The following is an interview that I gave for an upscale department store’s monthly glossy magazine in Lima, Peru. The word is out that the detox program gets good results, and like most people, the first question is how much weight will they lose. The concept of detoxing is still relatively new there and it has become wildly trendy (everywhere) very quickly so I was thrilled to have a chance to unpack the whole process a little bit.

Here is the interview in English:

What does the detox diet consist of exactly?
Is the detox diet to lose weight?

There are many different approaches to how you can use diet to help the body detoxify. My business is to guide people through my detox protocols and the ‘detox diet’ is just one part of the detox process. My detox protocols allow people to detoxify and rejuvenate their bodies, and in the process, there is almost always significant weight loss. I would like to be clear that I create detox programs and not weight loss programs. Losing weight is just one of the positive results people experience by following a proper detox protocol. Toxins are generally not water-soluble so when we do not effectively eliminate them ourselves, they reside in our fat cells, sometimes for decades. Therefore, in order to effectively detoxify the body, you must burn fat. Dropping excess fat through this process stays off for two reasons: 1. When you properly detoxify the body, you can eliminate pathological addictions to sugars and carbs allowing the body to reorganise itself to its ideal weight. 2. The process burns fat, not muscle or water, so the result is much safer for the long term. Many of my clients from more than a year ago have told me they have never gained the weight back. But it depends on them of course. The best outcome of all is that the cravings diminish and new healthy lifestyle habits are formed. This is what I am really aiming for, to teach simple lifestyle habits that stick.

How does it work? How many days?
Can you give me an example of the detox diet?

The programs I run are 7 days. I also work with private clients who would like to dive deeper into the experience and for them I create a 21-28 day program. As for the diet, my programs are based on the Ayurvedic system of detoxification called Pancha Karma. Within this system, we use the ‘mono-diet approach. This means giving the body just one type of food at a time. Any effective detox program will focus on taking the pressure off the digestive system. Mono-diet means the body needs to produce very little digestive enzymes because the food is so easy to digest. Another important aspect of a detox diet is no sugar. This includes fruits, which are high in the natural sugar fructose. When our body needs fuel for energy it asks for sugars in the form of carbohydrates, natural sugars or even processed sugars but when there are none in the reserves, it will burn fat for energy, which is the whole idea. I also utilize the benefits of raw-juice fasting. This is an incredible way to assist the internal organs to detoxify: flushing them with concentrated phytonutrients. I don’t believe there is much value in drinking raw juices for 3 days without properly preparing the body, which would be like filling a dirty old car engine with the finest high-octane fuel. The entire digestive system needs to be prepped for the juice fasting and elimination of fibre. As you can see, it’s not so simple as ‘follow this menu plan’ and bingo. you’re detoxified! I also use infusions of detox herbs, as well as alkaline-forming liquids in the protocol.

Are there any contraindications?

Anyone and everyone can and should detox their body at least 2 times a year except:

1.Pregnant women (although excellent for women trying to conceive) or breastfeeding women.
2. Insufficient kidney function
3. Severe anaemia
4. Type 1 Diabetes

What should you do after you complete the diet?

Good question! The Post-detox diet is very important, maybe the most important part of the program. All the hard work is done, and now you have a beautiful clean new space to fill. This is what I call ‘laying the foundation’ When you have clean spaces, you have the opportunity to fill them with very high vibrational clean foods. I provide my clients with a big juicy post-detox manifesto to follow, indicating foods to avoid and to include. What I teach my participants after they finish the program is that now they have the opportunity to start to take better control over their bodies. When your body and mind is clean, the communication between the two is very clear. When we are trapped by our addictions, we make bad choices. But when we are clean, our body calls out for the good stuff. It’s a fantastic shift to witness.

Can you give me 5 reasons to detox?

1. You feel powerful for fulfilling your commitment to yourself. The victorious energy shared among the detox groups on day 7 is very powerful and strong! This confidant energy can then be redirected in any area of your life.
2. You feel lighter, sexier and more confident in your body. Being bloated and stiff feels horrible!
3. Better sleep and better mood. We are not here on this planet to be tired and grumpy!
4. A new relationship with food. Many people have very strong emotional issues around eating and it’s always great to break out of these limiting beliefs and learn to love the healthy food your body is really asking for.
5. Disease prevention. No disease can exist in an alkaline body. Detoxification is the most pro-active way to prevent sickness, body imbalances or diseases in the body. I think we all know now that PREVENTION of illness rules over symptom eradication.