Elizabeth Hurley jets to Austria for wellness detox: 'Something had to be done'
Elizabeth Hurley is ready to get moving again.
The British supermodel, 56, headed to rural Austria over the weekend to attend a wellness spa with the objective of feeling healthier. Sitting on a windowsill in nothing but a white T-shirt and an ankle brace around her injured foot, the star shared what she's doing at the luxe lakeside resort, which specializes in cleanses and detoxes.
"Here I go- ready for the big detox," said Hurley, sharing that she's currently spending time at Viva Mayr Maria Wörth, located by Lake Wörthersee in Austria.
In an earlier post, Hurley went into more detail about why she decided to attend the retreat.
"I tore the ligaments in my left ankle whilst filming in the Caribbean in November. Lying on the sofa for two months, followed by a month of limping around in an air boot, meant that I basically became a slug. I don’t weigh myself but my jeans were objecting violently to being done up, so something had to be done," she shared, along with a duo of photos of herself smiling and blowing kisses for the camera as she's bundled up by the water.
Despite the months of healing, Hurley added that she's "still not really able to put much pressure on my foot, meaning not much exercise." But with a "new movie looming," she decided to visit the luxurious wellness resort to help herself feel more confident on the big screen. "I decided to return to [Viva Mayr] — a wellness spa in Austria. I’m here now and shall report back!"
According to Page Six, the wellness retreat offers a one-week detox program that starts at nearly $3,000.
In her Instagram Stories, Hurley shared what her breakfast consisted of at the pricey spot: A piece of bread and some sort of green pudding with microgreens on top.
However, there did seem to be plenty of enjoyable features about the stay, including stunning views.
The debate over cleanses and detoxes has been a complex one. For example, some experts say there's no indication that "detoxing" actually allows toxins to leave the body.
Alissa Rumsey, the owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition & Wellness and the author of Unapologetic Eating, previously told Yahoo Life that there's “no proof" detoxing will improve your health. In fact, she says we already possess the organs that cleanse the body of toxins.
“Most purported benefits have been found to be unsubstantiated and anecdotal,” she explained to Yahoo Life. “Our liver does a great job of cleaning our system on its own. The liver processes toxins and harmful substances that have gone through our digestive system or been absorbed into our body, and helps to neutralize and excrete these substances.”
Rumsey said these problems can often be “misleading and harmful" and create a "binge and restrict" mentality that ultimately helps no one.
“Not only do we not need to ‘detox’ our body, but trying to do so by severely restricting what you eat is really dangerous and can lead to disordered eating and weight cycling,” she explained. “It's also really problematic because most detoxes and cleanses are promoted by people who are thin, already conventionally attractive and very privileged. When they promote the detox, they’re not just selling the detox. What they’re saying is: ‘If you do this detox, you can look like me too.’”
Instead, experts say people should focus on avoiding an "all-or-nothing" mentality that eliminates entire food categories.
“Restriction intensifies cravings, which can lead to binging and overeating, plus can harm your overall relationship to food," said Rumsey. "Eating healthy is not an all-or-nothing thing — all sorts of foods can fit into a healthy diet.”
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