Water is vital to any detox as it helps to eliminate water-soluble toxins from your body and helps the lymphatic system work more efficiently. In addition to this, it contributes to our all round health by; moisturising skin and helping to keep a clear complexion, preventing constipation and bloating, maintaining blood sugar levels by releasing sugar from cells, and helping to protect and cushion joints.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants, so are essential to a detox. Cruciferous vegetables e.g. Brussels sprouts, cabbage or cauliflower are particularly good for supporting the liver as they contain glucosinolates, which boost its detoxifying enzymes. Fruit is also key as it contains a high percentage of water, which is good for re-hydrating the body and also provides high levels of immune boosting vitamins such as A, and C.

Wherever possible choose fresh foods and eat fruit and vegetables raw as raw foods are a good source of nutrients and phytochemicals, which work as antioxidants to fight disease. Food which has been kept too long, or been cooked or processed loses some of its nutritional value. When cooking use methods which retain the foods nutritional value such as steaming, boiling and stir-frying.

Organic foods have undergone minimal processing, which means they don’t contain artificial additives or preservatives.

Exercise is not only for those who want to lose weight, it can help boost immunity, reduce stress and help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease. Yoga, which uses deep breathing methods can also help improve lymphatic flow.

While on a detox care should be taken to safeguard vitamin intake and support the body’s cleansing processes.

The main aim of any detox regime is to eliminate toxins in order to improve overall health and vitality, not to lose weight. Many people will lose weight as a consequence of following a detox, as a build up of toxins can encourage weight retention, however concentrate instead on how much better you feel mentally and physically which will stop disappointment should weight remain the same.

Detox diets, unlike weight loss diets are not specifically designed to encourage weight loss, so counting calories is not necessary. As detox regimes also often include snacking on nuts and seeds, which generally have a high calorie content it may also discourage you from eating some of the foods recommended.

Alcohol not only acts as a diuretic, stimulating urination and encouraging dehydration, it is also broken down into a toxin called acetaldehyde by the liver. Acetaldehyde increases free radical production, damages liver cells and also destroys vitamins E and C.

Many people find foods containing wheat, such as bread, pasta, and cereals difficult to digest and suffer bloating and wind as a result. This is because wheat contains gluten a protein which many people have a sensitivity to. Dairy foods can also be difficult to digest as they contain lactose (milk sugar) and can cause excess mucus in the sinuses and nasal passages.

A detox shouldn’t leave you hungry, as it isn’t a starvation diet. The increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables should leave you feeling full.

Caffeine acts as a stimulant that mimics the effects of stress on the body and depletes it of essential nutrients. Coffee, tea and caffeine based soft drinks are often used as quick fixes to boost energy levels but the effects are short lived and often leave you feeling more tired than before.