Detox Using Supplements
Food is your most important weapon in detoxing your body. It's the way your body expects to get everything it needs to function normally, so therefore it is the most effective way of giving it all it needs. Some herbs, vitamins and other supplements, however, can help support the food you eat when trying to detox. If you walk into a health food store, you'll see loads of these packed in pills, potions, teas and powders, and it can be very confusing. So, six of the best general supplements you can use to aid your detox programme are recommended and described in this section. This doesn't mean that you should head out to the health food store, buy them all and take every pill till you rattle.
Each supplement has a different use, and some should be taken only for a short time if you feel you need help in a particular area. If you want to do a major detox you can combine the supplements but, normally, it's a good idea never to take more than two supplements (excluding multivitamins, which won't cause problems if taken alongside other supplements) at any one time.
Chlorella
Made from algae, chlorella is a high source of protein, vitamins (including antioxidants like A, C and E) and chlorophyll, which increases oxygen in the blood. However, its main detox power comes from its ability to bind to particular toxins. Japanese research has shown that up to ten times more cadmium (a heavy metal usually found in soil that you take in smoke from tobacco if you smoke, or even smoke passively) is excreted when chlorella is taken. It's also been shown to act against lead, mercury and chemical pollutants, and may have similar results to watercress in helping to detox other harmful cigarette ingredients.
When to take it: the recommended dose is one to three tablets taken daily with meals, or a tablespoonful of powder mixed with drinks or added to smoothies. Like multivitamins, it can be taken every day, but it's specifically helpful if you've been exposed to smoke or need to boost energy.
Dandelion
To reduce fluid levels in the body, pills and potions are generally not recommended. The reason for this is that most diuretics also cause the body to leach vital potassium stores, which is bad for your heart. Dandelion is the exception to this: it contains high levels of potassium, so does not cause loss of the mineral. Herbalists also believe dandelion helps to increase bile production, while Japanese research has shown that it can double the amount of one detoxifying enzyme produced in the liver. It's also high in antioxidants. Dandelion tea is probably the easiest way to consume dandelion, but its peppery leaves can also be eaten in salads.
When to take it: if you feel bloated or suffer from cellulite and fluid retention. It can also be used to reduce the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome. Dandelion tea can also be drunk as an overall health beverage to boost antioxidant levels.
Milk thistle
There are over 30 herbs that claim to help strengthen the liver, but the one that has been researched the most is milk thistle. Full of an active compound called silymarin, which is found in the seeds of the plant, milk thistle has been shown to help make the liver cells less permeable to toxins, preventing damage from occurring. It reduces destruction of glutathione, which helps increase the speed at which the body can reduce toxins - particularly alcohol and pollutants. In Germany, it's also a common treatment against cirrhosis of the liver.
When to take it: you can take it daily if you really feel you are suffering from toxin overload. A 140-200mg dose three times daily is the recommended amount. Otherwise, it's best used as a precursor for alcohol. If you know you are going to drink a lot on a particular day, take 300-600mg in the few days beforehand. If alcohol overload sneaks up on you, however, make sure you take a 600mg dose when you get home, 300mg the morning after and 300mg in the evening, which will help to eliminate it faster. If you still feel unwell the day after, repeat this dosage.
Multivitamins
Detoxing uses up massive amounts of nutrients in the body. If you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day, 40 per cent of your daily vitamin C intake is used to try to neutralize the damage that is caused as a result. When the liver processes toxins, free radicals are formed, which destroy not only vitamin C but also vitamin A, vitamin E and the mineral selenium. Toxins also attack nutrients. Alcohol, for example, stops B.
vitamins being absorbed and encourages the excretion of calcium. All of this reduces the nutrients in your body, which is bad news because studies show that people who have the highest levels of nutrients in their diet are healthiest and live longest. Therefore, taking a good multivitamin alongside your detox diet can improve your overall health and the success of your detox programme. It's also safer than taking individual pills. This is because studies have shown that taking individual nutrients can actually harm the body, as they throw it out of its natural balance. When to take them: daily with food.
Probiotics
When the body breaks down food, it turns it into tiny molecules that aren't seen as a threat. But, if a condition called leaky gut' occurs, this changes. In leaky gut, the intestines become permeable and large food molecules can get into the bloodstream. These then reach the liver, which sees them as a toxin and wastes energy trying to tackle them - allowing other toxins to build up. Probiotics help tackle leaky gut by increasing levels of vital digestive bacteria in the gut; the more of these there are the less likely it is that the condition will occur.
When to take them: if you have a lot of digestive problems like stomach bloating, diarrhoea or abdominal cramps, leaky gut may play a part. It's believed that many allergy sufferers also suffer from leaky gut and may benefit from probiotics. They do not need to be taken indefinitely; instead, take them for two to three weeks, which is enough time to replenish the gut. You should also take them after a course of antibiotics. Probiotics should be taken about half an hour before you eat.
Psyllium husks
Used most commonly in a laxative form, psyllium husks contain high levels of soluble fibre. When they combine with water, they swell in the bowel, absorbing toxins but also stimulating the bowel to work, so the toxins are passed out more quickly. Studies have shown that when psyllium is taken, bowel transit time can be almost halved.
When to take them: if you have problems with constipation, or if you have dramatically over-indulged. It is safe to take it every day because, unlike many laxatives, psyllium does not make the bowel 'lazy' (which can cause further problems when the laxative is stopped), but it's best used only when necessary.
It can also be used as a supplement to help reduce cholesterol. Take 5g twice daily, half an hour before meals, diluted in plenty of water. Psyllium may cause some allergic reactions. If you have hayfever or rhinitis, it may cause symptoms. It can also trigger asthma attacks, so is best avoided by asthmatics. Also, don't take it at the same time as probiotics, since they cancel each other out.