Post Holiday Cleanse

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Janelle Sorensen

Sunday, January 02, 2011

As much as we promise ourselves we won’t over-indulge during the holidays (cue inner voice: “this time I really, really mean it!”), most of us are guilty of a bit of seasonal gluttony. Instead of berating yourself for succumbing again, take a more positive approach.

Be thankful for what you are able to enjoy and balance your indulgences with the following rejuvenating practices. You might even consider making these the basis of a new family routine. Keep yourselves healthier by helping your body flush out the environmental contaminants you are exposed to every day.

• Flush it out. Drink plenty of water every day, (drop in a wedge of lemon for added benefits). Eat cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage) and high fiber foods to keep your body's excretory systems flowing.

• Love your liver. Your liver is part of your body’s natural detoxification system. Keep it healthy by limiting alcohol, caffeine, refined sugars, saturated fats and medication. Look into herbs or supplements to support general liver health. (Talk to your physician before starting supplements or herbs).

• Relax. Your mental well-being is inherently connected to your overall health. Stress slows down detoxification, among other things. Keep family stress levels low, so all your body’s systems are in prime working condition, by taking time to cuddle and read with your kids, or by doing yoga and meditation together.

• Breathe deeply. Oxygen is essential to cleansing and feeding your body’s cells. Whenever you think of it throughout the day, take some deep cleansing breaths to oxygenate your body.

• Soothe. According to Diana Carswell at the Washington Post:

“the body can efficiently expel toxins through the pores of the skin. To hasten this process, combine in a bath 1 cup of Epsom salts and 1 to 2 tablespoons of an essential oil, such as lemon, jojoba, rosemary or olive. The ingredients' stimulating properties naturally draw toxins out. (Just be sure to test the oil first to make sure you're not allergic by applying a small amount to the underside of your forearm.) Another option is to exfoliate the skin, which increases respiration and removes toxins. Combine 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 tablespoon cornmeal and several drops almond oil with enough milk to form a paste. Apply by hand to the entire body (excluding the face) with gentle, circular motions. Rinse, then brush the skin using a loofah or sponge.”

While none of these methods are a quick fix to reducing your body’s burden of contaminants, incorporating them into your daily life can lead to greater overall health and happiness. Enjoy and Have a Happy, Healthy New Year!

Do you have any tips to add? How do you refresh your system after the holidays?

Note: While these tips are applicable to your entire family, more extreme detox diets are not intended for children or pregnant women.

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Posted by cay kazani on 01/02/2011 at 04:18 PM

Toxins are produced both in and outside the body is taken. As a result of physiological metabolism of the body is released to work. Outside of the food, the air we breathe, can be taken as a result of physical contacts.
Toxins from the body away from the liver is the main organ. These substances can be taken out of order to the kidneys in urine, with sweat from the skin, the intestines are being taken through feces. There are some ingredients to do exactly the task of preventing the liver. These are: caffeine (tea and coffee), alcohol, drugs, cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, excessive protein intake, saturated fats, refined sugar.
Certainly they should pay attention.

Posted by Tracie on 01/06/2010 at 03:02 PM

Great article! I’m detoxing now. Lavender and juniper essential oils are a great detox mixture for baths.

Posted by MRochell on 01/06/2010 at 12:13 PM

Mmmm, I love the detox bath idea! I find it more difficult to cleanse in the winter because it is so chilly, but a nice warm bath is a great option. I like to drink a lot of water, which helps a lot to clear toxins. When I can’t do a bath, I scrub my skin gently with a little sea salt or himalayan salt in a warm shower. It feels great and is energizing and cleansing. Thanks for this great site, I am so glad for the work you are doing!

Posted by katherine sumner on 01/07/2009 at 08:38 AM

As a Holistic Health Counselor, I have clients who are always looking for ways to detox when January comes around, but I always want to make sure they don’t add more stress by overwhelming them with things to do as well as talk with them about not getting stressed about overindulging during the holidays instead embrace this time and learn from them .... your article was very information and concise - thank you for sharing!
Be well,
Katherine L. Sumner, CHC
Board Certified Health Counselor, AADP
Nutritional Consultant
kat4sumner@yahoo.com

Posted by Ruth R. on 01/07/2009 at 08:10 AM

Thanks for these ideas! If you have access to a sauna, perhaps an infrared type, you can get a lot of detoxing from that. Since the liver is so important, I like to support mine with Alpha-Lipoic Acid and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) capsules every day, too.

Posted by Jessica on 01/06/2009 at 07:11 AM

This is just the article I needed. After being away and in others homes that use toxic cleaners I feel a detox is in order!

Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 01/05/2009 at 09:36 AM

Nancy, the original Washington Post article about the baths didn’t mention a specific temperature range. I know hot baths can dry out skin and even pose health risks to people with certain medical conditions, so use common sense and ask your physician if you have any concerns.

Posted by Nancy on 01/02/2009 at 07:05 PM

Great stuff! Love the bathing stuff…is there a certain desired warmth for the bath? (as hot as possible? or just warm?). I’ve also heard about wrapping up in sweats and getting under covers to to sweat out more after a bath.
I drink detox tea on a regular basis…hot in winter and iced in summer. That’s how I try to keep the toxins running through.

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