I’m always up for a challenge, especially one that promises to improve my skin, help me sleep, feel lighter on my feet and an all-round rejuvenation sensation, so when I was offered the chance to carry out the Lemon DetoxDiet, I jumped.
Fasting intermittently has been proven to boost your health and promote longevity and the Lemon Detox has been developed by Swiss health practitioner Dr K A Beyer.
It's simply a fasting programme but with a nutrient rich formula to support the body in the process, namely a rich syrup - Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup - apparently standard maple syrup won't do the same work, so it's important to stick to the one provided.
It's important to use the right syrup, to be assured of getting sufficient vitamins and minerals
There are different levels at which you can engage in this regime. You can opt for the undiluted version, which means fasting for 5 to 8 days, with only the syrup for sustenance. Or you can choose for the 'relaxed' version', ie. introducing a light evening meal into the programme. Before this all sounds a bit too Lara Croft, I should add that Naomi Campbell apparently once continued for 18 days. The supermodel speaks very favourably of this detox, does it three times a year, most recently after a romantic breakup. But back to us less disciplined types...
So, I started it on a Friday, and it was very straightforward. I prepared some of the special syrup. You can drink it hot or cold, with lemon or without. I opted for hot, and with a slice of lemon. Organic, naturally. Delicious, and you can taste that's it packed to bursting with antioxidants and vitamins. I brewed up a veritable vat in one go, and filled a couple of flasks.
Naomi Campbell keeps going for weeks at a time... three times a year
I didn’t eat anything else for the rest of the day, and, any time I felt a sense of the munchies coming on, I reached instead for my trusted Thermos flask.
So that’s how it's done. Or at least how Naomi does it. Except she's on the strict level. For 18 days!
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How did I feel? Pretty amazing, surprisingly. I was helped with my introduction to the regime by a treatment package at the Dolphin Square Spa in London, who offer the Lemon Detox as part of a package, along with a massage and other cleansing treatments. But, by the second day, I was back on my own, though. After a slight headache on the second morning, which could have been because I was forgetting to drink water as well, there were no side effects.
What were the results? Skin was clearer, hair was smoother and, there's no doubt, the pounds dropped off. If you've a dress-fitting deadline pending, this could be the way to go. Energy levels weren't too depleted, either, because, after all that effort in the day, I was pretty careful with my meals in the evening. Fish and greens made multiple appearances on the menu.
Dolphin Square Spa in London offers the Detox as part of a very pampering package
I’d definitely advise doing this, if you want to lose weight quickly and healthily, or feel you've been overdoing it and need to cleanse your system thoroughly. Obviously, this would usually come some time around 2 January, but because of the sparse nature of the regime, I wouldn't necessarily think it's ideal for cold days and nights, as you do feel physically quite exposed.
I’d suggest instead, this as something as the days grow longer and warmer, and something to look forward to as a personal spring clean. And the syrup really is delicious. There are many worse ways to look after yourself.
Click here for more information on the Lemon Detox, and on treatments available at the Dolphin Square Spa