Tips for a Post-Holiday Detox
Detoxification – What Does It Really Mean? Detoxification refers to the steps the body takes to break down, metabolize and eliminate substances. These substances can be from external sources such as food, beverages, medicines and skin-care products, or internal substances like hormones and breakdown products of protein.
how to detox your system to return your body to a state of optimal health. This is especially relevant at this time of year as we approach the end of the holiday season. We have all had our share of sweets, rich and fatty foods and perhaps partaken in a few too many cocktails. In addition, many of us have been traveling, recovering from the inevitable colds and flus that circulate at this time of year and, if you have little ones excited for the holidays, you may also be running on reduced sleep and increased caffeine consumption. All of these over-indulgences will lead to us feeling tired, irritable, achy and often fat so, come the New Year, many of us are ready for a detox.
In addition to helping shed the excess holiday pounds, detoxification is an importance process in keeping the body healthy and helping reduce our risks for cancer and heart disease. However, the word ‘detox’ is used so frequently and can mean different things to different people so, in this article I aim to demystify what it is, what it means to body and the basic steps you can take to detox from home.
How to Detox
There are many different ways to do a detox and the health food store shelfs are loaded with powders and pills that all promote a liver detox or cleanse. It is important to be aware that there is a difference between a simple cleanse and medical detox – a medical detox should be done under the care of your physician but a 10-14 day cleanse can, for most people, be done alone. These are my basic guidelines to include in a post-holiday detox:
Eliminate the following from your diet:
Caffeine
Sugar
Alcohol
Refined carbohydrates
Tobacco
Cannabis
Saturated oils
Artificial colors & sweeteners
Preservatives
Processed and junk food
Heavier animal meats with higher amounts of fat such as beef & pork
Any foods you know you are allergic or sensitive to
Consume the following (daily)
Water – stay hydrated by drinking at least 64 fluid ounces of water a day to help the kidneys flush out toxins and to aid regular bowel movements
A fiber supplement, a magnesium supplement and a probiotic to keep the bowels moving
Anti-oxidants – Vitamins A, C E plus zinc to protect the tissues from damage
A liver detox formula – either in powder or capsule form to optimize the 7 pathways of liver detoxification
Organic fruit and vegetables
White meat such as chicken or white fish (shellfish and heavier fatty fishes many have more heavy metals in them )
Bean and legumes
Lifestyle
Sleep – get as much rest as possible during a detox. At least 8- 10 hours sleep a night
Sit in a quiet environment for at least 10 minutes a day and observe and practice slow, steady breathing for a count of 8 in and 8 out in order to optimize lung detox
Sweat – exercise, take a sauna or a hot bath to encourage your skin to sweat out the toxins
Avoid emotional stressors during this time (emotions can be toxic too)
Read the full article on apathtonaturalhealth.com
Did you like this article? Subscribe to our newsletter 🤓
