Don’t diet – detox instead, an expert says…

By Rachel Grunwell

The “diet” word is a dirty word. I flinch at the mention of it. It conjures up the thought  of sporadic “starvation” and people being “hangry” (hungry/angry).

Short-term fixes with extreme dietary fads don’t tend to work. Rather adopting a  healthy lifestyle – everyday – is more sustainable.

So what’s the perfect formula? This is an often canvassed question and different experts often have different views.

This week I heard the recommendation to “detox” for “optimum health” from Sandra Clair who spoke in Auckland. She’s a Dunedin-based, but Swiss trained, medical herbalist and medical anthropologist who is completing a PhD in health science at the University of Canterbury. She foundered Artemis, a plant medicine company.

She doesn’t mean detox as popping pills or having meal replacements that promise unrealistic results. What she means by a detox is supporting our main cleansing organs, the liver and the kidneys, by making good health choices.

The liver and kidneys flush out all metabolic wastes that occur when digesting foods/drinks and alcohol. So what’s the best way to support these organs?

Here are some tips:

      1. Don’t collect toxins in the first place.

      2. Buy organic where possible.

      3. Buy cleaning and personal care products with no “nasties”.

      4. Eat fresh healthy foods and consume healthy drinks – and avoid fast food.

      5. Quit smoking.

      6. Avoid heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, environmental oestrogen, volatile organic solvents and radiation… 

Lastly, just some signs you may need a detox include: Sluggishness, difficulty sleeping or getting out of bed, irritability, nausea and skin impurities…