Health & Fitness

Detox in the Sun

Article by Minnie Burlton

 

Spending two weeks in the Algarve on an intense detox is not your typical day but Minnie Burton emerged, purified and radiant, to tell the tale.

 

Imagine going on holiday and coming home slimmer, fitter and healthier - it sounds like a dream come true, 'So what's the catch?' I hear you ask, Well okay, you do have to work at it, and it doesn't always seem like a holiday - but it's worth it for the results.

Moinhos Velhos a quiet spot in Portugal's Algarve that offers intensive body, mind and spirit purification holidays on an organic farm, became my temporary home for 12 days last year. If you must be deprived of food in order to emerge, purified and rejuvenated, then this lush, green hideaway is the perfect spot to get you in the mood.

I'd felt rundown thanks to hectic city life, so was crying out for just such a break. The highly structured programme at Moinhos Velhos combines yoga with fasting. You start by being given fruit juices, nutritional supplements and holistic treatments to eliminate toxins from the body. Weight loss is not the focus here, but most guests lose around 1lb a day.

 

 

The retreats are run by Chandra and Lauren who patiently guide you through the cleansing process. 'it will be a rollercoaster ride' warned Lauren. 'You'll have ups and downs and, as you detox, you may feel worse as toxins are released into you bloodstream. Symptons such as headaches, aching muscles and tiredness are common. Your body can become very acidic with toxins but the juice fast helps to alkalise the body, and drinking plenty of water will help flush the toxins out' We were told the fast would span 10 days, after which food would be gradually reintroduced - first fruit, then salad and on the final night, a full meal. It sounded like a very, very long time until I could eat properly again.

The group of guests on this 12-day retreat was diverse: an espresso-fuelled banker from London; a marketing manager suffering from numerous allergies; a solicitor from Ireland needing time out;a Swiss businessman with gout; a Russian keen to lose weight; a nightcflub manager with eczema, and a social worker from Scotland who wanted to make a fresh start. I felt reassured that at least we were all in this together.

 

 

DAY ONE

We wander bleary-eyed through the misty gardens for lemon tea in the main house after our painful 6.45am wake-up call. I soon relax into the Sivananda yoga session, though. Its combination of gentle moving and stretching, plus deep breathing, is said to speed up the detox process.

Later, I suffer a fiery rash of prickly heat, a side effect of the vitamin B3 supplements that I've been taking, but a reflexology and reiki session with Lauren soon sends me to sleep. By 6.30pm, I'm so exhausted again that I feel like sneaking off to bed, but I drag myself along to supper and meditation.

DAY TWO

My sinus and nasal passages feel clean after our new morning ritual of neti - nasal cleansing using saline solution. Then there's the volcanic clay - I find hard to swallow, but it.s said to help draw out toxins. We follow that with pysllium husks, which help to push the clay through our systems. Reflexology with our instructor, Okka, takes my mind off feeling grumpy and fed-up with the treatment. She warns me I need to start being kinder on my body by cutting down on sport, particularly running, because it's high-impact and not good for joints.

Since I seem to be having plenty of bowel movements, I can thankfully opt out of the clysmatic sessions - gentle colonic irrigation - with a clear conscience. 'If you're passing solids two or three times a day, there's really no need to do it.' says Lauren. Others opt for two, three or even four sessions a day, feeling the benefit.

DAY THREE

The group is gelling and we start to discuss our ups and downs at 'mealtimes'. Some people are suffering from headaches and aching muscles, but everyone is friendly.

DAY FOUR

I feel bloated, heavy and anti-social. All I want to do is curl up and read. I fidget through evening meditation and toss and turn all night.

DAY FIVE

Today I notice how powerful the smells around me are - the freshly-cut grass. scented flowers and lemons on the tree.

An aqua detox ses my feet immersed in warm water with salt, wich is connected to a machine with electrodes. After 30 minutes, the water has turned from clear to a scary-looking dark murky green with a brown and red scum, due to a reaction of the salts.

I'm given two homoepathic treatments. The first, Sepia, is made from cuttlefish and is to treat my body after doing too much sport, but help digestive problems, colds and headaches, too.

We're not hungry, but everyone is feeling inspired to eat healthy food when they get home. The kitchen here is filled with baskets of lemons, oranges and grapefruits fresh from the garden, as well as sacks of fresh garlic, crates of apples and tomatoes baskets and boxes of other vegetables.

DAY SIX

After the morning routine of yoga and juice, we leave for a day,s outing to Carrapateira, which is on the coast. We sit and look at the turquoise water, walk barefoot in the warm sand and feel the grains of sand between our toes. things are looking up.

DAY SEVEN

Everyone's breath smells foul - a side-effect of the fast. I'm struggling to swallow the pills, and I dread the now-familiar prickly heat and slight bausea from the vitamin B3. But I still savour the escape from work and deadlines, and am enjoying reading books.

DAY EIGHT TO ELEVEN

There's a noticeable buzz around the breakfast table as we start to se positive results. My stomach feels flat, a shoulder stand in yoga seems a breeze and even sitting for 30 minutes cross-legged seeems wonderfully comfortable. The scales claim I've lost 8lbs! I eel energised and take a brisk walk around the nearby lake and follow this with 30 lengths in the pool. Over the next few days. I enjoy the experience a lot more, feeling that my body has got rid of toxins and is functioning more efficiently thatn beforel I also feel Mentally calmer.

DAY TWELVE

Our first proper meal is eaten in selence and we don't need much to make us feel full. We feel a fresh appreciation for smells and tastes. Overall, I feel slimmer, fitter and healtheir. >My eyes are clear, my tongue is pink, my skin is smooth, my sense of smell is keener and I'm buzzing with energy.

THREE MONTHS ON

My jeans are still loose, I've given up coffe and diet cola and I'm still practising yoga.