'Twas the morning after Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. If they were moving it would probably be to reach for the indigestion tablets.

We've all been there, whether it be Christmas, a birthday or a company leaving do that you just had to attend. If over indulging proves anything it's that we are what we eat. How many times have you eaten too much and felt run down, tired and listless for days afterward ?

Detox diets work on exactly the principal we are what we eat. Everyday we eat and drink things containing toxins, additives, colourings and artificial stimulants. The theory goes that by eliminating the poisons from our diet we'll feel much better for it.

What exactly does detoxing offer ? Advocates of detoxing claim a whole host of benefits including clearer skin, a healthy glow, renewed vitality a stronger immune system and even colonic cancer prevention. Although this is just observational evidence and research performed at the Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer centre in New York failed to prove any benefit. MSNBC report - The Truth Behind a High Fibre Diet

The benefits are everything you've been promised from eating healthily. By detoxing you're attempting to release the toxins from your system and start again with a clean fresh slate.

Of course detoxing comes at a price and right here is where you start paying. During the detox you may experience headaches. This it is claimed is a reaction to the toxins leaving your body. Worse still you can't reach for the pain killers during the detox as man made drugs are not allowed.

If you are under medication prescribed by your doctor how do not stop taking these and consult your doctor before starting a detox programme.

But even worse than the headaches are the spots. That chocolate brownie, the vodka and red bull, that Chinese meal will come back to haunt you as they return as impurities leaving your body through the fastest route possible, your skin. Put up with this for a few days though and everyone will be envious of that glow your sporting.

Who Should Detox ?
Who should detox ? Or more importantly who shouldn't detox. You shouldn't try a detox diet if you are pregnant, under medication or in any doubt about your health. In fact it's good idea to consult your doctor before following any detox plan.

What's involved ?
Detoxing is about eating natural wholesome foods and drinking lots of mineral water and fresh fruit juices. It's very important to drink plenty of water during the detox, this will help to flush the water soluble toxins through your kidneys, and through the pores of your skin. It's usually advised to drink 2 or more litres of water a day.

Some detox plans advise that vitamin and cleansing supplements may be beneficial. Ideally you should get all your nutritional requirements from the food you eat. But this may be something to bear in mind before you start.

Here are some items that should be on your detox shopping list:

• Filtered or mineral water
• Fruit and vegetables (including juices)
• Brown Rice
• Oats
• Cottage Cheese
• Bio Yoghurt
• Soya Milk
• Fish
• Chicken

Practitioners of detoxing believe that it should be a spiritual as well as a cleansing experience. They recommend candle lit relaxing baths along with relaxation techniques, meditation and massage.

Body brushing is another technique you'll find in books about detoxing and indeed in most books on well being. Body brushing is literally brushing your body with a dry bush. This may sound strange but this light form of massage helps to cleans the pores as it passes over them and helps to tone the skin.

Things to avoid
Exercise. Although losing weight is not the goal of a detox diet, a lot of people reduce their calorie intake to lose weight. Even if this isn't the case, there is usually some fasting involved. This usually just means eating simple foods initially, again to help flush the toxins out of your system.

Caffeine, sugar, chocolate etc. Sugar and caffeine simulate the effects of stress on our system and this makes us hyper. This reaction is our body's' fight or flight response reacting to the stimulus. Our heart beats faster pumping blood to our muscles. Adrenaline is released from the adrenal glands above our kidneys which gives us the energy rush associated with that morning cup of coffee.

If you have a high caffeine intake and you plan to undertake a detox, it is important you reduce your caffeine intake over number of weeks previous so that you don’t suffer withdrawal symptoms.

Other things to avoid are salt and alcohol. High salt levels are associated with high blood pressure and we all know the risks of alcohol. Although now it is generally accepted that little in moderation is actually good for you and may help prevent heart disease, while going through the cleansing process alcohol is a no no.

Finally some detox plans advocate cutting out diary products. They argue that cows milk was made for calves and not for people. If you follow this route you may want to try soya milk. If you find the taste a little strange there are varieties which are sweetened with apple juice. You might want to consider this if you find yourself missing sweet things.

BEFORE STARTING ANY DETOX PLAN CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR TO ENSURE IT IS SAFE FOR YOU TO DO SO.

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