Detox your way to a whole new you, with Patrick Holford

"Your liver should be given the chance to restore itself to full functioning health at least once a year," advises nutritionist and author Patrick Holford. "And the best way to do that is through detoxing, which can rejuvenate energy levels, increase immunity, boost alertness, reduce bloating, eliminate dark under-eye bags, aid weight loss and clear the skin – what more could you want?" In fact, the liver is an amazing, multi-tasking organ, so it’s vital to keep it healthy.

What the liver does

• Almost 80 per cent of the liver’s function focuses on detoxifying potentially harmful substances, including oxidants.

• The liver also eliminates excess hormones; poor function can result in acne and PMS.

• Blood sugar levels are balanced by the liver and if this function fails the result is chronic fatigue, sugar cravings, weight gain and ultimately diabetes.

• Bile is produce by the liver and without it cholesterol levels rise, causing digestive disorders and stomach bloating, IBS, nausea, food allergies and poor vitamin absorption (particularly A, D, K and E).

The need to detox

Your body naturally produces large quantities of toxins simply by processing the food we need for energy. For example, when you eat protein, the body breaks it down and some of it converts into ammonia. If the liver is overworked an ammonia pool is released into the blood, which can ultimately cause damage to your brain, nervous system, kidneys and liver. Another toxin that is released from your cells when the liver is overloaded is lactic acid. This causes chronic fatigue and aching muscles. A large build-up can lead to anxiety, headaches, high blood pressure or even panic attacks.

These are all good reasons to look after your liver. “But as well as producing toxins naturally on a daily basis,” says Patrick, “your body also has to deal with additional environmental toxins that we constantly inhale and consume, which adversely affect the function of the liver and digestive tract.”

Key toxins

The single greatest toxin the body has to eliminate every second of every day is the product of oxidation, or oxidants. These are produced as a result of energy creation within cells, as fat and glucose are burned.

Other sources of toxins include caffeine and alcohol, salt, processed foods, drugs and medicines – especially painkillers – and environmental pollutants, such as cigarette smoke, pesticides and chemicals.

Five foods to avoid

Wheat contains a gluten, which can cause constipation, bloating, fatigue and anaemia, as well as coeliac disease.

Milk has a protein that can cause an allergic reaction. If you are sensitive to milk protein, your immune system will treat it as a toxic invader and the liver will be tied up detoxifying it – rather than other toxins. Try soya milk instead.

Caffeine can sap energy. Cut out coffee for nine days for reduced weight gain, better hydration, lower stress levels and better sleep.

Alcohol is an intestinal irritant and has been shown to increase the risk of mouth, throat, intestinal and liver cancers. It also destroys nutrients, including B and C vitamins, magnesium and zinc.

Bad fats Trans-fats, found in deep fried foods and some foods containing hydrogenated vegetable oils, can interrupt the brain’s thought processes by blocking the conversion of essential fats into vital brain fats, such as GLA and prostaglandins.

Patrick explains how a toxic diet can affect us: “Ultimately, we need to detox once a year, or whenever we’re feeling sluggish, our skin is breaking out, or when we notice that we’re less able to tolerate the effects of alcohol. These are all signs that the liver is no longer working at its best.’

“My nine-day detox involves replacing bad habits with good ones. This includes giving up food and drink that hinder the liver’s ability to detox, such as wheat, milk, caffeine, alcohol and bad fats. When the liver cannot process the flood of toxins in the body, these excess toxins are stored in fat cells, to be dealt with later. This means you put on weight, not only because of unhealthy eating habits, but also because the body is making room for all these unprocessed toxins,” says Patrick.

But the good news is that in just nine days this detox should improve your sense of wellbeing and could kick-start a long-term healthier lifestyle. So let’s get to it! Click here for Patrick Holford's nine-day liver detox daily eating plans and recipes

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