Health guru Michael Van Straten has teamed up with former pop queen and TV presenter Kim Wilde to bring out his 10-Day Detox video, which is packed with advice on how to detox your body. Here, he answers some of the most common detox dilemmas.
Do I have to stop work to do a detox?
No, but ideally try to start at the weekend. You’ll find it even easier if you can do day two at home as well, but after that it’s plain sailing.
I’m two months pregnant. Can I do a detox now?
No you can’t. Being pregnant is not the time to restrict your food intake with a programme as rigid as a detox. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t use days 5-10 of the plan as a rough guide to healthy eating but you mustn’t restrict your calorie intake and you certainly shouldn’t fast unless specifically advised to do so by your doctor.
Can anyone detox?
Detox is perfect for most people but anyone with serious illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders, any form of cancer, high blood pressure or severe digestive disorders should not detox without medical advice.
If I get to day seven and cheat do I go back to the beginning or just give up?
It’s hard not to have the occasional lapse and whether it’s a couple of chocolate biscuits or a gourment blowout with two bottles of wine, don’t quit. You don’t have to go back to day one either, just start again where you left off. If you’ve really gone over the top you’re going to feel pretty awful anyway the next morning, and that’s punishment enough.
I’ve tried all sorts of diets to lose weight without much success. Will detox do the trick?
You will lose weight on a sensible detox plan and how much you lose depends on how overweight you are to start with. However, it’s important to understand that proper detoxing is not about weight loss as it’s much more concerned with making you feel good.
