5 Best Cleanse Diets

Autumn is fast approaching and if you like the rest of us are looking to shed some holiday pounds before slipping into your new suede skirt here’s a list of the hottest cleanses around:

1) The Radiance Cleanse. Health delivered to your door.
It’s no secret that the hottest trend in Hollywood right now is raw juice cleansing. Sarah Jessica Parker, January Jones and virtually all the Desperate Housewives do them. In fact Salma Hayek was using them so much she started her own company that now delivers them. Radiance is just now available in the UK they do home delivery. Radiance Cleanse’s green juice is an alkalising cleanse that restores your body’s pH balance by reducing the acid (found in meat, sugar and dairy) that causes muscle pain and headaches, fatigue, acne and other nasty ailments. Go for the three- or five-day plan and receive freshly pressed organic juices (packed with vegetables and wheatgrass) along with fresh cashew nut milk (plant based and dairy free) and supplements to help your body detox. We found the 5 day hard to stick do – but the 3 day worked a treat. Emerge several pounds lighter with glowing skin, improved digestion and sleep. The programme costs £195 for three days and £315 for the five days. For more information on Radiance Cleanse call 07780 001432 or visit their website radiancecleanse.com.

2) The Original Master Cleanse.
What did Cheryl Cole do when she was frantically trying to shed pounds on the eve of the US X Factor? The Lemonade Diet. This cleanse – also known as the Master Cleanse or Maple Syrup diet – is the granddaddy of them all. Madonna’s done it, so has Gwyneth and Beyonce famously used to lose 20 pounds just before she started shooting Dreamgirls. This mixture of water, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and maple syrup and has been used by for quick weight loss was even attempted by Mick Jagger. Vince Vaughn asked the bartenders at the Beverly Hills Hotel to mix it up for him so frequently in the run up to summer; they’ve named the diet cocktail after him on the menu. Now you can buy a pure maple syrup, designed specifically for use in the cleanse. Try this on your own, or treat yourself and book in for a week away at a detox/cleanse retreat where you will shed toxins and get beach ready in record time. Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup is £39.95 for a one litre tin, find your nearest store at www.lemondetox.com.

3) Destination Slim: Homefield Grange Retreat
If you lack the discipline to cleanse at home why not go away and have someone else do the work for you? Homefield Grange is the UK’s premiere detox/cleanse retreat.  When journalist Kate Spicer was on her quest to get to a size 0 on the TV programme Super Skinny Me – she tried fasting and colonics too – and checked into the stunning facility for some much needed cleansing. She lost 7 pounds in just 5 days! Set in a luxury house in the middle of green pastures, Homefield Grange offers detox/ juicing programmes on a weekly and weekend basis. There are 7-day or 3-day detox plans where guests drink daily fresh organic juices and sip vegetable soup at night for dinner. There is also a colonic cleanse at the beginning and at the end of the fast. This combination provides a thorough cleanse, which succeeds in removing virtually everything that has been stored in the colon and bowels – including fecal plaque that may have been there for decades! Guests may also opt for a Blood Analysis which shows you how your body is working and what needs to be addressed to relieve stress, anxiety, illness, tiredness, parasites, fat levels, cholesterol, yeast infections and candida. And the results are dramatic. The average guest loses around seven pounds during their 7-day stay. During the detox there are also beauty treatments available such as body brushing, facials, aqua detox, and massage so you will leave feeling refreshed, revitalised, and glowing. Price are about £1,145 per week and £395 per weekend.
Homefield Grange, Northamptonshire, England, Tel: 01536 712219

4) Soup it up.
Elizabeth Hurley is looking better than ever on the set of Gossip Girl right now – and her secret is the Watercress Soup diet. She says, ‘My best trick is to make a vat of delicious vegetable soup and have a cup of it whenever I am tempted to raid the fridge. I swear by this, and drink at least six cups a day when eager to lose a few pounds.’ This low-fat, vitamin-packed watercress soup is said to satisfy cravings and boost energy levels:
1. Sweat a small onion, finely chopped, in a little chicken stock.
2. Add two diced potatoes, two-and-a-half pints of chicken stock or water, and bring
to the boil.
3. Add salt and pepper and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
4. Add three large bunches of watercress, stems removed, and stir for three minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and blend.
6. Put soup in a metal bowl and place in a sink full of ice and cold water to keep the
colour green.
While just eating watercress soup may get a bit boring after a few days, you can lose up to 10lbs in a week. If you want to do a less severe form of the diet you can include lean white meat, fruit and vegetables and still lose weight without losing the will to live!

5) The X Factor Cleanse 
Amanda Holden calls it ‘Green Swamp Juice in a mug’ but Simon Cowell swears by this smoothie cleanse. And just in case that’s not incentive enough – hottie of the moment Gary Barlow has been sampling it as well! In addition this year’s judges Tulisa and Kelly have also been spotted sipping the dark green drinks. Simon starts with a spinach smoothie in the morning, followed by one with banana, lemon and ice and then the ‘super smoothie’ and lastly one made with oranges and anti-oxidants.
To make the ‘super smoothie’, a cocktail of seven juices, you’ll need grapes, apples, blueberries and strawberries, but also exotic items such as lingonberry, acerola berry and chokeberry. Lingonberry, also known as cowberry, is a tart, red fruit related to the cranberry. It is packed with organic acids, vitamin C, provitamin A, B vitamins, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.It also contains phytochemicals, which are thought to counteract urinary tract infections, while its seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Acerola is a red cherry-like fruit that has 30 times more vitamin C than orange juice and is crammed with antioxidants. And chokeberry is an American blackberry once described as the ‘healthiest berry in the world’ and thought to help prevent conditions including colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, peptic ulcers and liver failure. French scientists say their smoothie contains the healthiest and best tasting combination of fruit juices.

by Ashley Pearson

[photo credits: POP\ WENN; Varina And Jay Patel | Dreamstime.com]