Natural Post-Thanksgiving Detox

Detoxing/resetting our system is an appropriate topic this time of year when we approach the end of the holiday season. We will have had all our share of sweet, rich, fatty foods and alcohol. In addition, many of us will have been traveling and possibly recovering from the inevitable colds and flu in wide circulation at this time of year. You may also be running on reduced sleep and increased caffeine consumption. 

We have all experienced this occasionally, but the holidays are challenging with family and copious amounts of tempting food. These over-indulgences will tire us with increasing brain fog and make us irritable, achy, and often heavy and sluggish. These feelings motivate us to make some changes. 

In addition to helping shed excess holiday pounds, detoxification is essential in keeping the body healthy and helps reduce your risks for various health conditions. The good news is that you don’t have to go on a crash diet or endless hours of strenuous exercise to get back on track. Your body is an amazing machine and exceptionally resilient. With attention and support, your body will effectively and naturally clean and detox itself.

Here are some tips to help you jumpstart your body reset in a Post-Holiday Detox for 1~2 weeks:

Eliminate/Minimize

Eliminate/minimize the following from your diet: caffeine (max of one cup a day), sugar, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, tobacco, cannabis, artificial colors and sweeteners, preservatives, processed, junk, and fatty foods, and foods you know you are allergic or sensitive to.

Stay Hydrated

Drink at least 64 ounces of water daily to help the kidneys flush out toxins and aid regular bowel movements. Begin the day with warm water and one freshly squeezed lemon, helping to stimulate liver and gallbladder detoxification, rev up your metabolism, and curb cravings throughout the day. 

Enjoy More Organic Fruit, Vegetables, and Legumes. 

The organs responsible for detoxification (kidneys, liver, etc.) need lots of vitamins and minerals to function correctly.

Digestive Supplements

Add supplements for digestion such as Prebiotic Fiber Plus, enzymes like PhytoNzyme, and a wide spectrum of probiotics like Super Probiotics to optimize the intestinal microbiome. A healthy and effective digestive system is a shortcut to detox your body naturally.

Mindful Eating

Slow down and eat with intention, allowing your sympathetic nervous system to calm down and enter the parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ mode. This way, your organs can digest food and clean out toxins effectively.

Intermittent Fasting

Try intermittent fasting by eating your last meal at around 6 pm, and do not eat again until after 8 am. This minimum 14-hour fasting allows your digestive system to repair and restore your digestive tract and remove toxins. 

Massage

Try lymphatic drainage massage with dry brushing. With gentle pressure toward lymph glands, a lymphatic drainage massage facilitates lymphatic fluid to move along its pathways and drain toxins out of the body. 

Health is a journey throughout our lives. Life is a balancing act between times when we are highly health-conscious and when we indulge in holiday celebrations. Health results from how well our body can defend itself and excrete the myriad toxins that enter the body daily. When the body cannot deal with these toxins, there is a backlog, increasing damage to our cells and DNA. It is this damage, in addition to our genetic makeup, that increases our risks for cancer, heart disease, and general ill health. By incorporating the steps outlined, we can help minimize health problems and keep ourselves on a path to health. 

I invite you to sign up for the Tao of Wellness Medical Detox Protocol, which includes acupuncture, skin brushing, lymphatic massage, cupping, and a personalized detoxification herbal formula. Book your appointment today and get back on track to a healthier you. We wish you and your loved ones health and happiness this Thanksgiving.