What is the right detox for me?

Detox

Article by Angela Haldane

Q. I am planning time off next week in order to do a ‘detox’. How best should I approach this?

A. I prefer to make it a lifestyle approach rather than a quick 3 day blitz. 8 glasses of water per day and a variety of organic vegetables and fruit provide naturally occurring antioxidants which effectively detoxify on a daily basis.

Exercise such that you sweat is also good for excretion of metabolites.

With your time off, I would spend time planning lifestyle measures that your want to implement on a long term basis – such as planning meals, filling the freezer with soups, or curries. Take nutritious food to work, for example, salad mix and dressing, boiled eggs, trail mix, fruit, hummus and crackers.
Include sour foods in your diet like lemon squeezed in water, balsamic vinegar, gherkins. When taken before meals, the bitter taste stimulates bile flow from the liver, and digestive enzymes to enhance the digestive process.

If you wish to do a fast, I can only recommend this if you are starting off in a relatively healthy state. Fasting can worsen some conditions especially if you are already starting out with nutritional deficiencies. It would be best to seek professional advice before embarking upon this.

Some reasons people fast are to become more spiritually attuned, conscious, and creative with an increase clarity. Or to rest the organs, reduce symptoms and slow the aging process.
The theories of congestion and stagnation should be addressed on a daily basis through a ‘hunter gatherer’ diet and exercise.

ContraIndications for detoxing are as follows:          

Heart weakness                Arrhythmias                     Peptic ulcer        Pregnant/Lactating            Mental Illness                    Diabetes                          Nutritional Deficiencies 
Extreme Fatigue               Cancer                            Low Immunity                    Coldness
Underweight                      Pre/Post Surgery             Low Blood Pressure