The Christmas and New Year holidays are over and you have nearly finished eating the surplus chocolates/cake/biscuits and drinking the leftover wine/beer/spirits. So how are you feeling? A bit heavier? A bit sluggish? A bit bloated? Is it time to detox? 
There was an interesting item on the radio this week about whether there is any need or benefit to following a detox plan. Needless to say the experts disagreed!
The expert who advocated detox diets said that over the Christmas period our bodies get overloaded with toxins from food additives, sugar, cigarette smoke, alcohol and caffeine. The build-up of toxins can give rise to weight gain, cellulite, headaches, bloating, fatigue, and a general lack of well-being. If you are going through perimenopause, the build-up in toxins may be aggravating your symptoms, particularly hot flashes and mood swings.
The expert who was not in favour of detox diets was of the opinion that you just need to drink plenty of water to flush toxins out of your liver and kidneys.
So it’s up to you. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms set out above you can start to feel better by drinking more water, aiming for the recommended 2 litres a day. If plain cold water is a bit unappealing try hot water with a slice of lemon and root ginger – that’s good for your bowels too.
With regards to food, eating more vegetables, particularly leaf vegetables and vegetables that grow above ground will be beneficial. Fruit will give you lots of vitamins but also contain lots of sugar in the form of fructose – not so good if you are trying to lose weight. Steer clear of refined sugars, saturated fats and processed foods.
It you are looking for menu ideas for a detox diet there are lots of suggestions on http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/detox.htm
One word of warning, doing detox diets can make you feel a bit peculiar. Last year I did a five day candida elimination diet. During those five days I felt tired, dizzy and could not think straight. I did feel a lot better when it was over.
There is no substitute for a balanced, healthy diet and regular exercise. If you are going to go for a detox diet choose something that will get you into good eating and drinking habits and keep you motivated.
Remember, you can use the Food Journal in your Hot Women, Cool Solutions Workbook.
Over to you.
