TIME FOR A CLEAN OUT? – THE INS AND OUTS OF DETOXES

Detoxing has had quite a lot of bad hype over the years – it doesn’t work, fasting is bad for your body and so on. As a qualified nutritionist who also works in the natural health field I feel that gentle and sensible detoxing can be beneficial too most of us, especially if we have been through a period of overindulgence (Winter!!), generally feel unwell or chronically fatigued, suffer from allergies, stress or burnout, metabolic and hormonal imbalances or who wish to kick start a weight loss programme.

But before you reach for the juicer and prepare yourself for days of fasting and laying off the alcohol and coffee it is a good idea to understand what detoxing is all about, why a body cleanse might work for you and how to do it safely and successfully.

Detoxification – why?

Over the last 20 years or so, the number of people suffering from allergies and chronic diseases has increased dramatically. Allergies and disease are always  accompanied by an impaired immune system. The proper functioning of our immune system can be negatively influenced by common pollutants and toxins present in the environment, foods and drinks, drugs and alcohol that our bodies are exposed to every day.

The gut and the liver are the primary organs involved in detoxifying these harmful substances, but if the liver is overloaded or damaged due to constant bombardment of these chemicals then they are unable to clear the toxins effectively and they accumulate in the body. Also, all this can lead to destruction of vitamins and minerals, which are needed in the detoxification pathways in our liver.

When the liver and digestive tract become overloaded, cells that line the intestinal wall can become damaged and toxins can get reabsorbed into the bloodstream, rather than excreted in the urine and stools, causing constipation, bloating, excessive flatulence, irregular bowel movements and overgrowth of harmful bacteria. You may also feel tired all the time, have headaches, stomach pain, be irritable, nauseous and be prone to allergies.

Symptoms and signs of toxicity
Some of the most common signs are:

·         Recurrent headaches

·         Muscle aching and weaknesses

·         Nerve pain of numbness

·         Recurrent infections

·         Infertility

·         Poor short-term memory and concentration

·         Adverse reactions or sensitivity to environmental chemicals, foods and odours

·         Chronic fatigue and lethargy

·         Depression, anxiety and/or mood swings

·         Anaemia

·         Hormonal imbalances

·         Weight gain or difficulty losing weight

What will a detox do?
Detoxing helps to restore the health of the gastrointestinal lining, while protecting the liver against pollutants and assisting elimination of toxins in the bowel. The health of the gastrointestinal tract is important in all detox programmes. By correcting gut bacterial imbalances and eliminating yeasts and parasites (which damage the gut wall) the liver is more able to filter, breakdown and excrete these toxins.

How do I detox?
The first step is to reduce toxin exposure through sensible dietary and
lifestyle changes. I say sensible dietary changes as I do not advocate fasting, but
instead recommend eliminating alcohol, coffee and processed foods from thediet and opting for fresh and preferably organic foods. Then various supplements and herbs may be used to assist in the process (ask an Elementa naturopath to help you out here). Detoxification can be for two to three days or 6 weeks or longer depending on your individual health issues.

Dietary Guidelines for Detoxification
While on a detox your diet should include plenty of fresh, unrefined, unprocessed foods.  Fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and unrefined carbohydrates should make up the majority of the diet. Drink plenty of water, around 2 litres a day. Some diluted juices and herbal teas can be included.

Foods to avoid:

·         Dairy products – including milk, cheese, ice-cream

·         Alcohol

·         Caffeine – coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks

·         Sugar, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, sweets

·         Refined, processed foods containing additives, colourings etc

·         Wheat products (pasta, biscuits, cakes, white bread)

·         Saturated fats, red meat, processed meats (ham, smoked meats, sausages etc)

·         Deep fried foods, margarine, hydrogenated oils

·         Peanuts

Foods to eat:

·         At least five serves of fruit and vegetables per day, including at least one serving of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, choy sum, radish, mustard greens). Smoothies and vegetable juices are a great option.

·         Protein from fish, organic chicken, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, beans, hummus

·         Fibre rich foods – fruit and vegetables, nuts seeds, LSA

·         Cereals – oatmeal, puffed rice or millet, any cereals that are wheat and sugar free.

·         Rice – preferably brown, basmati or jasmine rice, rice pasta, rice cakes or crackers

·         Soy (unless allergic), rice or nut milk

·         Some dried fruits (preferably organic)

·         Flaxseed or olive oil.

·         Snacks – rice crackers and hummus, tuna, avocado, nuts and seeds, fruit, vegetable sticks with dips

·         Drink herbal teas, green tea, unsweetened juices diluted 50:50 with water.

 

Elementa Detox products and programmes
Body cleanse or detoxification herbs – such as St Mary’s Thistle, Schisandra, Dandelion Leaves, Cascara and Gentian,  and supplements such as antioxidants and probiotics can speed up the detox process and reactivate the body’s own detoxification pathways. Ask a qualified nutritionist or naturopath for assistance.Elementa stock a range of excellent over the counter detox kits containing supplements, herbs and diet plans including:

• The Iconherb Ultimate Herbal Detox
• Ethical Nutrients detox kit and
• Good Health Body Cleanse - total body detox,

all available at our on line store (www.elementa.direct.co.nz)or at Elementa retail outlet in Remuera
The Elementa team of naturopaths and nutritionist personally endorse these kits due to the quality and nature of the supplements and diets included.

Supervised programmes
Elementa also run a number of supervised gut and liver detoxification programmes. The benefit of this is that we will tailor your programme and detox supplements to meet your exact health needs. Check outElementa Gut and Liver Detoxification Programmes for more details.

The Healing Crisis
As your body heals flu like symptoms, headaches, aching joints may occur but this is only for a short period and shows that the body’s toxins are being eliminated. Hang on in there!!!

Sheena Hendon is the owner of Elementa (www.elementa.co.nz ), an Auckland-based natural health centre and store. She is a nutritionist, health coach and Neuro Linguistic Programme (NLP) practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in health in New Zealand and overseas. See www.elementa.co.nz or phone: 09 520 4015 for more details.

 

Submitted At: 14 September 2011 2:44pm | Last Modified At: 16 September 2011 3:39pm

Article Views: 411

Author: Elementa

Elementa natural health centre includes a health store, a herbal dispensary, an Auckland yoga & pilates studio and natural therapies, from naturopathy, nutrition and massage to NLP & kinesiology. Yoga Auckland ..