How to End Your Detox or Fast

Once you have completed your detox or fast, strongly resist the temptation to head for the nearest burger bar or sweet shop to replace all those toxins you have just got rid of. If this stage is approached incorrectly, more harm can be done than during the fast itself, says naturopath Leon Chaitow. Because you have been eating less, your stomach may have shrunk and you will be producing smaller amounts of digestive enzymes – and probably won’t want to eat very much. But if you simply return to your previous portion sizes and foods, your body will be overwhelmed. Slowly return to your regular diet in the same way that you gradually cut down on or avoided certain foods in preparation for your detox. On the first day after your detox give your body the same respect paid to it during the fast. Slowly wake up to the new day. Have a good stretch and mentally pat yourself on the back for all that you have achieved. Focus on how clean, relaxed and energized your body feels.

End your detox with easily digested foods. For example, kick off with a light breakfast of fresh fruit or natural yoghurt. Add some wholemeal toast if you are hungry. For lunch eat a cottage cheese salad or something equally light. For dinner opt for vegetable soup and a piece of fruit. And don’t forget to keep drinking plenty of water.

Over the next few days return to your normal diet, gradually including fish and chicken and, finally, red meat. Also, abstain from coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol for as long as you can.

You may find that the detox has completely changed your attitude to food and given you a greater awareness of just how fundamentally what you feed your body affects your health and wellbeing. There may be foods that you can no longer face – to the extent that the very thought of snacking on a chocolate bar will have you instinctively reaching for an organic carrot.

Your detox is also a time to cleanse your mind and spirit, an opportunity to step off the treadmill and think about what you want to do with your life. Once the detox is over, you may find that you have resolved a problem that has been worrying away in the back of your mind. You may experience a new clarity and sense of purpose that will spill over into and improve every area of your life.