Days One & Two
The fruit fast. For the first two days you need to eat diuretic fruits and drink lots of water. This is an express start to your detox and also the hardest part. For these two days you will be eating grapes and water melon. You can eat all you want of these fruits but it’s grapes, water melon and water until day three.

Try to drink a little lemon juice with warm water to start your day. Although not clinically proven, evidence has shown that this helps your kidneys to cleanse and helps fight off disease. You can also use the first cup to gargle with in place of your regular mouth wash. Remember we’re avoiding using artificial chemicals in and around our body.

Days Three & Four
Congratulations you’ve made it through the hardest part. From today you can eat any fruit or vegetable. For the next two days you can make refreshing salads. Try to eat bulkier fruits and vegetables so that you don’t feel hungry.

It’s important to remember that for now you’re still not introducing carbohydrates into the diet so no starchy vegetables like potatoes, yam, dasheen etc. carrots are okay however.

You can also make thin vegetable soups, using fresh herbs to add flavour. Try drinking fruit teas as a flavourful alternative to those plain glasses of drinking water. Remember to stock a variety of fruit and vegetable juices as well.

Day five
Today you can add some chicken and fish to your diet. You can prepare these by steaming, baking and grilling or any other method you can think of without using oils. You can season but remember no oil and artificial additives.

If you like try some oily fish which is good for your joints and recommended for people with arthritis.

Days Six & Seven
From today you can add carbohydrates. Rice, potatoes, hard food and bread are the order of the day. We back to creating balanced healthy meals. At last you can make that chicken dish on a bed of rice you’ve been thinking about and all the vegetables you can eat.

Why not make your own tomato based pasta sauce. You may have to modify the recipe slightly to avoid cooking oils. Add some tuna to the sauce to add texture. You may be able find organic pasta sauces in the shops made without fats and oils.

Day eight and beyond
If you carry on eating healthily the benefits should continue. You can now re-introduce fats and oils into your diet. Try to continue drinking at least a litre of water a day and if you can continue with two to three litres. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and start your day with some hot lemon water to cleanse the system.