Detox Mallorca
Want to feel clean and lean? Detox might be the way to go suggests AM Thompson
We are all mulling over it. Wouldn’t it be nice to do a post-Christmas detox, feel lighter and more energetic, and lose a few of the surplus pounds that are weighing us down? But, detox is one of those things that everyone talks about doing, but no one seems to actually do. I’ve only met one person who succeeded on a detox diet alone – Carol Vordeman’s 23-Day Detox Diet – and I must say she looked fantastic for it. Her hair shone her eyes gleamed, her skin looked fantastic and she lost four kilos, even if she did become a virtual recluse in the process.
For those with a busy social life (and who doesn’t in Mallorca!) it is not easy to blot out a month of your life.N utrionist Tatiana Abend of OndaVital Wellness in Palma is in favour of the occasional gentle detox, which she compares to a car having its annual service, but is not so keen on the idea of a radical detox, after which people continue with their wicked ways. "I am in favour of the idea of keeping your body clean and well-conditioned, like the engine of a car. You can’t do what you like all year and then think a two-week detox will put you right. I will happily devise a workable detox programme for my clients, but I always stress that wellness is a lifestyle; it doesn’t fall from the sky!" "There are many ways to detox and there are several experts in this field on the island. If you want to do a more intensive, specialised detox I suggest you work closely with an experienced professional like those at the Bodhana Wellness Institute. I have seen two men in hospital after fasting regimes that were not monitored correctly. You can actually toxify your body if you are not careful!"
For those wanting to do a home detox, experts agree that you need concentrate on helping the vital organs flush out toxicants. These include tobacco, alcohol, pesticides, herbicides, hormones and preservatives.The organs to concentrate on include the liver – probably the most hard-working organ – as well as the gall bladder, kidneys, lymphatic system, urinary system and the bowels.
One person who is a great believer in the importance of healthy bowels is Raaul Cohen who has been working as a naturopath and colonic hydrotherapist for 20 years and who runs his internationally popular Dynamic Detox programme from Santa Ponsa. "Doctors are now beginning to understand the importance of bowel care in the prevention of disease. Many health problems are believed to stem from a build-up of waste products in the body, exacerbated by the effects of pollution and unwholesome foods. Most of us do not empty our bowels perfectly every day and are left with waste that gradually coats the bowel lining and reduces our ability to absorb nutrients from food," he explains."Colonic hydrotherapy involves introducing warm filtered water into the rectum and then on through the entire length of the colon, dislodging toxic matter that may have been building up over years. Herbs may be added to the water to assist the cleansing, and afterwards a supplement of acidophilus is swallowed to replace beneficial bacteria that have also been washed out of the gut. Carried out correctly this is a safe, painless, odourless process with no unwanted after-effects.
"For best results, Raaul warns, you need to take the programme as part of a generally improved lifestyle and for this reason he offers dietary advice and an individualised maintenance programme to every client.But if you haven’t got two weeks or more to dedicate to detoxing, and you don’t fancy a colonic what simple things can you do to help rid the body of toxins? For starters you need to increase the amount of water and herbal teas (dandelion and green tea are good) you drink to help flush out impurities – 2 litres is the recommended amount. Half an hour of daily exercise is also important as it helps excrete waste through sweat and breath. A weekly sauna will further help the detox process.In terms of food you may want to do a three-day fresh fruit and vegetable detox or a longer programme where you concentrate on eliminating foods such as red meat, coffee, carbonated soft drinks, alcohol, nicotine, sugars, white flour, and processed foods.
Most people do a detox to lose weight but don’t realise that there can be nasty toxins stored in fat and as we start loosing weight we put extra strain on the liver. Tatiana Abend is a fan of supporting the liver with a detox tea such as her favourite from Botanical Health in the UK – www.botanicalhealth.co.uk – and taking supplements such as Vitamin C, wheat grass and spirulina. Her own favourite daily detox drink consists of olive oil, ginger, lemon, apple, garlic and water. Cheers! Here’s looking at you.
Tatiana Abend OndaVital Wellness + 34 971 455 349 or 608 060 541 tabend@telefonica.net
Raaul Cohen – Dynamic Detox Programme +34 971 701 708raaul@cleanbreaks.net
Do not attempt a detox if you are under 16, pregnant, breastfeeding, underweight, frail, diabetic or are scheduled medication.
January 7th, 2009 at 6:38 am
please send more info. about cleansing programmes.