Overdone it over the festives? Here's your post-Christmas detox guide

It's after Christmas that everyone starts to regret all those rich puddings and boozy drinks when our clothing becomes very hard to squeeze in to.

10:39 30 December 2014

At Christmas time, everyone overindulges on the mince pies, mulled wine and turkey. Saying ‘no’ or thinking about our waistline goes out of the window as we bask in the festive spirit.

 

It'Â’s after Christmas that everyone starts to regret all those rich puddings and boozy drinks when our clothing becomes very hard to squeeze in to.

 

A New Year often brings new resolutions, however, and with it fresh attempts to get thinner. People join the gym or start a new diet, but what they should think about first is getting rid of all the toxins in the body.

 

Toxins

 

Drinking alcohol and eating starchy, fatty foods can harm your digestive system. An overload of toxins can stop it working properly, therefore leading to bloating or constipation.

 

Too much food mean that the system gets sluggish, leading to fat being absorbed and therefore adding on those pesky pounds.

 

Toxins are acidic and therefore too much of them can imbalance our bodyÂ’s PH levels, potentially leading to acidosis which can bring on many different diseases.

 

Why is detoxing so important?

 

Detoxing can remove waste and toxins within the body, especially dead cells or parasites, leaving your digestive system to do its job properly.

 

It can also replenish your good bacteria (probiotics) and ensure that any bad areas of the digestive system can be restored back to health.

Food truths
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- and which are not?

 

How to detox

 

There are many ways to detox; some people just want to do it to get rid of toxins and some wish to lose weight; itÂ’'s all about finding the right one for you.

 

The best thing to do is to avoid taking pills and to instead adapt your diet and exercise to achieve the desired results.

 

For example, if you drank too much alcohol over the festive period, chances are you acid levels are high. By drinking water and cutting out fizzy drinks and caffeine, you will start to feel better in no time at all. Alcohol and caffeine tends to dehydrate the body, so filling it with water (just your recommended 8 glasses a day) can dramatically enhance your health.

 

If you'’ve put on a few pounds over the holidays, which let'’s face it we all do, it’'s best to cut out wheat or ‘heavy’ foods those which are full of starch and sugar. Cutting down on dairy and red meat may also be a good idea.

 

Try drinking blueberry or apple juice in place of acidic drinks as these can cause bloating, and ginger is also a good ingredient to kick-start a healthy digestive system.

 

How long should you detox for?

 

It should really depend on the reasons you wish to detox. If you want to lose a significant amount of weight, then you shouldn'Â’t really detox for more than a few weeks before starting a sustainable diet. Detoxing can making you lose weight quickly, but this can have serious health issues associated with it.

 

If youÂ’'re simply wishing to flush the bad toxins out, then it'Â’s recommended that you detox for about a week and then ease yourself back on to the alcohol and caffeine.

 

Again, try and find a detox that looks suitable and sustainable enough for you.