Post Christmas or New Year celebration, begin a damage control cleansing to ease up the digestive issues, foggy brain, bloating, bad breath and lethargy — all signs of a severely taxed body. Follow these simple steps:
Switch from coffee to green tea: Cut down on endless cups of coffee to give your liver a chance to rest from clearing out all that caffeine every day. Switch to green tea. It is okay to drink green tea if you are a caffeine addict, as green tea contains only a fraction of the caffeine of black tea and coffee. Plus, they are a delicious energy & mood booster.
Cut down on sugar: Too much sugar suppresses the immune system making us more susceptible to colds and flu. So, for a while, cut down on desserts and sweeten up instead with fresh fruits which contain natural fruit sugars and all important nutrients such as Vitamin C which is crucial for staving off winter time bugs.
Keep yourself hydrated: Had your fill of rich fatty and salty foods and alcohol? Your body is definitely severely dehydrated by now, so up your water intake. Have at least seven to 10 glasses of water each day (warm it a bit and have, if cold temperature is a deterrent). Water is an amazing detox tool. It helps dilute toxins and waste products for their easy drainage from our body system, regulates and maintain our body temperature, and also helps to clear excessive fats from our bloodstreams. Try this herbal concoction: boil some cumin, coriander and fennel in water and then sip through the day; this will was up your tired stomach.
Eat plenty of fibre: Include brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables. Spirulina and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods. Eat lots of cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, as they are rich in glucosinolates, precursors to sulforaphane, a liver-friendly phytochemical that stimulates detoxifiction enzymes, helping to neutralize cancer-causing chemicals
Take Vitamin C: This helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins. Go for oranges, mausmbi, amla, strawberries, broccoli and guava. Incorporate lemon juice into your diet as its acidic properties are great for cleansing the body and it strengthens the liver.
Have probiotics: Probiotics will help boost the good bacteria and restore healthy digestion.
Get moving: Lack of exercise makes our circulation sluggish, which results in a build up of toxins. Even gentle exercise gets the circulation going, so wrap up warm and try a 30 minutes walk at least twice a week. Yoga is another wonderful way to gently detox. Also, learn to breathe right and deeply as this allows oxygen to circulate more completely through the system.
— The writer is Kavita Devgan, Delhi-based nutritionist and weight management consultant