For many of us, Christmas involves feasting on delicious meals and drinking until we are more than merry. Holiday habits of overeating, excess sugar, alcohol and less sleep can, however, impede on the body’s natural abilities to detoxify. This can lead to fatigue, weight gain, puffiness, skin breakouts and just feeling rubbish.
By taking the load off your liver and other detoxification organs, your body will be able to naturally detoxify so you feel rejuvenated and energized after the Chrissy binge.
Here are eight easy tips that you can do anywhere, whether you are at home, still on holiday, staying with family and friends or back at work.
1. Lemon water
You might feel like coffee is the answer first thing in the morning, especially when you’re tired (and possibly hung-over). Instead, have the juice of half a lemon in water as soon as you get up. It kick-starts your digestion, aids the liver and helps to alkalize your body (yes, this one again).
2. Reduce or remove “liver loaders” – this means going gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol and caffeine free.
This might seem like a long list, but these foods can be inflammatory and load up the liver, resulting in a toxic build up. Doing a “cleanse” and removing these foods for two weeks will do wonders and hopefully kick start you into a new commitment of a healthy, maintainable diet and lifestyle.
3. Swap your coffee for green tea
If you just can’t bear to give up the caffeine for a few days, try having a green tea instead of coffee. Although green tea still contains caffeine, it actually improves Phase II detoxification – this means more efficient elimination of accumulated toxins in the body.
4. Green juice
Incorporate a green juice into your day. It provides your body and liver with an abundance of vitamins and minerals necessary for detoxification.
If you don’t have a blender or juicer, find a café, juice bar or health food store that sells cold presses or organic juices. Just make sure it’s 80% veggies and only 20% fruit.
5. Add in foods that will reboot detoxification pathways.
Load up on your brassica veg like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale and radishes. Use a tonne of detoxifying herbs in your cooking such as coriander, rosemary and turmeric.
Other foods that support detoxification are grapefruit, pomegranate, sesame seeds and berries.
6. Move your body
Whether it’s a gentle walk or a high intensity workout, exercise will increase your circulation and help to flush toxins. It might be the last thing you feel like doing, but you know you’ll feel better after.
7. Dry Body Brushing
Improve your lymphatic system, increase circulation and encourage the detoxification process by doing a dry body brush before your shower.
Not only is your skin the largest organ in the body, it is one of the most important elimination organs, playing a large role in daily detoxification.
Dry body brushing sheds dead skin cells, stimulates the nervous system and encourages the discharge of metabolic wastes so the body is able to run more effectively.
8. Yoga or Meditation
Just 10- 15 minutes a day can improve your mind and body connection. It is important to cleanse your mind as well as your body! Try the app Headspace if you’ve never tried meditation before.