The Holistic Detox that Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow Swear By
Not your average fad detox of past years, Dr. Nish Joshi has created a 21-day program that doesn't ask you to cut carbs or sugar to achieve your health goals.
While our extended time at home in isolation might have us eating a bit more or even putting on the dreaded "quarantine 15," some of us may be looking for a fresh start for our recent less-than-ideal eating habits. But if the idea of tossing all your quarantine snacks away and quitting unhealthy habits cold turkey is too extreme, you may want to consider taking the first step to healthier habits with a detox plan.
While the term "detox" can be triggering and associated to harsh and extreme regimes, we spoke to trained medical doctor Nish Joshi, whose clients include the likes of Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow, on his holistic approach to nutrition and a 21-day plan he's developed that avoids all extremes and focuses on educating the consumer on long-term healthy habits. Without eliminating food groups, or putting extreme restrictions on eating, Joshi's program focuses on what you should eat, such as higher quality carbohydrates and an increase of green vegetables. Below he tells L'Officiel more on what makes his program different from other dieting fads and why his clients see so much success.
Can you tell us a bit more about this diet?
The 21-day holistic detox is based on the principle of an alkaline diet. This is based on five pillars, approved by the World Health Organization concerning the need to maintain your physical and mental health. To know:
1. Eat a healthy and nutritious diet;
2. Limit your alcohol consumption and avoid sugary drinks;
3. Don't smoke;
4. Get 30 minutes of physical activity a day;
5. Keep a healthy mind.
Our immune system is vital for survival, its main goal being to make antibodies that fight infection and disease. To stay healthy it is essential to keep the body's immune system and metabolism strong.
What makes your method different from all the other programs already on the market?
It is not an impossible diet. We are not looking to consume melon or lemon juice for weeks, or to eliminate certain groups like carbohydrates from your diet. What we are trying to do with this program is simply to change the way you eat, to come to terms with the relationship you have with food and the one that ties you to your body.
It was in 1991 that the idea came to me, after having treated weak and repeatedly injured ballet dancers. Brittle bones, food phobias, disruption of the endocrine system: I decided it was time to teach them with the basic principles of "you are what you eat." Using the foundations of nutritional medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, my patients understood what healthy carbohydrates, fats and proteins were. I encouraged them to reduce their consumption of gluten and refined carbohydrates, such as white flour and sugar. Preferable: maple syrup or honey as a sugar substitute and lots of alkalizing green vegetables. The theory was to encourage the body to function optimally by encouraging detoxification pathways. One way to do this was to maintain a healthy pH, as neutral as possible, and thus reduce the consumption of acidifying foods. Before it became widespread, I advised everyone to drink turmeric tea to eliminate mucus and reduce inflammation, along with taking various nutrients, such as food substitutes rich in vitamin D.
How did you come up with the idea of approaching the diet from a holistic perspective?
A holistic perspective was not my original goal. I was thinking at the time of what is now recognized as functional medicine. I naturally wanted to encourage healthier function in the body by using food as fuel and as an aid in the repair and regeneration of cells and tissues, as well as the use of nutritional supplements to help the body achieve optimal health. I also used the principles of osteopathy to relieve pain syndromes, but also acupuncture and Body Control, a method similar to Pilates to strengthen the joints and improve the control of joint function.
Big names, ranging from Kate Moss to Gwyneth Paltrow, have tested and approved your method ... How do you explain your international success?
Simply because the program works wonderfully. People listen to the recommendations of their friends and see the results, then try their own detox and also see the results. The goal of the alkaline diet in 21 days is not just to lose weight. It is to improve the functioning of your body and to help you understand how certain foods can contribute to your lethargy, headaches, bloating, water retention, cellulite, hair loss, abnormal hormonal functions, etc. By making this change, most people don't just shed their extra pounds, they also feel better about their body and mind. The main reason for such a program is to remove potentially harmful and dangerous waste from the body, thereby protecting organs and systems so that they can perform their vital functions optimally. By removing harmful toxins from the body, the immune system is better able to fight off bacteria, viruses and parasites. Normally, this happens very naturally in the body, but we now realize that with constant exposure to harmful substances, the body can be overwhelmed despite itself.
Your detox is accompanied by taking food supplements. What are they used for exactly?
Micronutrients such as those in my range of nutritional supplements are essential for the proper functioning of the metabolic pathways. These contain the essential and necessary ingredients to smoothly carry out the chemical processes involved in the synthesis of enzymes, the production of hormones, the production of energy, and then the proper functioning of the metabolism of fatty proteins and carbohydrates. Without some of these essential nutrients, the biochemical pathways can be compromised. By providing the body with exactly what it needs on a daily basis, you are at least assured that you are helping yourself to be healthier.
21 days, is this the time necessary to see the first results appear?
21 is the number of days it takes to create a healthy habit. Before the publication of my book, Joshi's Holistic Detox: 21 Days to a Healthier, Slimmer You - For Life, we had a large number of patients who followed these principles. And after doing the program, there is no longer any question of 21 days, since the diet has become the natural way that you want to apply forever. You will understand why it is important to have certain vegetables and certain types of protein in your diet. It is not a utopian diet, it actually allows you to have a much better relationship with food. To start a healthy diet and a long-term lifestyle change, this simple holistic method is ideal.
In these particular moments of confinement, we tend to find our pleasure and our comfort in food. What advice would you give so that everyone can stay in a good dynamic and succeed in following their diet without committing any odds?
This period of confinement gives you the perfect opportunity to plan your meals and snacks. There is no shortage of time. Being at home, my patients have found that they use time to plan their meals, cook fresh food every day, have less need for a quick bite to eat or eat junk food because it is now theirs. It's possible to work at home and eat slowly at the table while reading their emails. There is generally less stress and rush to eat. In reality, this confinement is ideal for permanently changing bad habits. Opt for healthy dishes, focusing on lots of vegetables and lean protein. Then, a one-off spread with a chocolate bar or a sandwich is not a real problem. But I can assure you that you will not want it so much once you have better eating habits.
Besides weight loss, what are the long-term benefits of this program?
Most patients do this for wellness because they want to improve issues with acne, slow metabolism, headache, fatigue, etc. By changing their eating habits and taking steps to promote a healthier metabolism, they not only feel much better but also lose those few love handles that refused to disappear. They usually find that they appreciate the benefits of feeling good about themselves and therefore tend not to go back in their old ways. Their new goal is to try to maintain at best a healthier and happier approach to their bodies and their life choices.
Are there any contraindications before starting this type of diet?
This diet will not encourage you to significantly reduce your food intake. It's not about starving yourself, counting calories, or avoiding large groups of foods. But rather to adopt a more reasonable eating habit, to eat naturally grown foods prepared in such a way as to allow maximum absorption of nutrients. If you have a preexisting risk condition or are pregnant, it is always best to consult a health care professional to make sure the plan is right for you.
In short, your method seems the ideal method to test during our quarantine ...
Indeed, what else than confinement as the best time to make healthier choices and prepare dishes that minimize the temptation?
What mantra do you follow in your daily life?
I take the time to think about my actions, what I ingest. Every day, I look at my plate and the food I eat, and I say to myself "is this what I want my brain to be made of?" Since I come back to my basic adage of "you are what you eat," essential to keep in mind.
