Detox

We give our homes a spring clean now and again so why not our bodies. Our diet and environment are not the same as a generation ago when there was less pollution, more locally grown food, no convenience or fast foods and no additives, preservatives or colourings in our food. So your body has to work harder all the time with this overload so it is good to give it a cleanse.

There can be both physical and psychological benefits to detoxing. Physical ones can include more energy, clearer, brighter skin, less puffy/dark eyes, less bloating and water retention, improved digestive function and weight loss. Psychological benefits can include clearer mind and balanced mood and a ‘platform’ to get you eating well for life.

Rather than following an extreme detox plan that limits just about every food except fruit and vegetables, it is better to have a more sensible approach that you follow for a week and still allows you to work and function well in your daily life.

Supplements

A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a ‘little bit of everything’. You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher amounts which are known to be helpful for Detox.

Omega 3 fatty acids

As well as the general health benefits of omega 3 essential fats they have also been shown to have a beneficial effect on your liver. Your liver is your waste disposal unit and detoxifies harmful substances and it is crucial that it is functioning efficiently when we are talking about detoxification. Your liver also deactivates oestrogen and converts into a less harmful form so that it can then be eliminated form your body via your gut.

You want to make sure you have good levels of omega 3 and not too much omega 6. (You can now have a blood test to tell you if you have the correct levels of Omega 3 to Omega 6 in your body see below). To check whether you have sufficient levels of Omega 3 please click Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and is a crucial nutrient in detoxification particularly in regard to your liver. Antioxidants help neutralise free radicals which cause cells to be damaged and can cause premature ageing, cancer and heart disease. Free radicals speed up the ageing process by destroying healthy cells and they can also the attack DNA in the nucleus of a cell, causing cell change (mutation) and cancer. We have protection against free radicals in the form of antioxidants, which occur naturally in the food that we eat.

Probiotics

Probiotics are important for your general health and they also improve detoxification. They aid your digestion and stop food sitting in the gut too long where it can produce toxins. Probiotics also have a major benefit for women in that they help to control an enzyme which causes ‘old’ hormones, specifically oestrogen, to be re-circulated instead of being eliminated. This is crucial for women with oestrogen sensitive conditions such as endometriosis and fibroids.

Tests

There are a number of tests available that are extremely useful and are well worth considering. These tests can give you invaluable insights into understanding what is going on in your body at the moment.

The analysis of these results lets you know what supplements you need to take in order to bring your body back into balance and into optimum health. You would then be re-tested after three months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly.

Comprehensive Digestive Stool Test

I think a stool test can be extremely useful in making sure that your digestive system is functioning efficiently. The stool test actually assesses how well you can digest and absorb your food, especially your ability to absorb fats. This stool test also gives a measure of how much of the beneficial bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium you have in your gut. It will also check for yeast overgrowth and the presence of any parasites. When you are checking for parasites, it is important that you give three stool samples, not just one, because the parasite may not be picked up on only one sample.
For more information click Comprehensive Digestive Stool Test

Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)

It is now estimated that we are getting twenty five times more omega 6 fats from our diet than omega 3 and over the last century there has been an 80% decrease in the consumption of these omega 3 fatty acids. When you eat omega 3 fats they are converted to substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Find out more – Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)

Many of the women I see in the clinic have been taking evening primrose oil supplements – an omega 6 fatty acid – for many years as it can be helpful with PMS. But you can end up with too much omega 6 and not enough omega 3 in your body. Some women are also taking combinations such as omega 3, 6, and 9 in supplement form because they have heard that we need a good balance of all the omega fatty acids. This is true, but you have to take into account what your own levels may be in the first place. It is no good adding in more omega 6 if you have already got enough or in fact too much in your body. (You can now have a simple blood test to tell you if you have the correct levels of omega 3 to omega 6 in your body see below). To check whether you have sufficient levels of Omega 3 please click Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood).

Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme

Discover what vitamins and minerals you need and should be taking The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will give you a three monthly supplement programme to help balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may have. Find out more – Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme

Herbs

A good supplement programme should also contain:

• Psyllium husks 950mg
• Flaxseeds 625mg
• Chlorella 250mg
• Dandelion root 125mg
  To avoid having to purchase numerous supplements for the above and to make the process easier, I have put together a supplement programme which contains all the nutrients mentioned above and in the correct amounts. For more information about these click Detox Supplement Programme for over 45’s or Detox Supplement Programme for under 45’s .
• If you would like to order these special supplements now, you can do so through the Natural Health Practice by clicking Detox Supplements at The Natural Health Practice for over 45′s or Detox Supplements at The Natural Health Practice for under 45’s.

Tests

The tests below have been specially selected to be the most helpful if you are concerned about Detox.
Comprehensive Digestive Stool Test
Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme
Omega 3 Deficiency Test (at home finger prick blood)

After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.

If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements or tests mentioned above, click Detox at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.