The post-holiday detox

The holiday was wonderful. Yes, you overdid it, but you enjoyed every moment. You ate too much, and to wash it down, you drank too much. Now you're back home and wondering if this bacchanalian excess was really such a good idea.

We've taken a look at the most common holiday excesses (whether you've been soaking up the sun in Siena or Southend) and asked food scientist Dr Lola Greene to weigh up just how evil they really are. We then turned to nutritional therapist Linda Lazarides, author of Treat Yourself with Nutritional Therapy (Waterfall, £15.99), and asked her for the antidotes to their malign effects on your body.

WINE

Wine just slips down on holiday but let's be generous and say you only averaged 10 bottles in a two-week stay - positively restrained.

Calorie Count: 5,100kcal (although if you plump for sweet white wine the total rises to 7,360kcal).

What it's done to you: "Wine in moderation is fine - but at this level it stresses your liver, can interfere with absorption of B vitamins and might damage your intestinal lining, allowing you to absorb more toxins," says Linda Lazarides.

The antidote: Follow this liver rejuvenation programme (for three weeks if possible): eat lots of broccoli and cabbage as well as dark blue and purple fruits (such as blueberries and grapes) and drink a daily glass of beetroot juice. Take a teaspoon of turmeric stirred into yoghurt every day. Take a daily capsule of lipoic acid (Country Life, £13.95 for 50 caps) to help restore glutathione levels (vital for liver health).

LAGER

Four cans a day? Probably a conservative estimate. Let's round it off to 40 cans over the fortnight (missing off a few for days when the hangover saved you).

Calorie Count: 12,600kcal or a slightly lower 7,360kcal for the equivalent pints of draught lager.

What it's done to you: "You'll probably have added a few inches to your waistline," warns Dr Greene.

"Beer encourages weight gain, and at this level will also hit your liver," warns Lazarides.

The antidote: Watch the calories until you've lost your extra weight - stick to lean meat, salads and vegetable soups rather than eating rich foods (and lay off the lager). Get walking - preferably up and down hills (or pound the Stairmaster at the gym). Follow the liver rejuvenation program (as for wine). Take a vitamin B complex supplement, too.

ANTIPASTI

Those Continental cooked meats such as salami, prosciutto and Parma ham slip down a treat before dinner. Maybe you didn't indulge every day but, say, 10 portions?

Calorie count: 2,140kcal if you chose salami; 1,500kcal for prosciutto.

What it's done to you: "More saturated fat," says Linda Lazarides, "but this time laced with very large amounts of salt and also nitrite preservatives which have been linked with cancer of the stomach. Too much salt disturbs the fluid balance in your cells and can raise your blood pressure."

The antidote: One of the best ways to clear residues of excess salt is to drink lots of celery juice. The biosodium it contains helps to keep the chemical sodium (from salt) in solution.

If you can't stomach celery juice try taking a calcium, magnesium and potassium supplement for a few days (Cal-Mag-Potassium, Country Life £10.95 for 90 caps). Snacking on sesame and sunflower seeds, almonds and fruit is another way to raise levels naturally.

PASTRIES

If you have a sweet tooth, it's 10 to one you'll indulge it on holiday. Whether it's baklava in Greece or sticky buns in Morecambe, it's got to be at least one a day.

Calorie count: 5,950kcal for baklava; 3,710kcal if you went for strudel.

What it's done to you: "These are all laden with sugar and fat," says Dr Greene. "Too much sugar can trigger sugar imbalance which can lead to food cravings, anxiety and insulin imbalance. You're overloading your pancreas."

The antidote: Calm down your pancreas by going on a low-sugar regime and eating lots of beans and porridge. Their soluble fibre helps to slow down the absorption of sugar from your food and so prevents the blood sugar surges which stress the pancreas. Take a course of antioxidants to mop up the free-radical damage and also one of chromium picolinate (Country Life, £5.45 for 50 caps) to help balance blood sugar levels.

BAGUETTES

For the sake of argument let's go for foie gras, but it could equally be any of those lovely Continental pates or cheeses. One a day for lunch? Fourteen of those make a perfectly plausible total.

Calorie count: 8,750kcal for the foie-gras option; 7,980kcal if you chose brie.

What it's done to you: "It's enormously high in saturated fat so will be likely to raise cholesterol levels and put strain on your heart," says Lazarides.

The antidote: There's only one way to undo the effects of excess saturated fat and that's a cholesterol-reducing programme with loads of fruit, veg and oily fish such as sardines and salmon. Also take a course of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, Higher Nature, £21.90 for 90 caps), which can help to clear arteries that have started to become clogged.

COFFEE

Calorie count: 3,780kcal for cappuccinos (unsweetened) which rises to 5,460kcal if you add two teaspoons of sugar; 5,020kcal if you plump for mocha. Just 300kcal for the black stuff - but look at the damage!

What it's done to you: "Caffeine is a drug-like stimulant," says Dr Greene. "It can cause symptoms such as anxiety and panic."

The antidote: Do your health a huge favour and kick the caffeine habit if you can. Camomile tea will help to calm you down, reducing the jangling nerves that make you crave coffee even more. A brisk walk in the morning will help to clear the cobwebs much better than the artificial caffeine high which is inevitably followed by a low later on.

Just can't do it? Take it slowly, first substituting decaf for a few cups, then coffee alternatives such as Caro or Barleycup.

ICE CREAM

Just one Cornetto? Hardly likely. Probably more like 10.
Calorie count: Up to 4,000kcal (Belgian chocolate ice cream is the worst).

What it's done to you: Saturated fats and sugar are the culprits here. "They add inches to the waistline," warns Lazarides.

The antidote: Kick the ice-cream habit as soon as you get home. If you're still hankering after something cold and sweet, try freezing fruit juice in a lolly maker. Needless to say, you'll need to follow the guidelines for pastries and baguettes, too, to reduce the illeffects of all that fat and sugar.

FURTHER HELP

www.purerfoods.com analyses meals and gives advice on nutrition and lifestyle.

Linda Lazarides' latest book Treat Yourself with Nutritional Therapy (Waterfall, £15.99) gives more information on the liver rejuvenation programme plus other ways to get yourself back in shape.

100% Health by Patrick Holford (Piatkus, £10) also gives invaluable information on combating common health concerns.

In case of difficulty the supplements mentioned can all be ordered from Revital on 0800 252875.