This is the time of year when our bodies may begin to feel the worse for wear after a glut of seasonal festivities and indoor indulgences. But it's not just those extra mince pies and hours slouched in front of the TV that take their toll on the system; throughout the year we continually make unreasonable demands on our bodies.
Over the past 12 months, unless we have a completely organic diet, most of us will have eaten more than six kilograms of pesticides, fertilizers and food additives. And food isn't the only culprit. Tap water contains traces of around 1,000 chemicals, while toxins in the environment, including lead, mercury, aluminum and exhaust fuels are encountered daily. Even sitting next to a smoker in the pub means inhaling around 4,000 chemicals from their cigarette smoke. Under such an onslaught, it's hardly surprising if the body starts to complain.
Normally, we eliminate unwanted substances via sweat, urine, stools, mucus and even tears. But when the system is overloaded, these toxins remain in the body and create unpleasant side-effects. If you are suffering from toxic overload, you may find yourself experiencing constant, inappropriate tiredness, headaches, poor memory and concentration, intolerance to fatty foods and a susceptibility to allergic conditions.
If you feel your body could do with an early spring clean, a simple 'detox'
could be just what you need - and it doesn't have to be uncomfortable.
In her book Detox (Collins & Brown, 14.99), Dr Christina Scott-Moncrieff suggests cleansing the body over a relaxing weekend. The process consists mainly of vegetable juices, as they are rich in minerals and vitamins, and is a great idea for busy people. If you repeat it every one to two months and carry out a maintenance programme in between, it can be as effective as following one of the longer detox regimes.
Weekend energizer
* Friday evening: Eat a light salad with fresh herbs and a baked potato or brown rice. Have a relaxing evening, perhaps with an aromatherapy bath, and an early night.
* Saturday: The day's meals are interspersed with relaxation and gentle exercise such as yoga. It's important not to make too many demands on your system, as it is working hard to eliminate the waste products clogging up your system. Breakfast and lunch consist of vegetable juices, while the evening meal should be at least four vegetables, either steamed or eaten as a salad. If you like, add an olive oil and lemon or avocado dressing. You will also need to drink a lot of water this day, to help your body release the toxins. This can be flavoured with fresh lemon or lime, or if you prefer hot drinks, add fresh ginger to boiled water.
* Sunday: This day is essentially the same as Saturday, but include three or four pieces of fruit in the afternoon and evening, and add some brown rice or the even more nutritious grain, quinoa, to the evening meal.
If you can't find organic produce for your juices, make sure you wash vegetables thoroughly, and peel all root vegetables. This will minimize the toxins that you take into your body.
Dr Scott-Moncrieff suggests the following combinations for juicing at home:
* Carrot, celery, lettuce and coriander
* Carrot and broccoli
* Tomato, fennel and parsley
* Tomato, beetroot, celery and cucumber.
Ten-day clean-up
For those who feel this business needs to be taken more seriously in hand, Leslie Kenton's Ten-day clean-up plan (Century Hutchinson, 2.99) covers a five-day period, with two weekends tagged on at either end.
* Day 1: Start with a preparation day on a Friday. This involves eliminating all stimulants, such as tea and coffee, and all depressants, including alcohol. Pasta and bread are also avoided, and the last meal of the day is a large raw salad.
* Days 2 and 3: The weekend is devoted to a fruit fast, as it's one of the quickest ways to clear out the system. Apples are a particularly useful choice, says Leslie Kenton, as the pectin helps to remove impurities.
Grapes are also a good option, as they supply a lot of energy and are effective cleansers for the skin and liver. If you find that fasting brings on detox symptoms, such as a mild headache, or increased tiredness, make sure you take some time out to rest.
* Days 4 to 8: The following week is set aside to replenish the system, with a fruit breakfast, a raw salad with nuts and sprouted seeds for lunch, and a cooked meal in the evening. Make the evening meal one of steamed vegetables or a stir-fry, with a blended topping with an avocado or tomato base.
* Days 9 and 10: The final weekend is to accustom your body to eating normally again. Breakfast and lunch are the same as in the week, but introduce some grilled fish or chicken to the evening meal, and include some carbohydrates, such as brown rice. If you prefer, you could make a lentil soup.
Mind games
Dr Jennifer Harper, author of the Detox Handbook, believes negative thought patterns can be just as unhealthy as a poor diet. 'What we think and feel - our emotional state of health - has an impact on the whole immune system, and thus a profound effect on our health,' she says. And it's not only the immune system that is influenced. If you are constantly pre-occupied with negative thoughts, it is likely to hinder your ability to communicate clearly with friends and colleagues, which in itself can create further complications. If you fear that a friend is criticising you behind your back, for example, or that your partner is taking you for granted, and you start acting as if this is the case, they may withdraw emotionally, causing you to trust them even less.
Instead of keeping everything to yourself, express your thoughts to the person concerned, and find out how real they are. So, for example, if you are angry that your boss doesn't appreciate all the hours you put in, then rather than complain to a friend, or withdraw into yourself, be pro-active about the situation. Decide what you really want (shorter hours or a pay increase, perhaps), and arrange a time to discuss what the realistic possibilities are. If you are unable to find a mutually satisfying solution, you may want to start thinking about possible alternatives, and what you can do to make them happen. Maybe you feel it's time to look for another job, or perhaps you want to think about training, and then discuss a pay rise at a later date in the context of your new qualification.
The important thing is to learn to take responsibility for your feelings, and take care of them in a sensitive and sympathetic way.
Do not fast if you:
* Are underweight
* Are under extreme stress
* Have anaemia
* Have type 1 diabetes
* Are taking prescription medicine
* Are pregnant
BE GOOD TO YOURSELF
Detoxing need not be an austere, self-depriving experience. Instead, use it as an opportunity to catch up on some pampering 'me' time. Not only will the increased relaxation enable your body to detoxify more effectively, but it will also give you time to reflect on your life. During your detox, do simple stretching exercises such as yoga, and take gentle walks in the park or nearby countryside. Writing down your thoughts can help you plan a strategy for creating the changes in your life that you want.
Here are some detox boosters to help you get started.
Dead Sea bath salts (500g for 2.99) from Dead Sea Spa Magik (tel:01580 211055) are rich minerals and naturally exfoliating. They make the bath water beautifully soft and smelling like the sea. If you want to go for the complete experience - and are feeling brave! - try a mudpack for the face (2.99) or body (three for 9.99), made from 21 Dead Sea minerals. Once the mask has set, you can simply peel it off, thanks to the properties of one of the seaweeds in the mix. If this all sounds a bit icky, the company offers free samples (for 2 p&p), so you can try them out before taking the plunge.
For those wanting to take a more serious approach to detoxing, Elemis (tel: 0208 954 8033) has a 30-day programme to support your detox diet. The products aim to increase your energy, rebalance the system and eliminate excess water and waste products. The body detox collection (35) includes a natural cactus brush for daily skin brushing; herbal bath sachets containing sea salts, essential oils and marine extracts; a natural body oil to improve the circulation and aid in the release of toxins; and Chinese herbal capsules containing iodine, to help balance the metabolism.
These products can have strong effects on the body, so if you have high blood pressure, or thyroid problems, seek advice from your GP before taking them.
