Wednesday 25 January 2012

Moving things along

As I said in my blog last week on detoxes, I don't think it's necessary to fork out for lots of detox supplements to do an effective detox.

That being said they can help speed your detox along and make it a bit less painful.

The key is not just to buy the latest fad 'cleanse' supplement but to think about what you need and pick accordingly.

Firstly you need antioxidants - the liver uses these in the chemical processes by which it neutralizes and excretes toxins. However on a detox diet you'll be getting loads of these from all the fruit + veg you're eating. A couple you might not be getting are CoQ10 and vitamin D which are found in meat, fish and eggs, so are worth supplementing if you're not eating these.

Secondly, if you're constipated, you may need some bulking fibre supplements. These will help speed up your excretion process which is what you want for effective detox. You can reabsorb toxins from the bowel if things aren't moving along as they should be and these fibres can instead trap them to stop reabsorption and make sure your bowel movements are regular. Simple natural laxatives such as flax seeds and psyllium husks can be effective for this but if you need something stronger go for natural fig or papaya based laxatives.

Thirdly, depending on how toxic you are, you may experience some unpleasant detox side effects - headaches, lethergy, even flu-like symptoms and this is where taking something extra can really help you get to the end of your detox:
-Milk thistle extract taken in water can help with these symptoms, whether you're on a detox of just have a hangover from over indulging. Take it in the morning with fresh grapefruit juice to kick your liver into action - grapefruit stimulates the first stage of the detox process.
- dandelion coffee is my personal favourite for dealing with detox and is especially good in helping with brain foggyness. Don't go for the powdered version with added lactose, brew it up from the root and have a cup every few hours.
- detox teas are a great, lazy, way to benefit from som detox herbs. Pukka, twinings, Dr Stuart and Yogi tea, all make good ones, but you may need to try a few to find ones you like the taste of. Have 3 cups a day.

And finally, you need plenty of water, preferably filtered or mineral, to help flush out the toxins and prevent water retention - buy a 1.5litre bottle at work and make sure you've drunk it by the end of the day.
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