CLEANING OUT: THE PROCESS

Ok, so by now you have probably figured out when the best time to detox is and you can’t wait to get started. But before we go into the program, we need to look at the process in terms of what happens to your organs when you detox. Just to give you a little motivation!

The Liver:

The liver will effectively sweep up all the toxins that are in your body. So this means that when you detox, the liver has a chance to get rid of all the toxins. So how does it do this? Well, giving your liver a bit of a break, through your program, means that it has the time, capacity and the energy to alter toxins, so that it can make them easy to get rid of in your urine.

It also leaks toxins into the bile it produces, which makes it easier for the body to get rid of the toxins through your bowel movements.

The lungs:

The lungs will also get some breathing space (excuse the pun please) because they will not have as many toxins coming in and as a result, they can simply breathe out the toxins that are in there. These toxins are the ones that we breathe in, through living in polluted cities.

The kidneys:

The kidneys are the unsung heroes of the body! Those little guys are kept really busy, since they take all the waste stuff that is in blood system (up to 12 pints an hour) filter it, take out all the nasty stuff, the toxins and then send the fluid back to the body, so that the blood is cleaned. They keep going, all the time, never usually complain, but giving them a break from having to filter out quite so much junk, will mean that they can work just that little bit more efficiently. 

The intestines:

The intestines have to ‘cope’ with all the dietary toxins that we eat or drink. So they get the full impact of all the salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol. They also (often) have to deal with a lack of fiber in the diet. This means that they cannot ‘hook’ toxins onto fiber and then get rid of the toxins. A detox program can increase your fiber intake and thereby give your intestines a chance to clean out some of the toxins lurking in your guts.

The skin:

The skin is often overlooked in the detox process, yet as the largest organ in the body, the skin can be used to eliminate toxins, through increasing sweat production. Initially the skin may look a little bit weary or even spotty as all those toxins start flooding out. But after a week of detox your skin will look refreshed, renewed and much more relaxed than it has for years: so stick with it!

Who can’t detox?

Anyone can detox to a greater or lesser degree, but if you are pregnant, lactating, have a serious medical condition or are diabetic, then you should check with your physician prior to undertaking the program outlined here. People who have kidney problems, liver problems, gallstones or any other medical condition should only embark on this program if they have first discussed the program in detail with a  physician.

This program has not designed to be followed by anyone who has a serious or chronic medical condition, nor is it appropriate for women who may be pregnant or lactating, so ensure that you are well enough to undergo the program. If you are unsure as to whether or not it is appropriate for you, then discuss it in detail with your physician.

OK: LET’S DO IT!

So now all the preparation has been done. If you are a caffeine junkie or like too many salty foods or too many glasses of wine of an evening, then you should have spent a week or so preparing for this detox process. But if you live a relatively healthy lifestyle, then you can just jump straight in.

As you are going through each day, then it may be helpful to consult the sections on supplements as well as alternative therapies that may help ease the process of detoxification. So if you have a day where you are finding things a bit tough, then flick through to the sections on supplements and then alternative therapies, just to equip yourself with all the weapons you need to beat those toxins out of your body: for good!

There are some things that you are going to have to live without for 10 days. They will not assist the detox process and may simply work against it. So they cannot be taken: even in moderation.

These are:

• Coffee, tea, alcohol and all drinks except water, fruit juice and herbal teas
• Salt
• Processed foods
• Sugar, even hidden sugars in food. Sweeteners are also not allowed.
• Sweets, cakes, biscuits

The following foods also cannot be eaten in the first few days:

• Fish
• Meat
• White rice

But the good news is that there is plenty that you can eat. But often it is best to go through your store cupboards and have a look at what you have in and lock away all the bad things. It is really easy to have a weak moment and you are looking in the store cupboard for something when you see a chocolate biscuit and then you think that one biscuit won’t hurt, after all you have been so good for so long. And before you know it you have eaten the biscuit and then a little voice pops into your head and says that since you have broken out from the detox process and you may as well just give it up now and have a big plate of fries and a burger. So don’t let that little voice win. Go through all your cupboards and lock everything that is forbidden out of sight.

If other people in your household aren’t participating in the detox process, then make sure that they can still have access to all their ‘normal’ foods, but ask them to store them away carefully.

Remember that you are doing this for you and those who are around you and love you need to give you lots of love and support. Ideally, everyone in the house should detox at the same time, but in the real world we know that isn’t always possible, particularly if you have kids or your partner is facing a real busy time at work. So be realistic and if you have to do it on your own, then simply embrace the opportunity to do something really good for yourself. Look on it as cherishing yourself: not ‘doing without’. If you adopt a martyr position, then it is more likely that temptation will get the better of you. In other words: think, act and be positive about the process!

In the recipes for the meals that you will have during your detox process, you will find that the ingredients are flexible. This is not a calorie counting diet and you will find that since you are not having a lot of carbohydrates in the first few days, you may feel hungry. So if this means that you want to cook a huge plate of cauliflower or broccoli, then by all means go ahead. Do not feel that you have to starve yourself: if you do then it is harder to stick to the program.

You will also find that the recipes are very flexible and that it is often specified that you should cook an item according to taste. Well that is simply so that you can be more in control, so that if you like your salmon cooked until it is extremely soft, then by all means cook it this way, but if you like it cooked so that it is only very lightly cooked, then again, feel free to enjoy it like this.

Some detox programs are very rigid and say that you need to steam salmon for 15 minutes and your vegetables for no mare than 5 and so on. But the difficulty with these is that they get too focussed on everything being absolutely inflexible and so the whole process can feel too restrictive. Yes your body may be able to get more omega oils from salmon if it is very lightly cooked and yes the minerals it contains may be easier to access if the salmon is not overcooked. But can you keep up an extremely strict and restrictive regimen for 10 days? Or do you think it is more likely that you will keep it up for two days, then get upset because your vegetables steamed for 6 minutes (but hey, they tasted great) and then be more likely just to abandon the whole project and feel like some kind of failure? Whereas, if you have a regimen that allows you just a  little more flexibility, then aren’t you more likely to stick with it?

You may also find that you simply do not like some of the items that are listed. For example, some people do not like sunflower seeds, which are a really good source of vitamins and minerals and are reputed to have a calming effect on the body, thus acting as a way of ensuring that you stick to the program. But if you do not like them, it can be hard to stick with the process. The best advice is to just try to eat them, but if this becomes impossible, then try something like sesame seeds, or pine kernels or nuts.