Pre Christmas 'Detox'
Pre Christmas 'Detox'
Do You Need A Festive Season ‘Detox’?
Winter wellness season is finally upon us, and to many that usually means sipping on soothing teas, curling up on the sofa with our favourite book, and taking some time out to unwind over those chilly days. But, the winter season can also leave us feeling sleep deprived, majorly bloated after overindulging through the festive period and not to forget a little hungover.
Most people wait until the new year to begin a detox or cleanse, but did you know that you can ease yourself (and your body) into all those festive dinners, drinks, parties and the new year by giving yourself a pre-Christmas detox? To help you feel lighter, refreshed and more energised before the festive season really hits, why not try these simple tips that can help boost and balance your health!
Eat your Brassica Vegetables!
Brassicas are a family of vegetables that belong to the Cruciferae family also commonly known as cruciferous vegetables. Think kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and bok choy – these are all sulphur containing vegetables that are loaded in beneficial properties such as fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds and organic compounds known as glucosinolates.
It’s these glucosinolates that are regarded as unique plant chemicals because they induce detoxification pathways in your liver, helping you break down anything from alcohol, to old hormones.
If you don’t enjoy eating cruciferous vegetables raw, an easy way to boost your intake is to chop your favourite cruciferous veggies and add them to soups, stews and casseroles- perfect for winter! You can even sprinkle some turmeric, black pepper, red pepper flakes, or garlic to add an extra bit of flavour!
Nourish your gut microbiome
Our gut microbiome is made up of bacteria and microorganisms – over 10 trillion of them in fact – which work together to help break down food to keep the stomach happy and healthy. However, stress, poor diet, alcohol and low fibre intake can take a toll on the microbiome, and this often manifests as constipation, reduced production of enzymes and acids that aid the breakdown of food, and even gut inflammation.
It’s no secret that our digestive tract is an important detox player since it works to eliminate waste from our bodies. And supporting the gut is probably one of the best ways to ensure the digestive tract is functioning at its best.
A simple way to support your gut is by supplementing with prebiotics, probiotics, and including fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut in your diet. Fibre also acts as a prebiotic because it’s our gut bacteria's preferred food source, and so it’s important to get plenty of fibre in your diet.
"I'm very pleased with these. My tummy is immediately much flatter and my digestion is better. I've tried so many different brands of probiotics and most of them made no noticeable difference. I will definitely be sticking with these." - K Halifax
Aim to consume at least 30g of fibre per day to help support digestion and promote a healthy detox of the colon. You can find plenty of fibre in fruits and vegetables, particularly the skin, and also in whole grains, legumes and beans, as well as in chia seed, flaxseed and psyllium husk.
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An easy way to cleanse your gut is by including foods that naturally contain prebiotic fibre in your diet, such as Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas and burdock root. Hydration is key!
Okay, so you probably saw this one coming, drinking water is probably the oldest health tip in the book! Water doesn’t only flush out toxins that are currently in our bodies, but it also helps to remove harmful cell byproducts such as carbon dioxide and urea from the bloodstream – so water really is all it’s cracked up to be!
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not at all necessary to follow a water fast or even drink excessive amounts of water! The general guideline is to drink at least two and a half litres of water per day between meals to help flush out toxins.
Minimise stress
It’s safe to say that the buildup to the festive season can be pretty stressful and maintaining your wellbeing and managing festive stress in a healthy way is really important. To help you dial the stress down and promote calm, try incorporating regular exercise to help pump up your endorphins (your happy hormones), while also reducing your stress hormones.
It’s also worth holding back on sugary foods since super sweet treats will send your blood sugar levels on a rollercoaster ride where you will feel buzzed and high initially, but this will quickly be followed by a stress-inducing dip (definitely an important one to carry right through the festive period).
Did you know that Ashwagandha could help you through the festive season? Many people praise Ashwagandha for its ability to rejuvenate physical and mental wellbeing through its ability to help the body cope with daily stress.
Most interestingly, a growing body of research suggests that this powerful herb may be effective in supporting the adrenal glands to reduce stress, as well as increasing energy levels and stamina and also may even help strengthen the immune system by increasing the activity of disease-fighting immune cells to help ward off infections.
Get a good night's rest
Getting to bed earlier can be a task itself especially when you sacrifice sleep in an effort to complete more holiday tasks. It’s of course really important to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night, but getting good quality sleep (where you sleep straight through the night without waking up multiple times) is the ultimate recipe to a good night's rest.
To help you feel well rested and restored, our Natural Night complex contains a range of sleep promoting ingredients such as Magnesium, L-Theanine, Lemon Balm, Chamomile and 5-HTP that can lend you a helping hand for a better night's sleep this winter.
Riya Lakhani ANutr is a registered nutritionist and health writer with a special interest in plant-based nutrition. She has completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Human Nutrition, and has developed a passion for writing about all things plant-based.