Make yourself feel good on the inside after Christmas
The word ‘detox’ has been criticised in the past and confused with weight loss plans, but a ‘detox’ is anything that helps the body to expel toxins by supporting the internal organs to do their job better.
At Christmas we often overindulge across the spectrum of food baddies from drinking too much alcohol and scoffing too many treats, to increased processed foods and missing out on our five-a-day.
Whether a person has one minute or one month to spend ‘detox’-ing, or their worried about their liver, stomach or heart we have a lifestyle plan…
The Big Blow Out Detox (1 minute)
For the health-conscious individual a big family dinner at Christmas followed by desserts, cheese and all washed down with wine can be a scary thought. Nobody wants to look like ‘the Grinch’ at Christmas, so it’s great that Nature’s Best has a smart, little supplement that is an ideal compliment to a heavy, rich meal. Nature’s Best Ibisine® (£12.20 for 180 tablets, www.naturebest.co.uk) is a high potency extract derived from the leaves of the artichoke herb, which contain the key active compounds cynarin in high levels. This nutrient has been shown to stimulate bile flow and digestive juices whose job it is to break down dietary fats, making them easier to digest. Take two tablets before a meal to help ease abdominal pain and digestive discomfort. To improve bowel regularity the next day, take two more tablets.
The Alcohol Detox (3 days)
Alcohol puts a strain on the body and has a damaging effect on the liver – an important organ that plays a major role in metabolism, producing hormones and detoxifying blood. For many Brits January means detox – a month of alcohol avoidance to make up for excessive consumption over Christmas and New Year celebrations. However experts believe it is not how long alcohol is cut out, but how frequently and three day’s abstinence every week through the year is most desirable. During the three day break drinking plenty of water and avoiding processed foods will help the liver to recover, but a natural supplement can help too. Milk Thistle is one of the most researched herbs in use today and scientific studies have shown it to prevent toxins from entering the liver as well as stimulate regeneration in the liver cells. It can also boost gluthathione production – one of the liver’s hardworking detoxifying chemicals – by 35%1234. The active ingredient in Milk Thistle is a group of strong antioxidant flavanoids known as Silymarin. Nature’s Best Milk Thistle (£10.50 for 90 tablets, www.naturesbest.co.uk) is a high potency extract containing an impressive 200mg silymarin extracted from over eight grams of milk thistle seeds (many products contain as little as 80mg) to help support healthy liver function.
The Flush Detox (7 days)
For those with a sensitive digestive tract, the excesses of the festive period can mean bowel problems for days afterwards. Constipation can be defined as infrequent bowel movements, hard stools or excessive straining when going to the toilet – plus a sluggish digestion can lead to feelings of lethargy and heaviness. The best way to flush out the system is to introduce a fibre-rich diet to move things along accompanied by plenty of hydrating drinks to soften stools. An easy way to increase fibre every morning is with a spoonful of Nature’s Best Flourishe® (£10.95 for 500g powder, www.naturesbest.co.uk). Flourishe® is derived from the chicory plant root and is a pure form of FOS (fructo-oligosaccharide), a natural soluble fibre and prebiotic that promotes the growth of friendly bacteria in the bowel. Scientifically proven to support bowel health, Flourish lowers the pH in the bowel and gently stimulates the bowel walls so that waste matter is moved through the system more efficiently leading to a ‘fresher’ feeling. A daily dose of this sweet tasting powder mixed into drinks or sprinkled onto food provides an increase in friendly bacteria preventing the growth of toxins.
The Gut Detox (6 weeks)
Our gut flora is a complex balance of bacteria which help digest food, provide vitamins and fight invading pathogens, but there are a number of environmental factors - from a course of antibiotics to too much sugar in our diets - which can disturb this healthy balance and lead to an overgrowth of the yeast candida. Candida in the gut has embarrassing side effects such as excessive wind, belching or recurrent bouts of thrush in women. When the gut has an acidic pH and plenty of good bacteria it keeps yeasts like candida at bay. A 6 week programme of dietary changes could help:
1. Reduce sugar levels – particularly simple sugars. Avoid alcohol and bread, not only do they contain sugar but they are also made with yeast.
2. Take a probiotic – those with live cultures are of particular benefit as they will help to increase the friendly bacteria in the gut. Nature’s Best Acidophilus Extra 10 Billion (£17.95 for 60 capsules, www.naturesbest.co.uk) provides more live bacteria than 18 pots of yoghurt. One capsule twice a day will help restore and maintain the healthy balance of the bowel flora. Each capsule contains carefully selected live bacteria strains Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium Bb-12, both widely used in clinical studies. Probiotic capsules only work if the friendly bacteria are kept alive in a state of ‘suspended animation’ so that after swallowing they are still viable, which Nature’s Best sophisticated processes guarantee.
3. Drink plenty of water to flush the digestive system.
4. Incorporate cinnamon, which exhibits antifungal properties, into daily diet.
5. Take Olive leaf extract which has been shown in various studies to help get candida under control. A double-blind placebo controlled study of people with chronic yeast infections2 found candida symptoms decreased by over 50% following administration of an olive leaf extract without side effects. Research has shown that the active ingredient in Olive Leaf Extract – Oleuropein - has powerful healing properties that fights candida. Lina Swailem a Naturopath who works at the Comvita store in Portobello Road comments: “Comvita Olive Leaf complex guarantees high levels of Oleuropein. Those who wish to banish Candida should use the product in conjunction with other dietary changes to discourage yeast growth.” Comvita's Olive Leaf Complex, (£10.99 for 100ml, www.comvita.co.uk)
The Heart Health Detox (90 Days)
According to the British Heart Foundation, heart disease is the biggest cause of death in the UK. By making simple lifestyle and dietary changes, you can detox from unhealthy habits and improve your heart health reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia. Three months of changes could help improve your heart health and you can implement some of the rules through the rest of the year to kick-start a healthier life!
1. Get moving: Aerobic exercise will not only help manage your weight, it is also the most beneficial method of exercising your heart. This includes any repetitive rhythmic exercise involving large muscle groups such as swimming and walking.
2. Eat heart healthy foods: A fatty diet which includes lots of trans and saturated fats can raise your cholesterol which increases your risk of heart disease. You can lower cholesterol using healthier unsaturated fats such as sunflower oil and avocados. Natural supplements, such as BergaMet, can also help reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and raise good ‘HDL’. BergaMet is made from an Italian fruit called Calabrian Citrus Bergamot and can delay the need for statins or be used in complement to statins to reduce the prescribed dosage. BergaMet costs £42 for a month’s supply and is available to order direct from http://www.bergamet.co.uk.
3. No alcohol: Drinking alcohol can be fattening which is unhealthy for your heart. Make sure you keep within the NHS recommended daily guidelines; men should not regularly drink more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day and women should not regularly drink more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day.
4. Get your weekly dose of oily fish: Omega-3 fats are found in oily fish and can help protect heart health. Try to have at least one portion of oily fish a week such as fresh tuna or salmon. In addition to eating oily fish, Nature’s Best Fish Oil is a highly concentrated level of Omega 3. To buy, call 01892 552094 or visit www.naturesbest.co.uk.
5. Reduce your salt intake – To maintain a healthy blood pressure, stop using salt at the table and don’t add any to your cooking. Also, watch out for high salt levels in processed foods by checking the food labels: avoid foods with more than 1.5g salt (or 0.6g sodium) per 100g.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
Tagged in Health Healthy eating detox diet Detox