Turkey. Stuffing. Mashed potatoes. Sweets, sweets and more sweets. Ice cold beverages more than likely containing alcohol.
That’s just some of what I had for Thanksgiving yesterday, and I’m willing to bet that my menu was pretty similar to yours.
So are you dragging today? Feeling lethargic from all you ingested?
I emailed Isabelle M. Simon, a certified nutritionist and wellness consultant based in Tampa Bay (www.SimonWellnessConsulting.com), and asked her for ideas when it comes to “detoxing” after overeating and drinking.
She responded with these top 3 tips:
1) WATER – Because its pH is neutral, water allows the body to not only hydrate efficiently, but also helps get rid of stagnant toxins. Don’t be fooled, the so-called “recommended” 64 oz/day you read about was based on a 130 Lbs person, and is not nearly enough water for the majority of us. Think about it this way, if you’re built like Mother Theresa vs. Shaquille O’Neal, your needs are different. The accurate amount is 1/2 your body weight in ounces per day. so, if you’re 200 lbs, you need to drink 100 oz of water/day. Don’t worry, although you may urinate more at first, your kidneys & body will eventually catch on. It is easier & more efficient to drink through the day and outside of meals to reach these optimum levels.
2) BREAK A SWEAT – Skin is our largest organ, and thus our most powerful tool for detoxifying. Once you drink your recommended amount of water, sweating it out will allow you to get rid of those stagnant toxins even faster. My top 3 favorite “break a sweat” activities are: power yoga, riding my bike, and dry heat sauna (when I just feel like reading a book or magazine!). Pick the activity of your choice, but just do it. Thirty minutes of sweating profusely is all you need.
3) JUICING – The process of juicing allows the antioxidants, minerals & vitamins to be absorbed faster by the body because there is no bulk to break down. Store bought juices, on the other hand, are full of processed sugars, so, not the same thing. My favorite easy-does-it home-made recipe for a quick detox (liver + GI + blood) combines the following ingredients:
- 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 2 large sprigs thyme
- 1/2—inch (12-mm) piece fresh ginger sliced
- 1 cup (8 fl 0z/250 ml) boiling water
- 1 teaspoon honey juice of 1 large orange
In a cup, combine the herbs and ginger. Add the boiling water. Let steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Stir in the honey then the orange juice. Serve warm. Basil is antibacterial and a blood purifier, and thyme is also antibacterial, particularly for the gastrointestinal tract. Ginger stimulates circulation and liver detoxification, and orange provides the antioxidant vitamin C.
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I’ve now got my Black Friday to-do list so I can have a sluggish-free weekend. I’ll have this post bookmarked for the day after Christmas and New Year’s Day, too!
