I’ve had several unsuccessful attempts at detoxing. I’ve tried those ghastly detox drinks, yuck. Consuming something that closely resembles pond water, in appearance and taste, I found very hard to swallow, as were the benefits it claimed to bestow. Oh I tried, at least for a day, but ended up pouring it down the sink, it did the job, the sink had never drained so fast, no more limescale! I was left wondering exactly what I had attempted to do to my insides. My delicious, green, sludge shake had done wonders for the kitchen plumbing but what of my pipes? A lucky escape I figured, and at least I had only gone for the three days course and not the 30 day, only £20 wasted. Now they are trying to seduce me with delicious flavoured concoctions such as strawberry and apple, I’m not fooled, they still look like pond water and the sinks fine at the moment thanks.

The reality is you just need to go back to basics.

Where to start then?
How about something as simple and painless as cutting down on tea and coffee. Substitute your morning coffee break cuppa with a nice glass of water. Our bodies need water to function efficiently and most of us drink far below the daily recommended intake of 6-8 medium glasses. Water really is the best way to flush out all those nasty toxins. Get into the habit of having a glass of water with every meal. Carry a bottle of water in your bag or keep one on your desk at work, and have a drink regularly, don’t wait until you feel thirsty as by this time you are already dehydrated.

Cutting out processed foods and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake will give your digestive system a natural cleanse. High fibre foods such as cereals, nuts and vegetables are particularly good for clearing stagnant food from our digestive track. Their rough and fibrous texture literally sweeps along the inside of the intestines removing harmful and unwanted matter that may have been accumulating for years. Drinking more water will help this process too.

Go for a walk. Fresh air is free! Try to find somewhere away from City life for a daily 20 minute walk. Open your chest and breathe deeply. Take a stroll in your lunch break, it’s a great stress reliever.

So, it really isn’t that complicated is it?
Of course, there are many more extreme ways to detox. Colonic Irrigation has become popular in recent years, but can be an uncomfortable and even painful experience and in most cases is just not necessary. I don’t much like the idea of it myself, even less appealing than those nasty drinks.
Many Spas’ now offer Detox packages which include a timetable of activities and treatments along with a strict diet plan. These are generally quite expensive, you’ll certainly come away feeling fresh as a daisy and probably a few pounds lighter but the effects will most likely be short term, particularly if you return to your old habits. But, if you continue with the principles above; drinking more water, cutting down on caffeine, eat more fruit and veg, chances are you’ll reap the benefits for longer.

Detoxifying your body is a lifestyle choice, and if you can fit it into your lifestyle you will feel better, your body will function better and you will look great! Give it a go.

The key to maintaining a youthful skin is to plan your attack strategy sooner rather than later. That means that you have to make a commitment to your skin and your anti-aging skin care routine. Not for a week, not for just a month but for the long term! If you are proactive with your skin’s health in your younger years you will be handsomely rewarded in the years to come.

Be warned, the invasion of the beauty beasties is slow yet insidious.
Those beasties begin to launch their inevitable battle during the young adult years when your attention is preoccupied with a million other priorities. Then before you know it, they have quietly settled in for a long term siege.

As the years march along, it becomes hard not to notice the werewolf size whiskers that have begun to spawn on your chin or the frequent ghoulishly blood shot eyes.
Maybe your first sign that the horror show has begun in earnest will be those freakish fine lines radiating out from around the lips that trap lipstick in a lava flow effect or by the dark shadows haunting your under eye.

Aging skin symptoms vary from person to person but eventually the aging beasties will begin to capture your skin’s former beauty. Develop a plan early on so as your skin ages you won’t be the one walking around like a life size shrunken head with the sagging jowls that are peppered liberally with age spots and wrinkles that resemble a walnut, oh joy.

And when will it end? Only when you start sending the beasties running for cover by putting that anti-aging skin care arsenal at your disposal to good use will you begin to tame all those dreadful beauty beasties. Deploy the retinol, call in the antioxidant troops, and send in the heavy AHA artillery which will send the beasties into retreat.
Remember that it takes years for the tell tale signs of aging skin problems to become readily apparent, so don’t give up. Be persistent!

Don’t forget, the beasties thrive in sunlight and with unhealthy skin conditions. These factors provide the perfect environment that delight and entice the beasties into bombarding your skin with direct attacks that accelerate many of the aging skin problems! The perfect foil for beauty beasties is sunscreen and a comprehensive skin care routine.

It will take a few months for the anti-aging skin care treatments to work their magic but before you know it, beauty will emerge victorious once again.