This afternoon when the sun was streaming through my office window, I decided that Chloe and I would head to the beach for an early evening walk. What could be more idyllic than paddling along the shore with my 17-month-old toddler? Ha.

I knew things weren't going to go exactly to plan when after 20 minutes we had progressed precisely three feet. Chloe was intent on inspecting every single grain of sand and this was getting time consuming. She did pick up speed though once she discovered how much fun it was running head first into the waves and making me chase her.

Having started off our 'walk' in shorts and a t-shirt, I left with a completely naked baby. She had shed her clothes with alarming determination and sat at the edge of the surf in her sunhat and nappy. The nappy also bit the dust after an especially boisterous wave.

We then exited the beach mid-tantrum as the little madam was not happy about leaving. She did however compensate for this by sneaking a ridiculous amount of sand home with her… inside and out.

Now I'm sure that Chloe isn't the first toddler to discover the cleansing properties of sand, but whilst it's an effective strategy I wouldn't really recommend it for adults. It seems though, that following last week's article on cleansing your liver, you'd like more info regarding specific steps you can take to detox the body. Obviously I'm more than happy to oblige!

Please note however that whilst I'm a fan of gentle detoxification, I get concerned by the more hardcore strategies. Traditionally, detoxification involves an element of fasting that can result in extreme fatigue and weakness. Many people also experience a 'healing crisis' a few days of feeling worse, before they feel better. Yet the 'healing crisis' may actually be a straight forward 'crisis' a sign that the body is unable to cope with all the toxins that have been mobilised. If you detoxify too quickly then the liberation and elimination of toxins can overload the liver. If the liver becomes overloaded you may actually do yourself more harm than good triggering headaches, body aches, breakouts and inflammation.

So how far should you go when detoxifying? If you do choose a more radical approach, always consult your GP for their opinion. Detoxification is more complex than you may think for example if you do take supplements to help cleanse the liver, you may affect the efficacy of certain medications. My opinion is that for 99 percent of cases, detoxification is best done gently and slowly to prevent uncomfortable side-effects. These ten steps will get you started safely:

1. Try Skin Brushing

Dry skin brushing helps to drain lymphatic tissue (detoxification sites in the body), which speeds up the efficient elimination of toxins. Buy a skin brush (body brush) from The Body Shop or a spa and brush your body firmly but gently for five minutes daily. Start from the soles of the feet and work upwards up the legs, torso, along the arms towards the heart, and up your back. Avoid areas of broken skin, varicose veins or thread veins, and use long sweeping movements. This is particularly good for cellulite!

2. Exercise

Exercise is essential for supporting the body's natural detoxification pathways. Even gentle exercise helps to drain lymphatic tissue and will also help to keep you flexible. Workouts in the gym are great, but tai chi, pilates, yoga, swimming, dancing and walking are just as good.

3. Drink at least 1.5 litres of water daily

Water not only keeps you hydrated, but it's great for flushing toxins through your system. We recently installed a filtration system under our sink as an environmentally friendly alternative to buying bottled water. These kind of systems cost approximately $500 but will save you money in the long run. Also, drinking a cup of hot water with a wedge of lemon every morning before breakfast is another great way to help your body detox.

4. Avoid the bad stuff!

Excess caffeine, alcohol, sugar, salt and saturated fat can lead to dehydration, sallow skin, weight gain and the body has to use up vital nutrients to detoxify them.

5. Eat five servings of fruit and vegetables daily

Vital for detoxification of the body as fruit and vegetables contain fibre, pectin and antioxidants. Fibre is important for preventing constipation if you are constipated (less than one bowel movement daily) then toxins may be reabsorbed from your bowel. Pectin binds toxins and carries them through the digestive tract and antioxidants help to support your liver's detoxification pathways.

6. Avoid heating foods in plastic packaging

If you heat up foods in plastic packaging (e.g. a microwave meal) then toxins from the packaging may leach into the food, particular into food with a high fat content e.g. mac 'n' cheese. If you are pushed for time and have to use a prepared meal, transfer it to a glass or china plate before heating.

7. Avoid amalgam fillings

Recent studies have linked mercury amalgam fillings to toxicity. Too much mercury in the body is thought to be toxic to the nervous system. Where possible, have porcelain or gold fillings instead and above all, look after your teeth! The good news is that antioxidants from fruit and vegetables help to protect the body from mercury toxicity.

8. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products

Not only are these less toxic to the environment, they are less toxic for you too. Most grocery stores stock a good range of natural cleaning products: Greenworks, Ecover and Seventh Generation all work well.

9. Eat organic!

Organic food is produced without the use of the majority of the man-made pesticides, fertilisers, growth hormones and antibiotics. This means less chemicals to pass on to you through the food chain. Recent studies have proven organic fruit and vegetables to be more mineral rich and suggest they may be more vitamin rich too.

10. Consider supplementing Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle is a fantastic herb that helps to cleanse the liver and improve detoxification. However if you are pregnant, have a health condition or are on medication, be sure to consult with your GP before supplementing your diet with any nutrient or herb.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at this e-mail address: clinicalnutrition@gmail.com