If you're feeling tired and sluggish, detoxing could revitalise you. Natural health practitioner RUMANA RAMZAN explains

CLEANING out the body is not that different a concept to spring cleaning the house or servicing the car. When things become a bit congested, we need to go in and get clearing.

The body is a wonderful vehicle; its many systems are constantly working for us 24 hours of the day, 365 days of the year. No surprise then that things can start to go a bit haywire.

When I embarked on my cleansing programme, I realised I was getting fewer colds, I could breathe easily and quietly, my skin looked much clearer (I finally got rid of those spots that kept coming back) and I had boundless energy. I also noticed my regular bloating and upset tummy eased off and I could think more clearly.

There are many ways to detox but a good programme involves firstly embarking on a healthy eating plan, which means maximising the food that's going to give you good fuel and cutting out foods that don't, such as sugar, tea, coffee, alcohol, wheat and dairy products.

You then need to start cleansing each part of your body systems in turn, starting with the colon, the liver and the gall bladder, the kidneys and then the circulatory system.

You would be amazed by some of the things people get rid of when cleansing - it can include worms, parasites, gall stones and kidney stones to name a few.

It's therefore important that you are supported throughout the programme by a qualified natural health practitioner as they can help you cope with any symptoms you may get from cleansing.

For centuries, different cultures have cited the need to fast, and fasting is another way to detox the body. Perhaps we do after all need a regular body MOT that might be just the thing to get rid of our ailments and get us feeling healthy and vibrant again.

l Rumana is holding a detox workshop at Tall Trees Hotel in Yarm on July 6 from 10am to 1pm. It costs £25 and places must be booked in advance on (01325) 722803