How to Give Your Body a Basic Post Christmas Detox

Happy new year! Hopefully, you had a great time during the festive season and you are looking forward to the rest of your year. Feeling very positive about the year ahead but maybe a little guilty about your over-indulgences? For some basic post-Christmas detox tips read on.

Steps

    1
    Exfoliate. On the outside of the body exfoliation and dry body brushing are fantastic ways to help to boost circulation and improve the appearance of dulling skin. They will both provide a great boost if you’ve neglected your face and body lately. It is best to use a gentle exfoliation mask or face wash every two days in your first week of detox, then drop back to once a week as you do not want to damage delicate facial skin. The body, however, will benefit from dry brushing everyday. Invest in a body brush and brush your skin daily, towards the heart, from your feet upwards, for glowing skin.
    2
    Cleanse. Most of us consume more rich foods and alcohol than usual over the festive period and now is the time to cleanse the body of those additional toxins. A great first step is to start each day with a cup or glass of warm pre-boiled, or cold bottled water, with the juice of a fresh lemon added. This is a fantastic detoxifier and your body will thank you for it! Avoid alcohol completely for the period of your detox and it is also preferable to avoid caffeine. If you don’t feel able to give up caffeine altogether another great tip is to swap your usual cup of tea or coffee for green tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants but as it does still contain caffeine we would suggest keeping it at one or two cups maximum per day. If a sweetening is required we would recommend a teaspoon of Manuka honey as the best choice. Smoking should also be avoided.
    3
    Diet. Give your body a break from heavy, rich or processed foods including red meat and products that contain wheat. Keep dairy to a minimum but a probiotic yoghurt or boiled/poached egg is fine. Smoothies and homemade vegetable soups provide a great meal alternative on a detox and, if you can manage it, a day or two on blended fruit or vegetables alone would be the ideal start. If this is too ambitious try replacing your breakfast with a smoothie and your evening meal with a homemade soup and go for fish or chicken with rice or vegetables as your main meal.
    4
    Try adding aromatherapy oils to your bath. Patchouli, lemon, juniper, grapefruit or geranium oils are all great for detox. Add 6-8 drops to your bath water or 2-4 drops to a carrier oil for detox massage. It is essential that you patch test any oils that you have not previously used 48 hours before including in your detox to check for any sensitivity.
    5
    Exercise. Exercise is a very valuable addition to any detox plan but don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be too full on. Yoga is a fantastic option for both mind and body and as little as ten minutes in the morning and ten in the evening will help you to remain focused, relaxed and better able to deal with cravings.