72Isea&iISPRING-SUMMER 2011

health&beautySPRING-SUMMER 2011I sea&iI73A DETOX IN THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDEDetox diets may have been around since ancient Egyptian and Greek eras butthey still have their fair share of detractors. To its credit, the Lemon Detox Diet isproving its worth. It originates from a programme developed 30 years ago by legendarynaturopath Stanley Burroughs. Later refined by a team of doctors,homeopaths andnaturopaths, Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup gained popularity with home use and hassince become a celebrity-endorsed detox of world renown.One of its key selling points is that it genuinely keeps hunger at bay; secondly, ittastes good - admittedly if helps if you like lemons and maple syrup. Benefits aremultifold: after five to seven days it can help cleanse the body of toxins, aid weightloss, improve energy, and benefit hair, nails, skin and digestion. For this plethora ofwellbeing, all you need do is stir together Madal Bal syrup, fresh lemon juice, a pinchof cayenne pepper or fresh ginger and water - and drink. For days! Even better, you can now get a five star hotel and spa to mix it up for you. Thevon Essen group is currently hosting this detox programme at five of its UK hotels,one of which is Cliveden House in Berkshire, where an outstanding historicalpedigree, stately English accommodation and the support of an expert spa teamease the detox challenge. Once the home of the Duke of Buckingham, and later theAstors, Cliveden was a regular haunt of Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, QueenVictoria, George Bernard Shaw and President Roosevelt. While you will not bedining, like them, to excess (or, in fact, at all), they did not have the benefit of today'sspa complete with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas and pampering treatments,and these can make all the difference to the success of your programme.Detoxes tend to come with side effects. As your body rids itself of toxins it mayprovoke skin conditions and headaches, which is why the use of an on-site spa canbe invaluable, with specific treatments aiding the detox process. For example,reflexology can kick-start a potentially sluggish digestive system, and exfoliatingfacials and honey-and-mango wraps can rid the body of the toxins it will be emitting. An added benefit is that the hotel delivers all the ingredients of your detox directto your suite - or, for complete solitude, hire out the Spring Cottage concealed inthe estate's grounds on the banks of the River Thames.Whenever hunger pangsthreaten, simplydrink the mix - up to ten times a day. And you can ring the changeswith cold or hot water, still or sparkling, and either cayenne pepper or freshginger. The lemons provide vitamin C and potassium and help dissolve waste, thecayenne stimulates circulation and speeds the cleansing and elimination process,and ginger is known for its gastrointestinal benefits. The syrup itself is the highestquality organic palm syrup and is abundant in minerals, particularly potassium, andis perfectly balanced with sodium so your body (in the absence of food) still getsthe nutrients it needs. If you'd rather not go to such extreme measures, opt for the'relaxed' version where you're allowed to tuck into a healthy lunchtime meal. For details of the Lemon Detox Diet visit www.lemondetox.comTo find out more about doing the detox at von Essen hotels visit spabyvonessen.co.ukHOLIDAY HEALTH HIGHLIGHTSqToxin release qWeight lossqImproved energy qHealthier hair, nails and skin ?Opposite page:an aerial view of Cliveden Top: the garden entrance of the Cliveden spa Above: the Spring Cottage in the grounds of the estate