Sweets, colas, staying up late…all of these combine to wreak havoc on your system. Here’s how you detox and cleanse.
by Reyna Mathur
Diwali is a time for revelry, for meeting up with friends and eating sweets and namkeen food. We tell ourselves that the festival comes by just once a year, so it’s okay to let go and indulge our taste buds. While that is certainly fine once a year, your body needs some help cleansing itself once the festivities are over.
An excess of sugar may cause a hormonal imbalance, spike your blood sugar and blood pressure, cause mood swings and mess up your digestion. It further causes more cravings for sweet and fried food. Some people continue binging on sweets way after Diwali is over. It is time to rid the body of the excess sugar and regain good health. Here’s how:
1. Tank up on fluids.
Water is your #1 rescuer in these situations. It flushes out excess toxins and helps the kidneys eliminate sugar from the system. Start the day with a glass of warm water, mix the juice of half a lemon in it. Have this on an empty stomach. Have another glass after lunch and dinner. Additionally, keep sipping water throughout the day. Even green tea will work wonders in flushing out sugar.
2. Go raw.
Help your system relax by giving it a break from fried, processed food. Instead, stock up on raw fruit and vegetables. These will provide essential nutrients and fibre to aid the digestive process. Any metabolic disorders caused by excess sugar will also be balanced with this diet. The key is to include a variety of coloured vegetables in your diet for at least two consecutive days. Stay away from white rice, colas, maida and other processed foods.
3. Go for a walk.
Walking or any other physical exercise will make you sweat, get your heart racing and increase blood flow to the organs. In turn, this will the digestive system working better to eliminate sugars and toxins. Sugar also tends to harm the skin and hair – brisk exercise will correct these problems.
4. Nap less.
The idea is to rev up your metabolism, so avoid activities that make you sluggish. The excess sugar in your system will make you sleepy, but avoid taking naps right after eating or while sitting at your desk. Similarly, satisfy a sugar craving with a sweet fruit such as date or grapes. Walk around the neighbourhood after a meal to keep your brain alert.
5. Go for a body massage.
A trained masseur can help the body flush out toxins through a combination of acupressure and essential oil massage. It will also help calm your nerves after hectic partying and put you in a better frame of mind to adopt a healthier diet and exercise in your daily regimen.
(Picture courtesy www.bbcgoodfood.com. Image is used for representational purpose only)