Debunking detox Be careful about what cleanses your palate after Christmas

TANYA BOROWSKI is a highly experienced nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner, specialising in hormones and all areas of women’s health. This month, she dispels some of the myths over a popular post-Christmas detox…

It’s easy to be swayed at this time of year by the notion that drinking juice is ‘healthy’ and that it will negate all the sins of December. Persuasive and attractive marketing encourages us to embark on three, fi ve or even 10-day juice cleanses and liver detoxes to improve our health or lose weight. It’s pure fruit juice, so it’s good for us, right?

Th is can lead to: • Triglyceride build up in liver cells and liver damage • Triglycerides released into the bloodstream that can contribute to the growth of fat-fi lled plaque inside artery walls. • Uric acid can turn off production of nitric oxide, a substance that helps protect artery walls from damage.

Another eff ect of high fructose intake is insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. So, while the sugar in a piece of fruit is perfectly balanced when eaten in single portions, drinking concentrated litres of fructose in the form of fruit juice will lead you down a path of poor metabolic health.

BUT JUICE CONTAINS LOTS OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS, DOESN’T IT?

LET’S BEGIN WITH FRUIT SUGAR

Th e sugar that comes from fruit is called fructose. It is meant to be consumed in a whole fruit with all its natural fi bre. If it is not, then fructose is bad news for our health. Why so?

Nearly every cell in our bodies can use glucose for energy. In contrast, only liver cells can break down fructose. What happens to fructose inside liver cells is complex but one of the end products is a triglyceride, a form of fat. Uric acid is also formed. Sadly, the calories and the sugar in juices are simply not worth the vitamins and minerals they provide. Th ere is little vitamin C, antioxidants or arguably the most important of all – fi bre in juice. Fibre is what assists in the production

There is little of health enhancing short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which keeps you fuller vitamin C, antioxidants or arguably the most for longer and enhances regular bowel movements for optimal and natural detoxifi cation. important of all – fi bre in juice A single serving of just one kiwi fruit provides so much more – and costs just 50p! If you eat the whole piece of fresh fruit, you’re eating the skin, fl esh and possibly the seeds, so you’re getting all the fi bre and the juices in a controlled portion. You’re not getting the excess sugar from three or four pieces of fruit at one time.

PRESSED JUICE VS PROCESSED JUICE

Most processed juice, even 100% juice from supermarkets, undergoes a very unnatural process. We’ll use orange juice as an example. Oranges are picked, the juice extracted, heated and pasteurised. Th en they are stored in gigantic vats, where the oxygen is removed so it can be stored for up to a year or more. Removing the oxygen removes a lot of the fl avour. Th erefore, big juice companies hire fl avour and fragrance specialists to formulate ‘fl avour packs’ to make the orange juice taste like oranges again. Th is is insane.

Prepacked smoothies aren’t better. Brands boast of their smoothies containing impressive amounts of fruit and vegetables but unfortunately the majority of antioxidants and vitamins are lost in pasteurisation as well as the extended time it sits in supermarket fridges.

Th e ‘trendy’ cold pressing process does negate the pasteurisation pitfall but these are commonly pushed within detox or slimming cleanses which cut out whole food groups such as protein. Protein is vital for detoxifi cation.

In summary, if you are thirsty, drink water. Make fl avoured waters by using fi ltered water, orange slices or a few raspberries, fresh ginger or mint leaves.

In health, Tanya. IF YOU WANT TO ‘DETOX OR CLEANSE’ HERE ARE MY TOP FIVE TIPS

1Give up alcohol for fi ve weeks – there are so many wonderful botanical non alcoholic drinks now. Give them a try and you’ll be amazed how much brighter you feel.

2Detox WiFi – turn off all computer screens by 8pm and be in bed for 10.30pm. This will reset your circadian rhythm and kick start your natural detoxifi cation process.

3Avoid the centre of the supermarket aisles which are packed full of processed foods containing artifi cial fl avourings which burden the liver. Instead, top up on whole foods in the form of fresh vegetables, grains, pulses, berries, nuts and seeds which will improve your gut microbiome and natural detoxifi cation.

4Finish eating by 7:30pm and have an overnight fast through to 9.30am the next morning. Studies show that controlling the times we eat or undertaking short-term fasts can aid in weight reduction, fat loss and improve blood lipids like cholesterol.

5Drink plenty of water and herbal teas. This will cleanse your body more eff ectively than a juice cleanse. Plus you get to save your pennies at this time of year.

fl avourings which burden the liver. Instead,

Tanya Borowski is a holistic health practitioner. E: admin@tanyaborowski.com