Nutrition - Free Fitness Library
Give your body a break, detox for summer
Winter's over, it's spring clean time. Our bodies have coped with Christmas, winter ills, long dark nights, short days, stress, stress and more stress. Plus our bodies are struggling to cope with the high levels of toxins in the environment. These toxins have risen sharply in the air, soil and our food over the last hundred years and could already be overloading the body's capacity to eliminate them. They can block the absorption of nutrients into the cells, thereby causing nutritional deficiencies or stimulating the formation of free radicals which have been implicated in degenerative diseases like arthritis, cancer and heart disease.
* The most obvious form of toxins is the emissions from industry, cars and cigarette smoke. We breath in these emissions and they are absorbed into the soil where our crops are grown and are eaten by the animals we may eventually consume.
* Inorganic food is usually sprayed with dangerous chemicals, especially nitrates, and animals are often fed with antibiotics and hormones. By the time the food actually reaches our table it has often been polluted by the air and soil, refined, processed, stored, frozen, overcooked and had chemical added to it!
* Mercury and aluminium are also common toxins. Mercury can be found in fish due to industrial contamination of rivers and amalgam fillings whilst aluminium is found in cookware, aluminium foil and ant-acid tablets.
* Lastly most drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, tea and coffee can be regarded as anti-nutrients or toxins in excessive amounts.
* The purpose of a spring clean, therefore, is to help cleanout all the toxins which have accumulated in your main cleansing organs which are your intestines, liver and gall bladder, kidneys and skin.
* The ultimate spring clean is simply fasting on water. However, this should never be done without the supervision of an experienced practitioner because weakness, dizziness and fainting spells can occur if you overdo it. Also it is not practical for most people because complete relaxation is required while you are doing it.
* Another type of spring clean is fruit and vegetable juices. These make the body more alkaline (our bodies tend to be too acid) and provide all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed to spring clean your body without the fibre so that they are rapidly absorbed. Fruit and vegetable juices are used for some natural cancer therapies for this reason. However, it is very time consuming to prepare fresh juices all day long, anti-social because you cannot eat with anyone and impractical if you are at work because you always need a juicer with you!
* A good and effective compromise is fruit and vegetables, a large proportion of which are raw. These will also make your body more alkaline and provide all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed to spring clean your body but with the fibre. This has the added advantage of being more practical and sociable to follow as most restaurants have a salad bar and serve fresh fruit.
* Alison Loftus, Nutrition Consultant, says everyone needs an individually designed Health Programme to have the most dramatic effect but the following 1-10 day eating regime seems to have a beneficial effect on most people:-
MEAL SUGGESTIONS
Breakfast
Large fresh fruit salad made with a large variety of fruit and juice made from fruit juice such as grape juice diluted half with spring water.
Lunch
Large fresh vegetable salad made with a large variety of salad vegetables and fruit; and olive oil and cider vinegar or lemon dressing.
Dinner
Large selection of vegetables which can be steamed, stir-fried or made into a soup.
Snacks
Large selection of fresh fruit.
Drinks
Drink at least 3 pints of liquids daily including spring or filtered water, fruit juice diluted with half mineral water, vegetable juices and herb/fruit teas.
NB: If you feel tired or experience headaches or joint aches and pains, this is a good sign as it means that you are discharging toxins and may be getting withdrawal signs from foods that you are allergic to. If this occurs, drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins and get an early night.
For more details contact:- Alison Loftus Dip ION, MNCA, The Hale Clinic,
Regents Park, London W1.
Tel: 0171 631 0156 or Wimbledon Tel: 0181 879 1763
As you detox chose daily activities that will destress your mind and body, walk in the park or countryside, swim, try yoga, tai chi, or stretch class. Avoid strenuous workouts that deplete your gylcogen store making you yearn for carbohydrates.
As you Detox you won't be eating as much or spending the usual amount on food, eating out or take aways. Instead pamper the body and relax the mind with some alternative therapy treatments, try aromatherapy massage or shiatsu.
Whatever you do, treat yourself with care as you prepare your body of summer. After your detox, change your diet so you are eating less fats and sugars. Now is the time to eat smart and make healthy choices.
FIVE STEPS TO A FITTER SUMMER
1. It's Bodycheck time. Give yourself a personal MOT. See the dentist, go for that smear test, book a medical with your doctor/BUPA, or a well woman clinic. If weight loss is your main concern, see a dietician. Follow our detox plan and give yourself a boost!
2. Become active now. If your New Year Resolutions to get fit died a rapid death...it's time you march your poor flabby body straight to the nearest gym....sign up and stick at it..... If you can't get to a gym, exercise at home with a video or equipment with a friend and commit to one another.
3. Clean up your home, throw out the junk, sort out your wardrobe, create more space with your belongings, don't let excess junk cramp your style....Take all your old clothes and junk to be recycled.
4. Take up a sport or a social activity. Make new friends...the buzz will give you new energy.
5. Treat yourself to a pair of new trainers, kit, a bicycle, blades,
book a personal training session, anything that you wanted but seen
as a luxury. Invest in something that will make you be more active,
and committed to yourself.