The temperature has dropped, Starbucks has broken out their annual pumpkin spice latte and white chocolate mocha and your kitchen smells of freshly baked cookies. It’s officially holiday season. Soon enough it’s easy to feel sluggish and overstuffed from tri-weekly holiday parties and glass after glass of eggnog. Luckily, there are plenty of small and simple ways you can detoxify your body everyday. These easy tips will leave you feeling amazing without having to ditch all of those holiday goodies.
1. Start your morning with a huge glass of water. Mix in a big squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of cayenne powder. This homemade “Master Cleanse” will run you less than 40 cents compared to the ones you can buy bottled for around $4-$8.
Photo by Lila Seeley
2. Incorporate detoxifying spices and herbs, such as parsley, ginger, basil, dill and fennel into your daily meals. Just sprinkle some ginger into your oatmeal, or add some parsley into your salads. Experiment with herbs and spices at your local grocery store.
For more information on the health benefits of these herbs, check out: Health Benefits of Spices
3. Cleanse your colon and improve digestion by eating pineapple. Fresh pineapple has the most health benefits, but can be a little expensive. Include frozen pineapple into smoothies or as a sweet dessert to save you money. Canned pineapple can also be added to salads. Just make sure it’s not stored in any chemical or sugar-filled juice.
4. Avocados and beets, onions and garlic and any green veggie are great foods for detoxifying your liver. Have some mashed avocado on toast for breakfast, add some spinach to your smoothies or lightly sauté some kale for dinner.
Photo by Lila Seeley
Check out Cucumber, Avocado, Tomato Salad for a fun and tasty way to incorporate some of these detoxifying foods.
5. Drink a glass of green tea in the morning, or as an afternoon pick-me-up. Green tea is richer in antioxidants than most other teas, and its caffeine content has a diuretic effect, which helps reduce water retention.
6. Fiber-rich fruits and veggies are great detoxifiers because they help move food through your digestive system. Snack on a big juicy apple. They’re especially delicious during this time of year.
7. Probiotics help to restore good bacteria in your gut. Eating foods like yogurts or fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut are packed with probiotics. There are also probiotic drinks, such as Kombucha or other fermented teas and Kiefer. Try starting your morning with this Mason Jar Breakfast Parfait.
8. Drink lots of water throughout the day. Try to bring a water bottle with you everywhere. Water reduces appetite, is great for your skin and organs and helps flush out toxins.
9. Get moving and fill your lungs with fresh air. There’s nothing better for your mind, body and soul than a walk outdoors.
Cleansing does not need to be an expensive production. Just try to fit in at least one of these tips a day and you’ll begin to feel much better while still enjoying many of your holiday favorites.
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