handful of mixed nuts and seeds daily and use olive oil for cooking and drizzling on salads 9. Eat white potatoes and bananas only once every other day if required. 10. Supplement at least 2,000mg Vitamin C, a shot of aloe vera (on an empty stomach) and a good quality multivitamin and mineral. Depending on the current state of your liver you may feel worse at first, with symptoms such as headache, joint aches, irritability and tiredness. This is due to toxins being too numerous for your liver to cope adequately. Dandelion coffee and milk thistle may provide some relief to these symptoms and support your liver but ensure that you get plenty of fresh air and rest. Like I said at the beginning this is a vast subject and so please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, which may not have been answered by this article. Happy New Year and every blessing for 2011. |
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