Category: Metabolic Detox Programme

Metabolic Detox Programme: One week on....

14/4/2014

I have spent the last week re-introducing (or in some cases not) foods.

Symptoms that I have been watching out for that may suggest I have a sensitivity (and therefore should continue to avoid or at least limit) include:

Fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, food cravings, obesity
Infections (recurrent colds, urinary tract infections, sore throats, ear infections, yeast infections)
Ear, Nose and Throat problems (chronic nasal congestion, postnasal drip, asthma)
Digestive symptoms (Irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal cramping)
Skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis, hives)
Muscle aches, joint pains, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis
Neurological symptoms (migraines and other headaches, numbness, sleepiness)

Some may look at this as prolonging the agony, but I found it a really interesting and useful activity. So far I have reintroduced:

Eggs – no problem
Oats – no problem
Potatoes – no problem
Tomatoes – no problem
Dairy products – got a bit bloated and nauseous, especially when drinking a large amount of milk, though cheese wasn’t so bad. Plus nose and sinuses became congested.
Other fruits and vegetables – all seem fine so far, except for red peppers which made me a bit bloated.
Other meat and fish – all seem fine, though of course haven’t got round to trying all the different types
Bread – uh oh, definite bloating and feeling sudden tiredness after eating just one slice - definitely one to avoid!

Still haven’t introduced caffeine, alcohol or processed, sugary or highly refined foods. But guess what, I don’t really feel like reaching for a glass of wine, chocolate cake or cappuccino – what have I transformed into????

Eye-opener

This whole programme has been a fantastic educator and eye-opener. Before the programme, if you had asked me to give up wheat I would have run a mile (clutching my homemade bread and favourite sandwich). However, I have realised that I really don’t miss it and feel so much better and less bloated without it. I am even thinking about continuing not eating wheat or at least cutting it down considerably. The same goes for tea and coffee and that odd biscuit that I used to help keep me going during the day, plus alcohol. I really didn’t miss any of them and so am thinking of also continuing to avoid these, after all they all play havoc with blood sugar levels, digestive function and the liver, and I don’t want to undo all that good I have done.

I’m going to keep on eating loads of vegetables at each meal – a rainbow of colours and all that. Not that I didn’t enjoy my vegetables pre-detox, making sure that I got my 5-a-day, it’s just that the programme really drummed into me the importance of vegetables – they really do make a difference to your health. In fact I think I’ve become addicted to vegetables! I get an anxious twitch when there are less than 3 types of vegetable on my supper / lunch plate!!

It has also shown me just how delicious, quick and easy simple home cooked ‘detox-friendly’ foods can be - many of the detox recipes will be added to my kitchen recipe repertoire, such as the grilled salmon and nicoise salad, kale chips, green rice, red rice salad, lemon garlic cod and quinoa flake porridge (though have tweaked the recipe to include ½ oats and ½ quinoa flakes), and of course all those yummy soups – so easy and delicious!

And also how important it is to know exactly what is in your food by steering away from processed, ready-made, convenience foods (which are full of refined sugars and fats, salt and other nasty additives, but usually stripped bare of any nutrients) and sticking to real, whole foods and cooking from scratch. And of course choosing organic as much as possible to keep toxic exposure from pesticides, artificial fertilizers and hormone treatments / medicines as low as possible – remember the ‘Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen’.

Newsflash:

Over the last week my jeans have continued to get looser, so decided to weigh myself again – OMG, have lost another 0.6kg, which brings my weight down to 60.4kg! And an overall weight loss of 3.5kg!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, so I’m still off processed foods, alcohol and bread, which would explain the additional weight loss, but I also think that helping my liver and digestive system to function optimally again has had an immensely beneficial knock-on effect on my thyroid function, hormone and blood sugar balances and other bodily processes and has helped kick-start my metabolism. Will be interesting to see whether my weight loss continues over the next few months….

Don’t just take my word for it – how the others got on

I have also heard how successful the metabolic detox programme has been for my other friends and colleagues, a quick tally up of the results has shown:

94% of participants* reported weight loss and a reduction in BMI, with an average loss = 2.1kg

96% of participants* reported a reduction in health symptoms, including: Fatigue, poor concentration, headaches, mood swings, frequent coughs and colds, insomnia, bags / dark circles under the eyes, blocked nose / sinus problems, skin rashes and spots, hot flashes, itchy / dry skin, digestive problems (bloating, nausea, indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation), aches and pains, binge eating / drinking, and food cravings.

Wow – so it’s not just me who has found this programme so effective and successful.

(* Data and feedback from 220 health practitioners who completed the Metabolic Detox Programme, 2013 / 2014)

Although there had been one or two participants who found the programme difficult, mainly due to underlying chronic digestive problems and severe sensitivities, the majority were really pleased with the results and how it improved their health. Quotes from participants include:

“More energy, enthusiasm, vibrancy. Clean headed, no cravings, no mood swings/grumpiness, very positive. This has been my first detox and I have learnt a lot from it, both about myself and my lifestyle.” Polly Glazebrook, Practitioner

“After detox felt clear headed and energetic, stable mood all day, less stressed by work pressures, feel leaner and no cravings at all. Feel better than ever!” Caroline Peyton, Practitioner

“Finally feel back in control of my body - no longer a slave to sugar cravings. I now believe I can keep going and get back to the real me: slim, fit and healthy. Mentally, I feel so much more positive. Best money I ever spent!” Jan Barr, Practitioner

“After detox felt much lighter, less bloated, more clear headed, more energy and just much healthier.” Lucy Osborne, Practitioner

Ta ta for now….

So, what a great way to end on such a high! The Metabolic Detox Programme really has been the most amazing, health inspiring and thought provoking experience – I do hope you have enjoyed reading my blog and that it has given you some inspiration to try the programme out yourself, or, if you are already on it, given you some useful tips and information and loads of motivation to keep at it.

Please feel free to post any comments, experiences and ideas, I would love to hear from you….

And if you would like some more information, or would like to have a go at the Metabolic Detox Programme, please do email me or come and see me at Napiers Clinic.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 14 - I've done it!

7/4/2014

Wow, I’ve done it! I’ve finished the Metabolic Detox Programme. I feel elated, not just because I have managed to complete it (with only the one major mishap last Friday - see Day 12), but because I really do feel elated – on top of the world!

My energy levels are sky high, whilst my stress levels are at an all-time low (or that’s how it feels, maybe it is more of a case that I am managing to cope much better with whatever life / children / work throws at me) and I feel that I can take on the world with a smile! My brainfog has lifted and I am thinking clearer and more sharply than I have in a long time. My sleep quality and quantity has improved – the bags beneath my eyes have all but disappeared. And my skin and hair hasn’t looked this good in ages (Rosacea, what rosacea? – my red ruddy cheeks have all but disappeared), friends and family, and even people I don’t know that well, have commented on well I am looking. As for my digestive system – it’s working better than ever, I didn’t realise just how bloated I had been – it’s amazing what you just get used to. What with this and the weight that I have lost – see below, all my clothes are just hanging off me and I have had to get some more holes cut in my favourite belt. WhiteStuff and Boden here I come! Which brings me on to the numbers part – time to get form filling and the measuring tape and scales out again.

Vital statistics

Firstly, the medical symptoms questionnaire. Having tallied up the individual scores my total is now 17, WOW – a reduction of 32 points (pre-metabolic programme score = 49). I knew my health symptoms and concerns had improved, but this score gives me quantifiable evidence of just how much they (and toxic load) have improved! And now for the bit you have all been waiting for (though you have already had a sneak preview):

Weight – Before: 63.9kg, After: 61.0kg, Improvement: -2.9kg

BMI – Before: 24.3, After: 23.2, Improvement: -1.1

Waist – Before: 81cm, After: 77cm, Improvement: -4cm

Hips – Before: 97cm, After: 96cm, Improvement: -1cm

Waist/hip ratio – Before: 0.84, After: 0.80, Improvement: -0.04

Well that pretty much speaks for itself - nearly 3kg in weight and 4cm round my waist lost in just 2 weeks, no wonder I am feeling so much lighter and needing a whole new wardrobe of clothes!

That is truly astounding! Has it been worth doing it and is it worth the money – YOU BET. Though the proof of the pudding will be whether I can keep the weight off and keep feeling and looking so great. The most obvious way to do this would be to keep eating and living healthily. And this is another major benefit of the programme, it has not only got me looking and feeling great, but has also helped me to change the way I view foods and lifestyle, making me more mindful of the foods (good and bad) that I eat and how they directly affect my health and well-being. All of which encourages long term healthy eating behaviour – more on this in my next post, the metabolic detox journey isn’t over just yet.

So back to the programme, before I reach for a celebratory glass of fizz – which theoretically I can do tomorrow. The programme isn’t completely over yet, I now need to concentrate on reintroducing the avoided foods slowly (one food group every couple of days) so as not to undo all the good work and to get my body used to eating them again. This will also make it easier to identify any problem foods that I might react to (in which case I will keep on avoiding). And just when I thought it was all over….

If you would like to try out the Metabolic Detox Programme, please do email me at charlotte@healdnutrition.co.uk or see the Metabolic Detox Programme page for more details.

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 13 - Lifestyle changes, other ways to reduce toxic exposure

6/4/2014

Can’t believe it only two more days to go! Weekends, especially Friday nights, have definitely been the most difficult days. These are usually the days when we let our hair down and enjoy a few naughty but very nice treats. It definitely helps to make sure you are more organised than usual, so as not to fall into the usual traps. Plan some detox friendly activities – a walk with family and friends, pampering session or light exercise, or go to see a film or play rather than having dinner or drinks out with friends. However, you don’t have to forgo all the usual weekend treats – I managed to whip up a delicious roast Sunday lunch with leg of lamb, homemade mint sauce, loads of veggies and roasted sweet potato, and who said detoxing was boring….

Toxin busting lifestyle changes

As I’m coming to the end of the detox I thought I would talk about how you can reduce toxic exposure through lifestyle changes – both during the detox programme and beyond. The most important way we can help reduce our toxic load is to limit our toxic exposure. This can be done not just by avoiding social toxins (alcohol, caffeine and refined sugars) and allergenic foods (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs etc) and eating organic. But also by watching what household products and skin / hair care products we use, the air we breathe and the water we drink.

As I discussed on day 4 – The low down on toxins, our homes are full of potential sources toxins. Separately, these sources may not amount to any great level of toxin exposure (cleaning kitchen surfaces with a few squirts of kitchen cleaner is surely better for you than leaving it dirty??), however the accumulative effect of combined toxins is something else. Although there is no conclusive evidence, it is thought that different toxins can combine and interact leading to an even greater increase in detrimental effects than by separate exposure to individual toxins– a definite case of the whole being far greater than the sum of its parts.

Did you know - up to 60% of substances applied to your skin can be absorbed and enter the bloodstream?

Have you ever read the label on your moisturiser?

Take Clinique’s popular Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion: Ingredients - Water Purified, Mineral Oil, Sesame Oil, Propylene Glycol, Tea Stearate, Gylceryl Stearate, Lanolin Alcohol, Petrolatum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Or your makeup remover? Such as Simple’s Kind-To-Eyes eye makeup remover pads: Ingredients - Aqua, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclomethicone, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Ceteareth-12, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Propylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Pantolactone, Citric Acid

Or what about you kitchen spray cleaner, such as Flash Clean and Shine All-purpose Cleaner? Ingredients: <5% Non-ionic surfactants, Soap; Benzisothiazolinone, Perfumes, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool.

I hardly recognise or can pronounce any of these ingredients, let alone know what they do. And these are products we put on our skin or inadvertently breathe in every day….

This infographic at www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5971/12-Toxic-Ingredients-to-AVOID-in-Cosmetics-Skin-Care-Products-Infographic.html gives a great overview of the top 12 toxic substances found in skin care and household products, including: parabens, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Mineral oil.

If you are worried about the ingredients in your skin care / household products, you can find out more information about them on www.ewg.org/skindeep - a fantastic online database for information on personal care products. And of course there is also the very informative www.everydayexposures.com

So what can be done?

Easy - chose natural / organic skincare and household products over conventional products, these products contain less harmful ingredients.

To help you out, here are some good websites from which you can find non-toxic skin care, make up and cleaning supplies:

www.greenpeople.co.uk

www.lovelula.com

www.essential-care.co.uk

www.naturalcollection.com

www.nutricentre.com

I particularly like:

Skin care:

Belif – skincare products which contain herbs specially selected by the herbalists at Napiers, Edinburgh (www.napiers.net/belif.html)

Dr Hauschka (www.dr.hauschka.com/en_GB/ )

Liz Earle (http://uk.lizearle.com/ )

Origins (www.origins.co.uk )

Hair and body care:

Avalon Organics (www.avalonorganics.com )

Jason (www.jasonnaturalcare.co.uk)

Cleaning products:

Attitude (www.cleanattitude.com)

Ecover (http://uk.ecover.com/)

Method (www.methodproducts.co.uk)

Or what about making your own:

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 12 - Falling off the wagon

5/4/2014

Had a (somewhat planned) falling 'off the wagon' last night at my friend's birthday dinner party - date had been in the diary for ages so had planned to have a semi-night off. Anyway, after a couple glasses of fizz, not to mention a tiny but obligatory piece of birthday cake pudding - would have been rude to say no! (fortunately the rest of the meal was fine - detox friendly first course and just had extra helpings of veg instead of potatoes with the venison stew for main course), I woke up this morning with the most terrific headache and nausea (read hangover) and have spent most of the day fighting off sugar cravings and a huge desire for poached eggs on hot buttered toast.

However I managed not to give in – instead went for a brisk walk up Blackford Hill to stave off the cravings and blow out the cobwebs, followed by a Liver Cleanse smoothie of carrots, celery, beetroot and broccoli sprouts (sounds disgusting on paper but was actually quite good!). Have definitely learnt a lesson or two here: 1) having 'a night off' has consequences – both physically and mentally, it is so easy just to slip again the next day, and 2) that getting back on track takes real will power but that it can be done, plus 3) try to avoid big celebrations / boozy nights out until the detox programme is over!

Found this great quote which definitely applies here –

“Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.”

Old Chinese Proverb

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 11 - Programme Supplements and some sneaky preliminary results!

3/4/2014

So the weekend is nearly here! Sprang out of bed this morning feeling completely refreshed from another great night’s sleep – my usual bleary eyed starts seem like a lifetime ago! However, stomach is feeling a bit heavy and sluggish today, could this be due to the reintroduction of proper food after the liquid only days?? Made me realise how ‘light’ my stomach had been feeling recently, particularly during the liquid only days – am liking these days even more! And have noticed that my stomach has been far flatter than usual – my trousers are definitely looser and my belt is now needing a few more holes so that I can do it up tighter, how exciting!!! Couldn’t resist a quick peek on the scales and was absolutely blown over to discover that I now weighed 61.5kg, which means I’ve lost 2.4kg!!!! WOW! I am absolutely thrilled by this and my new found flat stomach, not too mention the sky-high energy levels and high spirits. Haven’t felt, looked and weighed this much since my early twenties!!!!!!

Had a Gruesome Greens smoothie packed with spinach, kale, apple and ginger and a scoop of Ultraclear for breakfast, which seemed to help settle the stomach, and some more soup with some buckwheat flat bread (using the recipe on the back of the packet) and hummous for lunch. Have realised to my amazement how little I was missing bread, hadn’t really thought about it or craved it since the first couple of days apart from when the children were having toast – now that really was a killer, the smell of fresh toast smothered in butter….. mmmmmm! Not long now – just 3 more days…..

Tonight is a friend’s dinner party to celebrate her birthday and I was looking forward to seeing everyone and showing off my new svelte and blooming self, I have even managed to fit into one of my favourite old outfits which I had pretty much given up any hope of ever fitting into again (though had kept it at the back of my wardrobe just in case…..). Given that it was such a special occasion, one that had been in the diary for ages. I decided in advance that I would allow myself a glass of wine and not to be too fussy about what I could and couldn’t eat (within reason). After all my friend would had gone to a lot of trouble to cook a delicious spread and I am definitely not one to impose any self-appointed ‘dietary requirements’ on anyone, preferring to surreptitiously remove or avoid any offending foods on my plate (much to the embarrassment / amusement of my family when I pick out all the raisins and sultanas – yuk! from fruit scones or hot cross buns!). I will let you know how I got on in my next post….

Supplements – at long last

Have realised I haven’t mentioned anything much about the supplements. Although diet is the cornerstone of this Metabolic Detox Programme, what makes this Detox Programme so effective and stand out from all the rest are the Nutri Advanced supplements. Nutri Advanced are a leading specialist supplement company who produce high quality, effective and well researched, therapeutic strength, practitioner prescribed supplements, I regularly recommend Nutri Advanced supplements to my clients with great success. Now, there are quite a few of these to take and you do feel as though you are rattling around with all the pills and powders, however they have all been specifically chosen to help support the liver and digestive system and to encourage optimal detoxification and are vital to the success of the programme. They include:

UltraClear Plus pH metabolic food – this is a powder which you mix with water or juice / smoothie to make a ‘shake’. It contains well-researched nutrients, vitamins and herbs to balance and support the body’s detoxification pathways and liver function.
Psyllium and Apple Pectin – contains soluble fibre and probiotics (friendly gut bacteria) to support optimal digestive function and toxin clearance.
Metalipoate – Contains lipoic acid, an antioxidant required in detoxification and to protect against oxidative stress. It also can support blood sugar balance thereby helping to reduce sugar cravings, energy dips, light-headedness and irritability associated with blood sugar imbalances.
NAC – N-acetyl-L-Cysteine is a powerful antioxidant which supports detoxification processes and protects against oxidative stress.
Celapro - Celapro is a combination of herbal extracts and phytochemicals that provide synergistic and targeted protection from free radical damage. It helps to promote the function and healthy aging of cells, in addition to supporting detoxification processes and optimal gut flora balance.

As you can imagine, remembering which ones to take when and how many were a little daunting at first (as discussed in my Day 1 post), however I soon got into the swing of it helped by keeping a copy of the supplement regime on the fridge door and also by writing the details of how many to take and when on each supplement lid. The NAC has to be taken without food – ie first thing in the morning and last thing at night, so I kept the bottle of these supplements by my bedside to help me remember to take them. Taking the UltraClear Plus pH powder on days when I was at work or out and about also proved a problem (I didn’t fancy taking the whole tub with me for fear of it bursting open in my bag, and anyway there was no way such a big tub could fit in my little handbag!). The first few days I decanted the right amount into a little ziplock freezer bag which did the trick, until I found out about the Smart Shake. These neat little bottles contains a cup to hold the water (with a brilliant sieve-like widget thing which makes light work of mixing the powder into the water), and two separate containers – one to carry the powder and the other for snacks / nuts and seeds etc. There is even a clip should you wish to attach your keys or attach it to your belt in case you want to go running with it (?! – definitely aimed at the sport endurance market. It’s available on www.amazon.co.uk in all different colours – I thoroughly recommend them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SmartShake-600ml-20oz-Neon-Blue/dp/B009KPD0AI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1398634744&sr=8-4&keywords=smartshake

The UltraClear Plus pH is the first powder ‘shake’ I’ve ever had. I have always never really seen the point of shakes / protein powders as they are usually full of synthetic nasties, and also why take them when you can have fresh food, fruit and vegetables which taste and are so much better for you. It comes in two flavours – Vanilla, and Pineapple and Banana. I went for the vanilla one which I thought would be less likely to taste synthetic.

So it was with much trepidation that I tasted my first ‘shake’ – ‘yuk!’ Was my first thought (yes my instincts were right, it did taste pretty artificial), this was quickly followed by ‘how on earth was I going to get through two whole weeks of this stuff’. However, after a bit of trial and error (using really cold water, adding it to juice and smoothies, or holding my nose whilst gulping it down in one), I found I started to get used to it (definitely helped by the cold water), and by Day 7 (the start of the liquid days in which you have three servings) believe it or not I had actually grown to like it!

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 10 - The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

3/4/2014

Ah the joy of chomping down on something solid – that almost sounds rude!

It’s great to be eating solids again today, and oh the choice! Would never have believed at the start of the detox that I would look at the list of allowed foods in such wonder! Although this may sound weird, especially considering my middle liquid day disaster, I actually really enjoyed it and found it far easier than I ever thought I would. You didn’t have to think about what to eat – just had to blitz up a smoothie / juice or take a soup out of the fridge (or freezer if you had been organised in making up big batches beforehand). And far from being put off soups for life, it’s made me realise just how deliciously easy they are at packing in all those veg into your diet. Will definitely be making soups on a large scale from now on.

I celebrated having solid foods by having pancakes for breakfast, a large chicken salad for lunch and the delicious spiced cod and puy lentils with loads of veg for supper, plus a couple of handfuls of nuts and seeds for snacking – these are SO the way forward rather than grabbing a packet of crisps / biscuits, not only do they taste yummy but also leave you feeling very virtuous knowing that you are getting your daily dose of so many important minerals, vitamins and good-fats.

As I had pretty much run out of fruits and berries (all those smoothies!) decided to pop into my local Waitrose to pick up some more. As recommended, I headed straight for the organic aisle (no nastie pesticides and artificial fertilizers for me please!), but immediately took a step back. Was shocked firstly at the limited amount of organic fruit and veg available – vegetable growers don’t call this time of year ‘the lean season’ for nothing, and secondly at the price - £4.50 for a tiny packet of organic blueberries, you must be joking!! My Scottish miserly side definitely came to the fore as I put the offending packet back on the shelf. It made my veg box look such good value.

Although the programme recommends eating organic foods, sometimes it isn’t possible, both economically and availability wise, to go down the organic route all of the time. Instead why not try the Dirty Dozen / Clean Fifteen Cheat Sheet which group fruit and vegetables according to how susceptible they are to pesticides, i.e. the Dirty Dozen which are the fruit and vegetables most affected by pesticides, and therefore should always be organic, and the Clean Fifteen which are fruit and vegetables least affected by pesticides, and therefore are less important to be organic.

Detox-friendly Dirty Dozen (always buy organic):

Apples

Celery

Cherries

Cucumber

Grapes

Kale

Pears

Raspberries

Spinach

Strawberries

Sweet Peppers

Detox-friendly Clean Fifteen (low pesticide foods):

Asparagus

Avocado

Broccoli

Cabbage

Onions

Papayas

Pineapples

Peas

Sweet potatoes

Another way of looking at it is for any fruit or vegetable which doesn’t have a tough, inedible thick skin it is best to choose organic, and remember to wash any inorganic produce thoroughly so as to remove any residual pesticides. Also it goes without saying that you should chose organic meats and fish (and dairy products / eggs when not on the Detox Programme) wherever possible, preferably from a local suppler or butcher / fishmonger who can tell you exactly where it has come from – see the local food heroes page for suppliers. These again have lower levels of pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones and other medications / nasties than conventionally reared animals, as well as being reared to high welfare standards, plus of course taste far superior!

So looks as though I’ll be having to fork out a small fortune for those organic blueberries after all….

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 9 - The importance of vegetables

2/4/2014

Woke up feeling slightly better (last of the liquid days - way hay!), but still cold (not helped by the misty murky weather). Have been trying to work out why I’m so cold – maybe it’s my metabolism which has slowed down or the fact that I’m basically living off vegetables (albeit in warm soup). Determined to have a better day today, particularly as it is my clinic day. After last week’s clinic and knowing that this was my last liquids day (yippee!), I made sure I kept my workload light with only 2 clients. However, it still meant I had to be ultra-organised with my tubs of soup and smoothies, not to mention the UltraClears, to last me through out the day. Made sure that I had some hearty soup (spinach and bean – one of my favourites) and a veg and nut laden smoothie (spinach, kale, carrot, apple and loads of nuts) to help keep my energy levels up. This definitely seemed to work, as have begun to feel SO much better – back to my old self again, phew. Though have been having the strangest urge to gnaw on anything – pens, fingernails… just as well its back on solids tomorrow – my teeth can’t wait to get stuck into some serious chewing.

Having all this veg and also the arrival of my weekly veg box (full of the most wonderful fresh vegetables), has reminded me that I haven’t really paid enough attention to the green stuff in this blog yet. So here goes…..

The importance of veg

Vegetables are the backbone of this detox programme. Being full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fibre, they really are the wonder foods of a healthy diet, and are reported to have a protective effect against many chronic illnesses including cancer, bowel disease, heart disease and stroke - this article from Harvard University gives a great summary of the association between vegetables and chronic disease. This is why it is so important to get your 5-a-day.

What makes them so important with regards to this programme is due to the nutrients they contain:

Fibre – vital for optimal gut function. Helps keep you regular and therefore ensures optimal excretion of toxins through the bowels. A sluggish, constipation prone gut increases the risk of hepatic recirculation happening, in which toxins that have been excreted into the gut in bile via the gall duct are allowed to be reabsorbed through the gut lining and back into the body.

Vitamins – such as vitamin A (found in carrots, red peppers and sweet potato), the B vitamins (found in green leafy veg, mushrooms and asparagus), vitamin C (sweet potato, spinach and red peppers), vitamin E (found in avocados, as well as nuts and seeds) and vitamin K (found in green leafy veg). All of which are important anti-oxidants and /or play a vital role in detoxification processes, immune system and energy metabolism.

Minerals – such as calcium (found in green leafy veg), copper (found in mushrooms), magnesium (found in spinach, butternut squash and artichokes), manganese (found in spinach and sweet potato) and potassium (found in sweet potatoes, tomatoes and broccoli). All of which are vital for many enzyme reactions and detoxification processes and energy metabolism.

Phytonutrients – These include flavones and lycopene (found in red vegetables such as tomatoes, red peppers and various fruits), beta-carotenes, flavonoids and curcumin (found in orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potato and butternut squash), lutein and zeaxanthin (found in yellow vegetables like corn, pumpkin and yellow peppers), chorophyll, silymarin and folic acid (found in green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale and spinach) and glucosinolates, allyl sulfides and theobromines (found in white vegetables such as onions, garlic and cauliflower). All of which have various anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, as well as having important for roles in detoxification processes, liver support, energy metabolism and to protect against toxin exposure.

And also, what they leave out:

No refined sugars

No bad fats

No additives, artificial colouring, preservatives or flavours

All of which are detrimental to health and can increase your toxic load.

Top tips for making the most of your veg.

So how can you get the most out of your veg:

Make sure you have at least 3 portions of different vegetables at lunch and supper. Your total vegetables serving should fill up ½ the area of your plate, with starchy carbohydrates and quality protein (lean meat, fish, poultry, beans and pulses) taking up a quarter each.
Ensure you eat a variety of different vegetables by aiming for a rainbow of colours.
Get into the habit of asking yourself what can I do that will add at least one portion of vegetables to this meal?

Make sure you are getting optimal nutrient levels in your vegetables:

Choose the freshest veg possible and don’t leave them festering in the bottom of the fridge. Vegetables start losing their nutrients as soon as they are harvested.
Organic vegetables tend to have higher nutrient levels as well as lower levels of pesticides, not to mention they taste better. However, avoid those that have has been grown abroad and has therefore travelled many airmiles. More on this later….
Chose locally produced vegetables that are in season – a good way of ensuring all this is to use a local veg box scheme which delivers a variety of fresh, organic and seasonal fruit and vegetables to your door every week, see my local heroes page for information.
Or better still – try growing your own. Salad vegetables / lettuces and/or herbs are a great starter veg.
Cook your vegetables by steaming, stir-frying, in soups and smoothies / juices or baking – this will help to reduce the amount of nutrients lost whilst cooking, and do not overcook them - no mushy peas or soggy Brussels sprouts please!
Or even better eat them raw.

“Make a rainbow every day”

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 8 - Juice Bar Woe

1/4/2014

Had a disaster today, thought I would treat myself to a freshly squeezed juice at my local juice bar, only to discover it had turned into a frozen yogurt café! A quick internet search got my hopes up that all was not lost – a local café (Black Medicine Company) apparently sells fresh juices. However, double disaster – our local branch has closed down to make way for a Sainsbury’s Local…. And the next nearest juice bar (of which there are few and far between in Edinburgh) was in the centre of town and I didn’t have the time, energy or inclination to go and try it out.

Was so upset – I had been so looking forward to this ‘treat’ and was using it to help soften the liquid only days. If only I was in London or at least down south where there is a juice bar or healthy foodie café on every street corner, but no I am in Edinburgh where obviously the health food craze is still yet to hit the streets or worse, the demand for it isn’t big enough – no wonder we are the ‘sick man of Europe’… enough of the rant. It put me in a downward spiral of despair which got worse as the day progressed. My blood sugars were all over the place and I felt truly exhausted and fatigued with no energy to shake off the low mood that had descended. The children’s antics (were they behaving particularly badly or was it just me not being able to cope?) sapped up any energy I had left, and preparing their supper made me feel even worse – oh to have some of their spaghetti bolognaise. Fortunately my darling husband came home from work just in time to take over, leaving me to my supper of yet another bowl of soup and to enjoy a much needed bath to soothe my cold and achy body before bed. Unfortunately went to bed still feeling extremely cold – just couldn’t seem to warm up and took ages to get to sleep, ended up having to make myself a hot water bottle which I clung on to for most of the night.

This has definitely been the toughest day so far, the temptation to have some of the childrens’ supper was just too much and I have to admit I did have the tiniest of mouthfuls of leftover spaghetti bolognaise – oh just heaven, little ray of light in an otherwise dreadful day. Did feel a tad guilty (who would have thought I would ever feel bad about having a morsel of homemade, veg laden bolognaise?!?!) but consoled myself in the fact it wasn’t chocolate. Let’s hope tomorrow will be better.

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 7 - lovely liquids

30/3/2014

Good news – I’m half way through the programme, Bad news – it’s the liquid days….

These were the days I was really dreading – how on earth are you supposed to survive, let alone go about your normal daily routine, on just a few juices and/or soups?? I’ve never done a liquid / juice detox before – apart from trying the cabbage soup diet (sort of detox?) once in my early twenties (a rather unpleasant experience for all concerned!). Some people swear by them, but they can play havoc with your blood sugar balance and gut, leaving you feeling totally exhausted, headachy, very faint and with a dodgy tummy, not to mention the lack of vital nutrients which if done long term can be very detrimental. So no wonder I was feeling rather nervous.

With the children safely ensconced in school for the day (having arrived back late last night), I made sure I had a quiet day at home – nothing too strenuous, just reading some articles and case notes. Started off with the first of my three UltraClear shakes and a spinach, carrot, apple and raspberry smoothie with a handful of seeds added for some extra protein and oils. It was actually really quite filling and I nearly forgot to have my mid-morning UltraClear shake. However the Beetroot and butternut squash soup I had for lunch left me feeling pretty shaky and hungry even after my mid-afternoon shake, so gave myself another bowl of soup which tied me over until my supper of 2 bowls of hearty puy lentil and broccoli soup. Went to bed feeling tired but happy that I had managed to survive the first day of liquids in one piece. Made a mental note to make sure my soups contained some sort of protein, such as lentils and beans, and starchy vegetables to help keep my blood sugar levels balanced and avoid the sugar rush headaches and shakes, and mid-afternoon energy dips.

Why liquids only?

The reasoning behind the liquid only days is to provide the body with food and nutrition in its most easily digestible and absorbable form. Thereby giving the digestive system a well-deserved break and reducing the energy and nutrient load required for digestive processes (normally about 10% of our total energy requirements). These liquids can be either juices, smoothies and soups – take your pick, preferably homemade with a wide variety of organic fruit and vegetables, beans and legumes. Plus you can have as much as you like – really no need to go hungry. Also, in order to ensure that optimum nutrient requirements are met, the UltraClear shakes (more about these and the other supplements in a future post) are increased to three a day.

Introducing the magnificent NutriBullet

I don’t do much juicing, mainly due to the reasons mentioned above (juicing leaves behind all the pulp and fibre behind, which is extremely important for health as much as the phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, and the not so healthy high levels of fructose (fruit sugar), that is extracted in the juice. Not to mention that most juicers tend to be a right pain to clean.

Instead I make smoothies using the magnificient NutriBullet. If you are thinking of getting a juicer / smoothie maker / blender, I would thoroughly recommend one of these little beauties. It has a small but very powerful motor which blends fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (including the all-important fibre and skins) to a smooth smoothie in seconds. Plus it is very quick and easy to clean (only two parts – the blade and cup which is also BPA free), and comes with a great recipe book full of delicious nutritious smoothie recipes. It can be bought on www.amazon.co.uk which also has hundreds of 5 star reviews for the machine (just in case you don’t take my word for it). My family and I love it, and along with my bread maker, gets used on a regular basis – perfect for a quick breakfast as you are dashing out the door for work or school drop off (handful of washed spinach, frozen berries, cored apple and some nuts and seeds = perfect, well balanced start to the day!). Plus brilliant for packing in all those fruit and vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables – you hardly know that they are there!), particularly for children and greenvegaphobics. Another great smoothie maker / blender is the Vitamix – the real crème de la crème of blenders, however it does come with a hefty price tag. For those juicing fans out there – please let me know which juicer is your favourite and I can add it here.

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 6 - Getting some 'Me' time

29/3/2014

After another amazing night’s sleep, had a lovely leisurely morning – (herbal) tea and (buckwheat) pancakes in bed (not quite the same as my usual Sunday morning treat of proper coffee and croissant!) listening to a bit of Puccini rather than the usual One Direction as chosen by my daughter, followed by another long hot Epsom salt bath. These Epsom salt baths are fantastic – our grandmothers were right to love them. They contain magnesium which gets absorbed through the skin where it helps support energy metabolism, and hormone balance, reduce bloating and inflammation, and soothes sore and tired muscles. In addition they also help to draw out toxins and excess fluid from the body – perfect for detoxing. So what are you waiting for – add 2 cups of Epsom salts to your bath and relax in it for 20mins. PS Bags of Epsom Salts are available at most chemists or online (try www.amazon.co.uk or www.westlab.co.uk ).

Remember to give yourself a spiritual detox too

I had purposely cleared my diary and put my to-do list on hold, and as the children and husband were still away I also had none of my usual chores like chauffeuring the kids around to various friends’ houses and clubs, and cooking and tidying up for the masses. It was the first time in ages when I had nothing to do but look after myself, and boy how I relished it! After cooking up yet more soup (getting ready for the liquid days) listening to yet more music of my choice – oh joy, I went for a long walk up Arthur’s seat in the afternoon. This gave me the perfect opportunity to do some reflecting. Another important part of the detox is to remember to take time out (of our often v busy lives) and care for our spiritual side – without sounding too hippy / head in the clouds, use this time to reflect on our lives: what makes you happy? What makes you sad and angry? And what would you like to change and how are you going to go about making it happen? It’s also useful with helping with motivation to have a think about why you are doing this detox programme, and to set some goals for yourself – they don’t have to be major, little steps are often the best.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step”

Old Chinese Proverb.

These goals can include:

Health goals
Lifestyle goals
Personal goals
Work goals
Long-term goals

I came back down Arthur’s seat feeling invigorated both physically (wind-swept and wind-burnt!) and mentally. My reflections had made me realise just how out of kilter my work-life balance was. I love my job(s) - as well as the nutritional therapy I also work as a Cochrane reviewer, it truly is the best job and what I’ve always wanted to do, but it is definitely effecting my family life. How many times have I caught myself ‘just finishing off a little bit of work’ on the laptop when I should be helping the children with their homework, cooking their supper or reading them a story, not to mention spending quality time with my husband in the evenings? When was the last time I played a game with them, rather than letting them watch CBBC whilst I finished up a case study? I vowed that I would try to keep my working hours to when they are at school and not to spend so much time on my laptop - I worked out that I was regularly spending over twelve hours a day glued to the screen?!?!! I'm amazed my children don't tell me I have square eyes! I’ve also decided not to ask for a renewal of my Cochrane contract when it finishes in the summer - a great shame, but somethings gotta give.

After cooking the most delicious bit of venison steak, sweet potato chips, curly kale and courgettes for supper - my weekend treat! It was time for an early bed and sweet dreams, already for starting the liquid only days tomorrow…

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 5 - Massages and other pampering treats

28/3/2014

My lovely husband has taken himself and the kids down to his parents for a long weekend, leaving me at home alone to concentrate on my detox – how thoughtful!

Had the most wonderful sleep last night – slept like a log straight through till 8.30 with no interruptions. The Epsom salts bath I had before bed last night did wonders on the relaxation front. Literally jumped out of bed (now haven’t done that in a while!) feeling so refreshed and full of energy (at last!), all ready for my day of pampering and having some me time.

Booked a Detox Massage with the lovely Kate Schaeffer (a ‘no-hands’ massage therapist at Napiers Clinic) today. What bliss! Kate started off on my back, then moved on to my feet for a bit of reflexology ‘no-hands’ style, ie using the points of her elbows to stimulate the reflexes or zones on my feet. The effect was amazing - could feel what felt like ‘explosions’ of hot and cold (difficult to explain, but like both very cold and very hot water running up my legs to my abdomen and liver). There were also some very tender points – apparently my liver, colon and lymph reflexes, kind of made sense given that these organs were being worked hard at the moment. Stimulating these reflexes, according to reflexology, will help remove any blockages in the corresponding organs and help them to work properly. Once my reflexes had been given a proper going over, it was time for my colon massage. Was quite nervous about this part as had never had one done before – what would it be like? Would it hurt? and more importantly would it cause some embarrassing ‘passing of wind’ – oh the horror! But I needn’t have worried, Kate slowly and gently pressed down on an exact point in my lower abdomen (using her elbow point again), until it reached a point where I could definitely feel it but still wasn’t painful – she had a very clever system that you used to indicate when she had gone too far / was just right. And then she shook her elbow in an action not dissimilar to a pneumatic drill (though obviously not as violent!). This was repeated several times following the route of my colon (basically around the lower abdomen). It wasn’t like any other massage I’ve had before, I really enjoyed it and came out feeling revitalised, full of energy and thankfully with my dignity still intact! Kate also gave me a Detox Ball (basically a very heavy crystal ball) so that I could give myself a daily colon massage at home and a lovely Little Brown Book which describes the importance of the colon perfectly.

Massages, are a great way to help support the detox process. They help to get your circulation and lymph moving, thereby helping to transport toxins to the detoxification organs for breakdown and excretion. They also are brilliant at helping to relax and de-stress (remember stress is also a form of toxicity). Other therapies which may also help include reflexology and acupuncture - both of which can help stimulate the liver and other detoxification organs.

You can also help to reduce your toxic load and support the detoxification processes further by:

Ensuring that you drink at least 2 litres of water / other allowed fluids a day.
Going to bed earlier – sleep is so important for optimal functioning of not only the liver and gut, but also your whole body and mind, try to get at least 8 hours sleep a night.
Having a sauna or Epsom salts bath, not only are these relaxing but they also help speed up the removal of toxins through the skin, as does skin brushing.
Do some exercise each day – go for a brisk walk or swim, join a yoga or pilates class or take up a new sport. Not only does exercise have important health benefits, it also helps to promote blood and lymph circulation, toxin elimination through increased sweating and breathing and is a great way of reducing stress levels.
Try some stress management techniques to help combat stress, such as meditation or abdominal breathing.

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 4 - The low down on toxins

27/3/2014

What a difference a day makes! As promised, the aches and pains have gone, the dizziness and shakiness are no more, and the headaches – a distant memory. Still feeling pretty tired, so have made a mental note to try to take things easier than usual.

Had the quinoa flake porridge this morning, pretty quick and simple to make, and tastes OK – the coconut milk and some added nuts and seeds definitely helped, although still not a patch on the real oaty thing! Will I get used to it? Will just have to wait and see….

Friday morning meant my weekly post-school drop-off coffee with my school mum friends. I had been looking forward to it and dreading it in equal measures – I was looking forward to having a good natter, but was dreading the caffeine and cake temptation. So glad I went, it was great to catch up with everyone and the cake part was fine – didn’t feel tempted at all, although I did look longingly at the cappuccinos – my mint tea didn’t quite cut it, especially as it was just some mint leaves in hot water for which I had to pay £2.50 – daylight robbery!!! Made up for this by having a delicious ‘antioxidant juice’ smoothie and chicken salad for lunch.

Toxins and detoxification

All that form filling on Monday has got me thinking about toxins and my toxic load. What actually is a toxin and the toxic load? Where do they come from? What do they do? And most importantly how do we deal with them?

Firstly, some definitions:

Toxin - any substance(s) or environmental influence that disturbs metabolism in a manner that results in chronic illness.

Toxic load - accumulated amount of toxins affecting your bodily systems at any given time. Over time toxic load tends to increase as the body is exposed to environmental toxins on a daily basis.

“Did you know the chief causes of chronic disease are:

Inappropriate food choices
Lack of physical activity
Poor sleep habits (< 8 hours sleep per night)
Tobacco and alcohol use
Poor mental resiliency (stress and poor stress coping mechanisms)

- All of these can be classified as toxicity and can add to your toxic load.”

Toxic exposure

Everyday we are exposed to hundreds of different toxins. Such as:

Air - air pollution, cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes

Water - lead from old pipes, pesticides

Food - poor food choice (refined carbohydrates, sugar, trans fats & saturated fats), food allergens, pesticides, mercury & PCBs in fish, and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons from charred meat.

Infections - bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections

Lifestyle - smoking, alcohol, household cleaning products, skin care products

Physical - electromagnetic fields, ionizing radiation, UV radiation

Endotoxins – waste products from normal metabolic processes such as spent hormones (cortisol, sex hormones, thyroid hormones), neurotransmitters, immune complexes and old cells that have passed their usefulness.

Psychosocial factors - stress, poor coping skills, trauma

Medication - prescription drugs and over the counter medications

For more information on environmental toxins and where they lurk, have a look at www.everydayexposures.com which has a fantastic interactive diagram showing all the potential sources of toxins, as well as the toxins themselves, that can be found in all our homes.

No one is safe:

“One hundred and seventy one industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals, including chemicals linked to birth defects and developmental delays, immune system toxicity and an average of 56 carcinogens were found in blood and urine sample of a test sample of volunteers.”

Environmental working Group. EWG/Commonwealth Study ~1. Industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults. www.ewg.org

The effects of toxins

An increased toxic load is thought to have detrimental effects on the body, including: mitochondrial (energy production) damage, increased inflammation and disruption to blood sugar regulation, immunity and hormone metabolism. Common symptoms of toxic damage can include reduced energy levels and changes in mood and cognitive function, poor cellular health, weight gain, joint inflammation / stiffness and allergic reactions.

And the list of health conditions that may be associated with toxicity is even longer:

Obesity
Metabolic syndrome
Diabetes
Atherosclerosis
Heart disease / cardiovascular disease
Hypertension
Cancer
Auto-immune diseases (Lupus, thyroiditis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis)
Allergies (food allergies, hayfever)
Reproductive disorders (infertility, endometriosis, fibroids, PMT, menstrual problems)
Neurodegenerative diseases (parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease)
Neuropsychiatric disorders (autism, depression)

Scary reading eh? Well read on… This blog post by Dr Crinnon (an expert in environmental medicine) sums up environmental toxin exposure and its consequences nicely. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-walter-crinnion/earth-day-2010-reduce-you_b_546908.html

Detoxification

But don’t worry, as mentioned in my previous post (20/3/2014), our amazing bodies, chiefly our liver, digestive system and kidneys, are well equipped to breakdown and excrete these toxins in a process known as detoxification. It just often needs a bit of help to function optimally.

There are many ways that we can help our bodies to cope with the burden of these toxins - by helping to reduce toxin exposure and to ensure optimal detoxification through supporting the liver and digestive system – important body systems involved in the detoxification processes. These include:

Good food choice
Lifestyle factors
Exercise
Stress reduction techniques (such as meditation / breathing methods)
Encouraging good circulation and excretory processes.

Metabolic Detox Programme - Day 3

26/3/2014

Had enormous difficulty getting out of bed this morning. Felt dreadful, not only a thumping headache but also general aches and pains and oh so drained of energy - more grumpy hibernating bear than March hare! And today of all days – my clinic day when I need to look and feel my best. I had been warned about caffeine withdrawal headaches and possible aches and pains and fatigue associated with stored toxins being released into the bloodstream to be broken down and excreted. Apparently these symptoms, which can also include irritability, bad breath, body odor, bloating and skin eruptions, can all be signs that the detox process is working. Fortunately, these should usually disappear after the first few days of the detox programme, as the release of toxins reaches a peak and the body’s toxic burden starts to dissipate.

A breakfast super smoothie (own creation of spinach, carrot, apple, frozen berries, almonds and walnuts – a good balance of veg, fruit and protein yum!) did little to help, so finished up the last of the pancakes and some of the almond breakfast cake. And then it was off to clinic for the day loaded up with plenty of snacks (nuts and seeds and rice cakes), ultraClear powder and pills, and some soup (Carrot and lentil today) – now that took some planning!

Although the Detox programme is designed to fit around everyday life, it definitely pays to be organised if you want a successful, stress free 2 weeks. Eating out is a minefield, although it can be done – just have to pick your restaurant / café wisely (more on this in a later post). However, for work or those busy days rushing around, the best way is to take a packed lunch with you – soup or a salad are great. Also don’t forget the snacks – these are even more of a hazard, as trying to find a detox friendly snack whilst out and about is a nightmare – there are not many places that sell carrot sticks and seed/nut mix by the packet! Nuts and seeds make great emergency snacks – keep a bag / small tub in your bag or drawer at work, as do rice cakes (the plain, and preferably organic, non-salted / flavoured variety), and of course there is always the piece of fruit (apple, pear, handful of grapes?).

Somehow managed to get through the day – the walk to work in the lovely spring weather definitely helped, as did the copious amounts of water, herbal teas and snacking. Plus fortunately, someone must have been looking out for me from up above as had a relatively quiet clinic with only a couple of clients – phew! Had a quick supper (Arroz con Pollo – a great hit with all the family and so easy and quick to make), then bath and bed with a good book and echinacea and raspberry tea (from Twinings – a great comfort tea with the added benefit on immune boosting echinacea).

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 2 - headaches and other odd symptoms

25/3/2014

Woke up this morning with a dull headache, which seemed to get progressively worse throughout the day. Put this down to caffeine withdrawal - dam, really should have tried harder at weaning myself off the black stuff. To be honest, I really didn’t think my daily couple of weak earl grey teas (dishwater tea according to my friends) and the odd coffee wouldn’t amount to much caffeine and therefore would not be a problem, how wrong was I! To help I upped my intake of water which took the edge off, and also made sure I took it easy. Fortunately it was my clinic preparation day and was able to do all the research and preparation for my clients from the comfort of my cosy armchair.

Though by mid-afternoon, having had a wholesome lunch (yet more of the delicious Beetroot and butternut squash soup – has a lovely sweet but earthy, nearly tomato flavour, plus the left over green rice with some olives, seeds and fresh coriander added), the headache had been joined by dizziness and the shakes – ahh that would be my blood sugar levels taking a dive. Had a handful of nuts (a great emergency snack – keep a small tub of them in your bag) and an apple which seemed to do the trick. Although still felt rather shaky so made a point of going to bed early after a supper of ginger chicken stir-fry and rice noodles – perfect comfort food. Hopefully will feel better tomorrow.

I also noticed another weird thing (apologies for TMI), my wee has a very potent sweet metallic smell just like when I eat asparagus. After a bit of detective work, I found out that one of the supplements was to blame – the MetaLipoate, don’t worry it is perfectly natural and apparently just shows that the alpha-lipoic acid (the active ingredient in MetaLipoate) is being put to work!

Metabolic Detox Programme: Day 1 - here we go!

24/3/2014

So here I am at the start of the 2 week programme – feeling very excited and full of trepidation. I've delayed the start of my detox as had a busy day yesterday full of meetings which I thought wouldn't probably be the best time to embark on a new regime!

Began my 2 week detox with the delicious buckwheat pancakes I made yesterday (a bit more ‘rustic’ tasting than the usual Pancake Day fare - reminds me of French galettes – ahh now there’s an idea for some detox friendly ‘wraps’) with berries and my mix of seeds (pumpkin, flaxseed, sesame and sunflower) for breakfast. A great way to boost those antioxidants, omega-3s and important vitamins and minerals.

The supplements however were a different matter! Very confusing indeed about which ones to take when and how many – how on earth am I going to remember? I solved this by writing on the lid of each supplement how many to take and when. Another idea would be to use a pill organiser box such as this one from amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Medisure-Large-Weekly-Organiser-Compartments/dp/B001LXUK1Y/ref=pd_cp_d_3

Fortunately, Tuesdays are one of my ‘working from home’ days, so I was able to enjoy preparing and eating my lunch (the beetroot and Butternut squash soup, with carrot sticks and homemade houmous) at leisure. The evening meal (Lemon garlic cod, with green rice – both from the recipe list, and loads of veggies) took a bit longer along with a good measure of stress – getting to grips with unfamiliar recipes is easier said than done. But it all tasted surprisingly delicious – definitely recommend the green rice, will be having some of that tomorrow for lunch. What with a bit of snacking on some nuts and seeds when the urge for a piece of toast kicked in, and loads of herbal teas instead of my usual coffees and black tea, my first day went surprisingly well, roll on the next 13.

Let the form filling commence

I also weighed and measured myself today and filled out the questionnaires which came with the pack. There are 3:

1. Data collection sheet – this double sided form is where you record your weight, height, waist and hip measurements and calculate your BMI (body mass index) and waist / hip ratio, one side is to be filled in prior to starting the programme and the other side after you have finished it on day 14.

The body mass index is calculated by dividing your weight (in kg) by your height x 2 (in metres), if you’re no good at maths or can’t find a calculator don’t worry there are hundreds of websites that can do it for you (plus tell you a bit more about the index) – all you need to do is plug in your vital statistics. http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx is a good one. Whilst the Waist / Hip ratio is your waist (in cm) divided by your hip (in cm). Both these calculations are basically used to predict how ‘healthy’ you are (weight wise and waist wise) or if you are at increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

2. Medical Symptoms Questionnaire – there are 2 of these forms, one to fill out prior to starting the programme and the other one after you have finished it on day 14. It is pretty self-explanatory but does take forever to fill in. I chose the time scale for rating symptoms of 30 days, as thought this would give a better overall picture of my health. Don’t forget to fill in the other side and tot-up the totals to give your total medical symptoms score. This will give an idea of the amount of toxic stress you are under.

3. Toxin exposure Questionnaire – Another long form… thank goodness there is only one of these! This one is to assess the amount of environmental toxins you may be exposed to – frightening stuff!

So how did I get on? Well can’t believe I’m about to broadcast my vital statistics across the world wide web, but in the interest of scientific research and any potential clients, here goes:

Weight = 63.1kg (gulp… so that’s where all those delicious French cheeses and gateaux went)
Height = 162cm
BMI = 24 (OMG – another point and I would be classified as overweight… Not exactly the best advertisement for nutritional therapy!)
Waist = 81cm - eeekk! That’s not good at all - puts me in the ‘high risk’ category according to the NHS website (www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/Appleorpear.aspx ), although am feeling particularly bloated this morning after enjoying my last meal of freedom last night – a large pizza express La Reine pizza! So hoping that it is more bloating than actual fat.
Hip = 97cm
Waist / hip ratio = 0.84 (now that really is a shocker - 0.85 and over puts you in the ‘apple’ category eg high risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes….)

And there was I thinking I was healthy – eating healthy foods and living a healthy lifestyle, what an eye opener….. But just what I needed to motivate me when the going gets tough.

As for the medical symptom questionnaire: Headaches, faintness, dizziness – yes occasionally. Bags under the eyes – oh yes. Stuffy nose, sinus problems, hay fever, sneezing – yes, big problem. Hives, rashes, dry skin, flushing – most certainly. Bloatedness, heartburn, wind – how delightful. Pain/aches / stiffness in joints and muscles – sometimes. Fatigue – most definitely… You get the picture. My total score was 49. Apparently the higher the score, the higher the likelihood of an increased toxic load, with scores of 50 and above indicating the need for some gentle detox. So at 49 I’m on the cusp, will be interesting to see what my score is at the end of the 2 weeks.

So all-in-all, if this had been my school report it would say something along the lines of ‘Could do better - definitely room for improvement…’

Metabolic Detox Programme: Souper Sunday

23/3/2014

Feeling rather exhausted but very satisfied having spent the whole day (or at least that how it seemed) in the kitchen cooking up a variety of soups, pancakes and breakfast cakes (yes cakes – you did read correctly!) using the recipes included in the info pack, in preparation for the start of the Metabolic Detox Programme.

I decided to have a go at the Carrot, coriander and red lentil, Beetroot and butternut squash, and Broccoli and puy lentil soups – what a beautiful array of colours – enough to do Joseph and his coat of many colours proud! I made double quantities of each and separated them into batches ready to freeze. Although delicious tasting, the Broccoli and puy lentil soup turned a rather murky green colour so to make it a brighter more temping green I added a large handful of spinach and watercress towards the end of the cooking. Next time I cook this, I will reduce the cooking time to 30mins and cook the lentils and onions in the water / stock for 20mins before adding the broccoli and spinach / watercress so as to avoid overcooking the broccoli to a murky mush. Also remember to rinse the lentils in cold water before cooking.

I also baked some almond flour breakfast cakes and a large batch of the buckwheat pancakes (both recipes from the info pack) to have as a quick and easy breakfast with some fruit or a smoothie / juice, or as a snack. Had a quick taster and they are absolutely delicious, the rest of the family thought the same - can see I’m going to have to keep them under lock-and-key!

Whilst I was in the mood, I also had a go at ‘detoxing’ my store cupboard. I put all my lentils, beans, nuts and seeds etc into glass storage jars (IKEA do some great ones, plus there are the old-fashioned Manson Jars available in a variety of sizes from www.amazon.co.uk and Sainbury’s). Not only do they look pretty and keep everything organised, they also help to reduce your exposure to toxins like BPAs, dioxins and phthalates (which have been linked to ill health and hormonal problems) which can leach out of plastic wrappers and containers into the foods they contain.

Metabolic Detox Programme: Foods - what and what not to eat, and where to get them

22/3/2014

The Metabolic Detox Programme suggests using the week before the detox programme to get organised. I have read through the information pack (a large folder containing all the information you need to successfully complete the programme, including: List of foods allowed, shopping list, menu planners, recipes, supplement regime and questionnaires) several times to help familiarise myself with the programme, paying particular attention to the list of foods allowed list, or more to the point making a mental note of all those foods not allowed.

Banned Foods

Basically, all foods that contain toxins, potential allergens and inflammatory substances, and other nasties are not allowed, eg:

No Alcohol
No Caffeine
No Wheat and other gluten products
No Dairy products
No Eggs
No Soy and soy products
No Sugar and sugary sweet foods
No artificial sweeteners
No Products containing refined carbohydrates
No Processed foods
Low glycaemic index (GI) fruits and vegetables only
and certain vegetables and fish / meats that contain potential allergens or inflammatory substances.

Arghhhh - that’s rather a long list! No wine, no coffee or tea (apart from green and herbal teas), and no bread….?!?!? It’s probably the reason why the info pack only includes a list of those foods we can eat - positive thinking and all that, otherwise I’m sure a great many of us would give up before we have even started! To help keep me motivated, I kept on telling myself “it’s only for two weeks - it is do-able….” – I can see this becoming my mantra over the next few weeks…

So what can we eat?

The information pack gives a large list of the foods allowed such as: low GI fruit and vegetables, quality protein (certain lean meats, fish, beans and pulses), certain whole grains and wholegrain cereals that don’t contain gluten (rice, quinoa, buckwheat), good fats and oils (olive, flaxseed, walnut and coconut oils) and nuts and seeds – as much as you want, no calorie counting here! If you can, its best to eat organically so as to reduce your exposure to unwanted pesticides, chemicals and antibiotic residues etc. I will be discussing organic foods in more detail in a later post. Plus it’s also advisable to prepare things from scratch, even foods such as houmous and pesto (believe me - it's very easy to make and so much nicer than the shop bought stuff), that way you will know exactly what is in the foods that you are eating!

But what about tomatoes and other ‘healthy’ foods not on the list

Looking at this list, there were a couple of healthy foods that have been left out such as tomatoes and red peppers (aren’t they full of vitamins and phytonutrients?), some types of oily fish (what about all those omega-3s), oats and rye (aren’t they gluten free?), eggs (surely a great source of quality protein?) and fruits like bananas – why???? The reason is that these foods tend to have potential allergens (eggs, and oats, corn and rye – these grains still have (albeit small) amounts of gluten and other potential gluten like allergens), toxins (PCBs and other toxins in larger oily fish like tuna) and inflammatory substances (tomatoes, potatoes and red peppers which are all members of the nightshade family), whilst some fruit and vegetables, such as bananas, have high amounts fructose (naturally occurring sugars in fruits).

Preparation is the key

As suggested I have started to gradually cut down on my sugar, caffeine and alcohol intake, so to reduce the possibility of getting caffeine withdrawal headaches and the sugar withdrawal shakes and dizziness. I have also started to plan my meals for the next couple of weeks – remember preparation is the key to the success of this programme, and I’ve had a huge shopping spree at my local health food shops (picked up all sorts of nuts, seeds, quinoa / quinoa flakes, buckwheat flour, rice noodles etc), and have augmented my weekly local vegetable box delivery with some more organic fruit and veg – if you don’t have one already I would thoroughly recommend getting a veg box, as these are a great way of getting a variety of fresh, organic and seasonal fruit and vegetables delivered to your door every week.

For those of you living in and around Edinburgh, there are many health food shops and local veg box companies. Plus don’t forget the local farmers’ markets in Stockbridge (every Sunday), Castle Terrace (every Saturday) and Portobello (every 1st Saturday), and also Holland and Barrett stores and the big supermarkets (especially Waitrose and Sainsbury’s who have really upped their game recently when it comes to ‘exotic’ sounding nuts and seeds and ‘free from’ products.) I have put together a list of these which can be found on my Local food Heroes web page. Happy shopping!!

Metabolic Detox Programme - getting ready

20/3/2014

So here I am enrolled on the programme and ready to go. The supplements have arrived, along with the information pack, and I have just listened to the webinar for practitioners (this programme is being run adjacently with a training programme for nutritional therapists to train them up as qualified metabolic detox practitioners).

It all feels like an avalanche of information has overwhelmed me, there is just so much to take on board – what I can and can’t eat, supplement regime (how on earth am I going to get organised at taking them at the right time / quantity, and aren’t I going to rattle with having to take so many!?!?), all these new recipes and menu planners, and shopping lists. I’m starting to feel rather apprehensive and am beginning to wonder whether I can do it. How am I going to cope without my early morning cup of tea and post-school run coffee, evening glass of white wine and most importantly bread (I love bread and the thought of living without it fills me with dread). It all seemed like a fab idea when I signed up for it all those weeks ago.

And do I really need to do it? Yes, I overindulged big time last summer, have put on some weight which I am having a bit of difficulty losing, and have been feeling rather tired and having difficulty concentrating, not to mention the eczema which has been rather itchy lately. But isn’t that just a normal part of being a busy mum. It’s not as though I live an unhealthy lifestyle - I eat a healthy diet (after all I am a nutritionist!), I cook my food from scratch (no ready meals and overly processed foods here), and don’t particularly like chocolate or sweet things. OK, I do LOVE my food and my enjoyment of a glass of wine has turned into a near daily occurrence - but just the one glass mind you ;-) .

However, listening to the webinar and filling in the questionnaire forms, has made me realise that yes, it will benefit me and that I do need to do it.

The webinar discussed toxicity (any substance(s) or environmental influence that disturbs metabolism in a manner that results in chronic illness) and the toxic load, how it effects our bodies and the chronic conditions associated with it. It also discussed how our amazing bodies, chiefly our liver, digestive system and kidneys, are well equipped to breakdown and excrete these toxins in a process known as detoxification.

However, due to our westernised lifestyles and everyday living, we are bombarded by hundreds of different toxins everyday (from what we eat and drink, environmental toxins, waste products from normal bodily processes, stress, what we put on our skin, cleaning products etc) and that our liver and other organs involved in detoxification can often become overloaded, leading increased toxic load. But all is not lost, as by taking steps to support the liver and digestive system through a good, well balanced, nutrient rich diet, ensuring optimal levels of specific nutrients required for detoxification processes and by reducing toxin exposure (i.e. the metabolic detox programme), we can help ensure that these detoxification processes function optimally.

It was just the motivation I needed! Together with the measuring my weight, waist and hip circumference, and calculating my BMI (a real eye opener, had I really put on all that weight…..) and filling out the medical symptoms questionnaire – more about in my next blog. I was ready to start….

Welcome - Metabolic Detox Programme

17/3/2014

Hi there, to help me get started on the way to becoming a fully-fledged blogger (apparently THE way to help get my healthy eating tips, nutritional advice and other things I care passionately about out to all you lovely people). I have decided to start off my blog with a diary of my experience of taking part in the Nutri Advanced two week Metabolic Detox Programme.

This effective and safe programme involves using supplements designed to support the liver and digestive system – the main organs involved in detoxification, alongside a carefully planned diet, which will help unburden your body of toxic stress and ensure that the liver and digestive system are functioning optimally. Please see the Metabolic Detox Programme info page on my website for more information.

I first heard about it during a nutritional therapy seminar in October 2013, and thought it sounded a great thing to try out. Not only for me personally (I had taken full advantage of the delicious and plentiful good food and wine on offer during that long hot summer, for which I was now seeing and paying the cost), but also as a tool for my clients to help them achieve optimal health and well-being.

I have decided to put together a blog of my experiences on this programme to help, support, motivate and guide you all through the programme, as well as to help you decide whether it is for you. After all, to hear it from someone who has been through it, and knows the pitfalls and tips etc. is invaluable, and I hope you will find it useful as you go through the programme yourself.

So you have heard all the blurb and statistics about what a fantastic and effective programme this is, and how dramatically it can change your health and wellbeing for the better, but what exactly is it like to do? Read on to find out…………

Author

Charlotte Heald is a qualified & experienced nutritional therapist, scientific researcher and busy mother of two. She is passionate about food and firmly believes that what you eat has a profound effect on health and wellbeing. Here she aims to share with you the latest nutritional news and research as well as healthy eating tips, nutritional advice and delicious healthy recipes.