How to clean up... and not be cleaned out

Jan 1 2010 By The Evening Gazette

After the over indulgence of Christmas and New Year, thoughts start to turn to our bodies. Excess alcohol and mounds of rich food not only take their toll on our waistlines but can also leave us feeling tired and sluggish.

The answer, we are told, is to detox our system, flush out those festive toxins and cleanse the body. Shops are brimming with products to help. The choice includes murky-looking drinks, tablet supplements and even body wraps. Prices range from just a few pounds for pills and potions, up to £750 for a "three-day energising juice fast".

Even Countdown favourite Carol Vorderman is in on the act attributing a svelte new look to her 28-day detox programme. She has published a new edition of her book Detox For Life. But is detoxing the miracle solution it promises to be?

Yes, detox is a great boost to a winter-weary body
Elaine Langton is manager of health food store Holland & Barrett in Middlesbrough and believes a detox is a great boost to a winter-weary body. Having tried a detox kit for the first time during the run-up to Christmas, she found it made a positive impact.

"I tried Biofirm, the detox diet, for two weeks a month before Christmas. I also cut down on caffeine and tried to drink more water.

"I chose to do it then because during the run-up to Christmas, being in retail, you have to work a lot more hours. I tend to get run down at this time of year because you are trying to organise Christmas as well as doing all of the extra jobs. I did notice a difference, particularly after lunch when you would normally get that tired slump - that was just out of the window."

Elaine says that at health food stores there are a range of products suitable for people wanting to detox and they can either put together their own plan with the help of staff or get a pack. But she says there is no need to fall into the trap of paying a lot of money for fad diets and products.

"You don't need to spend a lot," she says. "It can run into a lot - it just depends whether you want to totally change your diet, in which case you have got to re-invest in all of your food."

Detox plans can be adapted to meet the individual's needs. Elaine explains that people want different things from their plan. "Some just want to get rid of over indulgence from Christmas, like rich food and alcohol. For this you only need a couple of products," she says. These could include Aloe Vera, Milk Thistle and Artichoke.

She says if someone has not been feeling at their best all year and want some sort of remedy then they will need some extra products. And those who simply want a kick-start and a bit of a boost would chose a different combination again.

From her own experience, Elaine says detox is certainly becoming more popular, particularly during the last two years. "You do see it in January as everyone has resolutions to make a healthy new start."

But she says it is important not to be lulled into fad diets. "We wouldn't advise people to cut out food - you need to make sure you are getting all of the calories and nutrients you need."

Ruth Weatherall, a dietician at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, says no, your body is detoxing all the time. Read on to see what she has to say. We also take a look at some of the detox plans on offer.