I was talking to a group of women this week and one of the subjects covered was detoxing.

The question was raised do we really need to detox?

As I am on day six of a herbal detox I thought I would tell you about it and answer this question.

Unfortunately we live in a toxic world where every year more chemicals are being dispersed into the atmosphere.

Much of the food we eat has been farmed using chemical pesticides and artificial fertilisers and some experts suggest that even drinking water may not be as pure as we would hope.

When we look at the average diet, we can see that many people eat too much of the wrong food, drink too much alcohol, ingest sugar, salt and too much fat.

Just think how hard the body has to work to break down these unwanted substances. The body is incredibly clever at eliminating excess or harmful elements from the body but after all the overindulgence of the Christmas and new year period it is a good idea to support the body by some form of detoxification programme.

In truth it has taken me until January 21 to get myself in the right mind-set to do a detox.

I was motivated to start when a client asked me to get on the scales after she had been weighed and I am ashamed to admit I had gained 6 lbs. I am sure many of you will have gained weight over the festive period - it is hard not to!

My mission is to teach people that small changes can make a big difference and I had notice that I was not following my own advice. I felt it was time to take control of my body by undertaking a detox and follow my own recommendations.

The cleanse I am undertaking is a 10 day detoxification programme called “The Healthy Starter Pack” which you take with a normal diet.

You can buy this herbal detox from my website or please contact me for details. For the best results omit red meat, caffeine, alcohol and fried and sugary foods from your diet. Ensure you drink plenty of water which will help your body flush out toxins.

At the end of the detox you have more energy and stamina, you feel healthier, the condition of the skin improves, you lose a few pounds and you can be assured that you have eliminated waste and toxins from your whole body. I already feel so much better and certainly weigh less!

If the idea of forsaking alcohol, caffeine, red meat and fried and sugary foods sounds too difficult, I suggest you try the following which will be beneficial to your overall health by supporting the body’s own natural ability to detox.

Drink plenty of water, at least six to eight glasses a day, increase the fibre in your diet and provide your body with plenty of natural antioxidants found in fresh fruit and vegetables.

For example cherries, raspberries, and strawberries which contain ellagic acid, help clean up free radicals and boost brain power. Reduce or eliminate caffeine, alcohol and red meat and processed foods.