Don’t wait until the New Year to get healthy - a pre-holiday detox can help you maintain a strong, healthy immune system before the crazy holiday season.
When it comes to a whole body cleanse, gentle is the key, with a holistic approach. Rather than counting calories, consider introducing more greens, fruits, and herbal teas. As our bodies like a habit, be realistic when changing things up in the diet department - small, simple tweaks can make a big impact.
Below is a list of recommendations we suggest implementing over the course of 10-14 days leading into the holiday season to help cleanse your body and build a strong immune system.
Limit Your Alcohol
Your liver is the heaviest organ in your body and one of its main jobs is to process nutrients from the foods you eat and flush out toxins. This is why it’s crucial to keep your liver in tip-top shape, as when you’re drinking excessively and consuming foods with lots of sugar, you tend to feel sluggish and run-down, which makes for a not so happy liver.
Try to aim for one standard drink per day (if you’re a woman - two if you’re a man) as drinking too much alcohol can reduce your liver's ability to carry out its normal detoxifying functions.
Get Enough Sleep
Get into the habit of going to bed at the same time every night, and waking up around the same time every morning. Lack of sleep can lead to countless health effects such as poor digestion, dull skin, fatigue, and increased stress. Using a sleeping app may help get you into a routine, as well as reading before bed, using a rock salt lamp as a night light and setting the mood with calming ocean sounds.
Eat Your Greens
For every meal, you eat, ensure you’re including at least one serving of greens. This can look like some spinach with your eggs in the morning, cucumber with your chicken salad lunch and some green capsicum in your beef stir-fry. Eating an array of greens can give you a burst of energy, an abundance of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and lower blood pressure. Just remember, if you cant eat your greens, you can always drink them! Whether that be in a smoothie or juice form, consuming rich green foods will ensure you’re cleansing your body from the inside, out.
Hydrate The Healthy Way
As much as water can be boring, it’s the best thing you can do for your health. Adding some frozen berries or slices of lime and lemon can give you a burst of vitamin C and antioxidants. When you wake up in the morning, drink a big glass of room temperature water before anything else as this will help to flush body waste, hydrate and boost your skin health.
Consider buying yourself a BPA free stainless steel insulated water bottle and bring it with you throughout the day to hydrate and keep your body happy and healthy.
Get The Blood Flowing
With the holiday season comes chocolates, treats and lots of excess sugar. Keep your lymphatic system in check and help your body to rid the excess toxins by trying dry body brushing cold showers and saunas. These are all great ways to help minimise cellulite, rid the body of toxins and encourage the movement of lymph fluids around the body.
Start by energising the body through dry body brushing (brushing upwards to your heart with gentle slow strokes) and try a 1-minute cold shower. This is a great way to stimulate drainage from the lymphatic system and you will feel instantly refreshed.
Don’t Forget Your 10,000 Steps
Exercising for better health is a no brainer, but don't forget it’s also one of the best options for a better mindset and calming stress and anxiety. Try to include a brisk walk in your day, every day, to encourage better health, body fat loss, a calmer mind, and overall happiness.
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