The 4 week detox programme

During the process of digestion, acids that help to break down and digest food are produced in various parts of the gut.
The body gets rid of some of these acids quickly via the lungs, but others, such as uric, phosphoric and sulphuric acid – generated during the breakdown of animal protein – are eliminated via the kidneys and take longer to pass out of the body. If excess acid is not eliminated fast enough it can upset the pH of the gut.
This causes digestive processes to be impaired and fats, sugars and proteins to be only partially broken down. As a result, food starts to putrefy in the gut which, in turn, causes the proliferation of unheathy micro-organisms.
The healthy bacterial environment of the gut becomes unbalanced and the toxins that result from putrefaction place a burden on the the liver, which rapidly becomes congested.
According to the late Dr Kousmine, a nutrition and cancer specialist, acids that are not eliminated from the body during the day are stored in extra-cellular fluid (known as mesenteric fluid) in the peritoneum. At night when the body is resting the acids are filtered and disposed of. Over a period of time, however, acids build up in the body’s tissues causing an accumulation of toxins and a condition known as chronic acidosis.
This can give rise to a variety of symptoms including fatigue, disturbed sleep, regurgitation, heartburn, lack of appetite or bulimia, diarrhoea or constipation, migraine, bad breath, cold perspiration, lowered resistance to infections, muscular pain, rheumatism, bronchitis and excessive mucus production resulting in chronic catarrh.
In the past 50 years, there has been a considerable increase in health problems such as heart disease, cancer and auto-immune or degenerative disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Rather than having mechanical, bacterial or viral causes, these illnesses are directly or indirectly linked to modern food processing and preserving methods and the excessive consumption of refined sugar, cereals, oils, meat, dairy and animal fat. The use of hormones, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, insecticides, anti-fungal agents have also contributed to the build up of toxins in the body
A detoxification diet can facilitate the rapid and efficient elimination of toxins and improve both current and long-term health. The detoxification plan described here is a programme of diet and exercise that is complemented by herbal medicine and nutritional supplements. Although it is suitable for the majority of adults, it should not be followed by pregnant or breastfeeding women, children or elderly people. If you are on long-term medication, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or drugs for hypertension or thyroid problems, you should continue to take it throughout the programme (consult your doctor if you are in any doubt about whether it is safe for you to follow a detox plan). Although the detox plan requires a few changes to your normal routine and some careful planning, it should be fairly easy for most people to implement.
Most people start to feel the benefits of detox about 10 days into the programme. It is also useful to be aware of some possible side effects. These vary depending on the stage of the programme but they tend to include mild headache, mood changes and energy fluctuations. If side effects do not abate after the first week, or you experience persistent or troublesome symptoms, consult your doctor.

week one

what to do
During the first week you should eliminate all dairy and wheat-based products from your diet, reduce your salt intake, avoid meat and animal fat, tea, coffee, white sugar, sweets, alcohol and tobacco. Remember that foods such as pasta, biscuits and bread all contain wheat; use rice, buckwheat or quinoa as a substitute. Soya milk is available from most supermarkets and can be used as a replacement for cow’s milk. In addition, you should:
l Drink 1–2 litres of mineral water every day; choose water that has a low mineral content (page 138).
l If you experience a lot of abdominal gas and bloating, take two capsules of activated charcoal three times a day after meals.
l Eat a handful of fresh or dried blueberries every day.
l Drink herbal teas made from fennel, ginger or camomile before and after your meals.
l Use plenty of herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary, garlic and shallots in your cooking.

how to succeed
l Revise your usual shopping list so that it includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, rice, lentils, beans, millet, buckwheat flour, fresh herbs and herbal teas such as ginger, peppermint, camomile and fennel.
l Follow the recipes in this book and use a cookery book with an emphasis on healthy food (Provençal or Mediterranean cooking are recommended).
l Start the day with a good protein-based breakfast (mushrooms, avocado and fish are recommended sources of protein) and eat well at lunchtime. This will provide you with enough energy to get through the day. In contrast, your dinner should be very light.
l Resist the temptation to have the occasional sugary snack, cup of tea or coffee or alcoholic drink.

possible side effects
You may experience mild headaches, bursts of energy alternating with fatigue, muscle aches and pains, sudden hunger, irritability, cravings for sweet foods, intestinal gas, abdominal distension, and regurgitation. These are most common during the first 48 hours. Side effects vary from one person to another and you certainly won’t experience all of these.

the benefits
Towards the end of week one, you may notice that your energy levels, appetite and sleep quality are improving.

week two

what to do
You should follow exactly the same guidelines as for week one but increase the percentage of raw fruit and vegetables so that they make up 70 per cent of your daily food intake. In addition, you should avoid eating after seven o’clock in the evening.
l To accelerate the detoxification process, drink 150 ml dandelion infusion (page 117), three times a day. Or drink 50 ml artichoke leaf wine (page 121) at lunchtime and early evening.
l Take propolis tablets to help to reduce bacterial activity in the gut. Follow the dosage intructions on the package.

how to succeed
l Drink as much herbal tea as you like after seven o’clock in the evening.
l Try to go to bed earlier than usual – rest is an important aid to detoxification.
l Keep following the tips for success for week one.

possible side effects
Cravings for sweets and carbohydrates and feelings of hunger are common during week two. You may feel tired or cold immediately after you have had a meal and you may start to lose weight.

the benefits
Towards the end of week two you will start to feel more energetic both physically and mentally. Your digestion, breathing and sleep patterns will be better and you may start to notice an improvement in chronic conditions, such as poor skin, eczema, rheumatism or arthritis.

week three

what to do
You should continue the programme of diet and rest that you followed in week two but, to accelerate detoxification, you should build in a programme of daily exercise. Do some low intensity exercise for 45 minutes twice daily. The best types of exercise are brisk walking, cycling or swimming.
You should also step up your intake of vitamins, minerals and trace elements by drinking a glass of fruit or vegetable juice twice every day. Recommended fruit juices are carrot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry or apricot. Good vegetable juice combinations include broccoli, green bean and lemon juice or carrot, cabbage and green or red pepper.
Before breakfast in the morning, drink the juice of half a lemon mixed with an equal amount of cold-pressed olive oil. This facilitates the emulsion and flow of bile into the digestive system. Other important dietary measures for week three are:
l Eat more of the following foods: rice, root vegetables such as carrot, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke and turnip, germinated pulses, green vegetables, raw apple, fig and brazil nut.
l Eat fish at least twice a week.
l Drink 1–2 litres of mineral water every day; preferably with a medium to high mineral content (page 138).

how to succeed
l Drink some water or herbal tea before you exercise, but avoid exercising on a full stomach.
l Eat a light snack after exercise, but nothing too heavy
l Keep following the tips for success for weeks one and two.

possible side effects
Weight loss will continue as you burn calories during exercise. Exercise may also give rise to symptoms such as muscular aches (a recommended remedy for this is homeopathic arnica tablets of 30 or 200 potency; take when needed). However, if you experience a strong tightening or gripping pain in the centre of your chest after a few minutes of exercise, you must rest immediately and consult your doctor. Any sharp pains in weight-bearing joints or your lower back, should also be reported to your doctor.

the benefits
You will continue to feel more energetic, and your digestion, breathing and sleep patterns will improve further.

week four

what to do
Continue to follow a wheat- and dairy-free diet but reduce your raw fruit and vegetable consumption to 50 per cent of your total food intake. Start to eat lightly after 7 o’clock in the evening. Continue your twice-daily exercise programme and keep taking the olive oil and lemon juice mixture before breakfast as in week 3. Drink fruit or vegetable juice twice a day and at least 11⁄2 litre of a mineral water that has a medium-to-high mineral content.

how to succeed
l Take a fish oil supplement every day for the next few weeks.
l Keep following the tips for success for weeks one to three.
possible side effects
At this stage of your programme, you should not experience any noticeable side effects.

the benefits
You should be feeling really fit and healthy by week four. Your energy levels should be consistently high, you should be sleeping well and any minor digestive problems should have completely disappeared. Chronic conditions such as eczema or rheumatism should be more manageable and may have even disappeared. Your immune system will be stronger and you will be more resistant to colds and influenza.

your diet after detox

Once you have completed your four-week detoxification programme you can either follow the week-four guidelines for a further two weeks or you can return to a normal diet.
If you return to a normal diet, gradually reintroduce wheat products in the first week. If you experience any symptoms in response to them, eliminate wheat from your diet permanently. Dairy products should be reintroduced during the second week and any symptoms monitored. Again, if you have an adverse response, eliminate dairy products from your diet permanently.
Continue to practise as many aspects of the detox diet as you can and make sure that you apply the following principles to your long-term diet and lifestyle.
l Keep drinking plenty of water. Drink mineral water with a low mineral content (page 138) unless advised and supervised by a doctor or nutritionist.
l Eat meat and drink wine, coffee and tea in moderation.
l Keep up your exercise programme.
l Follow the detox programme annually and repeat the first two weeks of the plan twice a year: once in the autumn and once in the spring.