Stella Photi, Wellbeing Escapes
So…..who was the bright spark who decided that January should be detox month? From glorious December with socialising, eats and tipples galore
to practically nil by mouth? Seemingly ‘everyone’ is doing it and you can’t move for top tips in every magazine and blog you clap eyes on extolling the
virtues of a deep, steam clean and the Persil whiteness that it will bring to your eyes.
It’s cold and damp outside, your body is craving warmth and nourishment yet it’s deemed a brilliant idea to feed it only juices or salads and cut your
daily calorie intake drastically.
Let’s think again people! Much better to leave detoxing to the spring when you will naturally be feeling more ‘up’ with lighter days and thoughts of
warmer weather ahead. Your detox will seem so much less daunting and, more importantly, you’re more likely to stick to it.
So hunker down and give your body a gradual lead-in instead by following our top healthy living tips:
DIET
– Gradually cut down on stimulants (caffeine, alcohol, refined sugars, saturated fats and processed foods) – try having one less coffee or tea per day
and up your water intake
– Increase your daily consumption of fresh fruit and veggies as well as nuts and seeds
– Eat your evening meal earlier than usual – preferably by 7.30 pm if you are home or make lunch your main meal instead
SLEEP
– Curb your socialising a tad as well as those long hours at work. Get some rest as good sleep is essential for your body to function effectively
– 7 to 8 hours is ideal or take a siesta at weekends if you need to catch up. That said, some gyms now have ‘sleep pods’ so you could always slope off
there at lunchtime!
BREATHE
-Calm your nervous system with three or four deep breaths which will change the circulating chemicals and hormones in the body and
still the release of adrenaline. Hectic and demanding situations can often trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response and staying in this mode for too
long causes toxic stress hormones to flood your body and can lead to major illnesses long term
– Set the alarm on your mobile to remind you to breathe deeply every couple of hours or why not have a group breathing session with your colleagues if you
can get through it without giggling?!
MOVE
– Shake your limbs! Try a new form of exercise that you’ve always wanted to do – martial arts, Nordic walking, boxing, trampolining, dancing – it’s all good although
moving your fingers as you game on the sofa doesn’t really count….
– Get your heart pumping, muscles working and body sweating to help release toxins, speed up digestion and metabolism.
Dare to go against the flow– let the evangelical crew have their January smugness – you’ll be quietly leading up to your own amazing transformation!