Detoxing is the latest fad in the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. But short-term detox can do you more harm than good, warns naturopath Jennifer Harper
Say goodbye to grapefruit diets and fat-free regimes and instead fill your body with freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, wholegrain foods and lots of purified water. Detoxing has replaced dieting as the latest fad among health-seeking individuals.
Yet, just as more and more people consider ways of ridding their bodies of external pollutants through week - or indeed weekend-long - detoxification regimes, renowned naturopath Jennifer Harper claims such quick-fix approaches can do more harm than good.
Describing such short-term regimes as "shock cleansers", Harper instead suggests those who are serious about detoxification should follow a regime which can take at least three months to complete. In her new book, Detox Handbook - a practical guide to detoxing your body, your mind and your life, she outlines the three stages of such a detoxification process.
"The reason why I wrote this book is that there is so much misinformation on the subject of detoxification, and faulty detoxification can be the root cause of disease in some cases," says Harper. "Doing a quick cleanse is like throwing a stone into a big muddy pond, stirring things up and then stopping and going back to normal again. Putting people on strong cleanses involves taking things away from them when they are already in a 'taken away' state. My detoxification regime is the first of its kind and involves nourishing the body first before beginning the detoxification process.
"If you start detoxification too fast, you are bringing toxins up from the deep organs - the liver and kidneys - without first preparing the outer organs - such as the skin, the large intestine and the lymphathic system - to let go of these toxins. This can result in what is commonly called 'a healing crisis' [which manifests itself in\] headaches, skin problems, etc." Such a process can result in toxicity of the blood and lymph, according to Harper.
"Popular cleanses today tend to focus around a weekend detox or a seven-day programme based around a high raw fruit and vegetable intake or fruit-only cleanses . . . While raw foods are very good cleansers, they are not always appropriate at the beginning of a cleansing plan. Unless you already consume large amounts of raw foods, changing from a Western diet to one of raw foods can swing your body into shock cleansing," says Harper.
She stresses that consultation with your doctor is essential before embarking on a detox regime. This is particularly important for those currently on medication.
"If you are nutritionally deficient or suffering from fatigue and are generally stressed, before you start detoxifying you must follow a properly planned nourishing diet," she says.
Maria Costello, a Limerick-based nutritionist, says that although she hasn't read Harper's book, her approach seems eminently sensible. "I apply a similar strategy to clients who have a history of poor liver function through excessive drug-taking (recreational or medical), a history of IVF or antibiotics. It is true that we are all suffering from exogenic toxins and are bombarded wtih oestrogenic chemicals, but if you are healthy and fit, a milder detox - one week in March and three days in June and September - with the support of a good healthfood store is a good thing. Whereas if you are suffering from a chronic syndrome, your system is already weakened and you could end up in hospital if you go on a strong detoxification.
"In general, detoxification is a good concept which has been around for years. It's just that it's in fashion at the moment, but you must remember that you can abuse your body by detoxifying it just as much as over-feeding it," adds Costello.
Harper firmly believes that long-term detox is much more likely to encourage individuals to maintain the better diets and lifestyles that they have learnt during the process. "I see myself as an educator. I want people to understand their bodies and instinctively feel better on all levels. Only then will great changes happen," says Harper.
The only problem with all of this is that it takes a huge amount of motivation and commitment, qualities which are in short supply in a culture which favours the quick-fix answer to most issues. Harper does offer some hope to those who don't have the time to follow such a thorough detoxification regime yet want to have a healthier approach to their diet.
"I would advise people to eat wholefoods and natural products wherever possible - wholegrains, fresh fish, organic fruit and vegetables and natural yogurt with maple syrup or honey instead of sugar."
DK natural care Detox Handbook - a practical guide to detoxing your body, your mind & your life by Jennifer Harper is published by Dorling Kindersley, UK £5.99
Jennifer Harper will give a series of presentations in Brown Thomas, Dublin on Thursday, October 17th and Brown Thomas, Cork on Friday, October 18th. To book an appointment with her, tel: 01-2783052. A booking fee of €25 is redeemable against purchases of Aveda natural cosmetics and healthcare products on the day.