Clean out your system
| Published: 1st January 2008 20:39 |
It's January, which means the eating, drinking and partying of the annual festive orgy is over and you're feeling flabby, unfit and drained. Well, good people, its time to shake off the cobwebs, knuckle down and concentrate on feeling good in both mind and body. Starting now, that is...
1. Out with the Old...
Its time to leave behind those bad habits of old and create healthy new ones. Those Friday night, post -pub kebabs should be replaced by a newfound taste for, say, crudités dipped in a sweet and spicy chilli sauce. Don't stop there though - incorporate one new habit into your routine every month ‘til December, when a temporary festive relapse might see some of the old ones slip back in.
2. Start the day the right way
Ditch the black coffee in favour of some more gut-friendly fayre. Half a lemon squeezed into hot water has endless benefits, for example - it prevents disease and assists in cleansing the system of impurities. Lemons are included amongst the world's healthiest foods - they contain antioxidant properties that will build you an immune system tough enough to fight off that dastardly New Year flu.
3. Go the Whole Hog
Strictly for those of you who have really overdone it, the detox - made popular by cleansing omnipresent Carol Vorderman - lasts a minimum of 5 days, during which you should consume at least two litres a day and cut out alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, red meat, sugar and salt. All the good stuff, then. Instead you must embrace fresh fruit and veg, yoghurt, grains, fish and chicken.
4. What goes in...
...should always come out. A thorough detox should focus not only on what you put into your body, but also on what comes out. You know what's coming, and it's not pretty, so put down your chocolate muffin and read on. Colonic irrigation is lauded by countless experts who cite it as the best way to get rid of toxic waste in your colon and as an enlightening process that will leave your body working more smoothly.
5. Get sweaty
Interesting fact this, - the skin is the body's largest organ. Some 30% of body waste is passed through it, so any detox should include some form of skin cleansing. Saunas and steam rooms are effective and pleasurable ways of removing toxins - high temperatures allow essential fluids to rise to the skins surface, enhancing collagen development and giving the skin a smother complexion.
6. Drain Away the Strain
The most enjoyable aspect of any detox regime is the all important massage, but we at AboutMyArea would like to suggest the lesser known lymphatic rubdown. The lymphatic system helps fluid and waste leave the body and regulates the immune system. It's also great for relieving stress, which makes it the ideal tonic as you sit waiting for December's credit card bill to hit the doorstep.
7. Retreat, Relax, And Revive
January might seem like an odd time to take a holiday, but hotels are quiet and available special offers include spa treatments, holistic therapies and, wait for it, a five day package in Kerala, India that focuses on spicing up your sex life. If you're struggling with the smoking ban, there's even a "stop smoking break" to help you kick the habit. Too bad it means heading to sunny Tenerife in January.
8. Enhance your Environment
Clearing out the clutter that invades your home over the year is a task best tackled while the New Year vigour is still in full effect. Feng Shui followers believe your surroundings have the power to enhance and attract good health, wealth, and relationships, so get the vacuum out and pack away those footie trophies from way back when - it'll enhance your chi, apparently.
9. Dust off the Grey Matter
Focusing on our bodies comes easy. Some might say we're even obsessed, so it makes a nice change to pay some attention to the little grey cells instead. Make your occasional sudoku solving on the train part of a daily routine that also includes crosswords and quizzes. Mental challenges improve your concentration, boost your creativity and keep your brain active. Use it or lose it, essentially.
10. Alter the attitude
We know you've had enough of gym fanatics preaching the benefits of a 7am spinning class, but getting fit need not be a chore. Instead of seeing it as a time consuming obligation that's punishment for last night's curry, consider exercise as a chance to relieve the stresses of work and have some time to yourself. Experience the runner's high once and you'll never want to come down. Honest.
11. Get drugged up
A visit to any health store will introduce you to a dazzling array of pills and potions offering to boost your detox. Start with the vitamins, particularly those of the B variety, which are useful for liver detoxification. Herbal supplements come next, or, if you're feeling flush, you could head to a certain chemist of some repute and buy one of its super detox plans - you'll be revitalised in 28 days.
12. Sweet Dreams
Facing those frosty mornings require a fully rested body, but the festive season can leave us short on quality time with our duvet. Sleep, according to no lesser an authority than Shakespeare himself, is "the chief nourisher in life's feast". It's as satisfying as a good meal, so get your fill and reap those health benefits.
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