Happy New Year, everyone!  Do you feel sluggish and ready for a NEW YEAR and new goals?

During the holidays our diets tend to reflect the over-indulgence of the season. Lots of heavy, processed foods that are rich in sugar, butter, dairy and carbohydrates will send our bodies spiraling out of control and we will begin feeling its effects.  Tis the season that most people gain weight.

When we load up on inordinate amounts of rich food during the holidays it causes deficiencies in our vitamin and nutrient intake.  During the holidays, our carbohydrate intake can easily double or triple (depending on how many parties we attend) and we end up feeling bloated and lethargic as a result. To add insult to injury, GMO and overly processed foods tend to exacerbate these symptoms. All of these foods can cause gut inflammation n a variety of different levels including digestion issues, arthritis flare-ups immune issues, depression and migraines.

Do you wonder why you get the holiday blues? The culprits are foods high in trans fats, sugar, foods made from refined or bleached flours, animal fats, alcohol, dairy and those high in MSG and gluten.

Doing a detox after the holidays is a great way to get your body back in working order. Specifically, you want to focus on helping your internal detoxification system: the colon, the kidneys and the liver. Be aware about what you are putting in your body and avoid GMO and processed foods.

Here are some tips of detoxing after we’ve been too festive during the holiday season.

The New Year Detox:

1. Drink lots of water. Your kidneys and liver are in overdrive right now trying to filter out toxins that were in the holiday food and drinks. Drinking lots of water helps to flush those toxins through the colon and help your liver and kidneys filter them out.
2. Exercise for at least 20-30 minutes. Exercising helps to stimulate the digestive tract, aids in constipation and gives you an energy boost. Go out for a walk or get on the treadmill.
3. Detox teas and herbs. These are wonderful at naturally helping the body filter out all the rich foods you’ve digested. You can find detox teas in your local grocery store (some of my favorite brands are Celestial Seasonings and the Yogi brand) or you can make your own. Lemon and ginger is a wonderful detox tea or even calming chamomile is a wonderful tea to help detox the body.
4. Eat foods that are easily digestible. Give your colon, liver and kidneys a break for a few days and avoid foods that are harder to digest. Specifically, eat more low-fat protein sources, avoid foods high in fiber, non-citrus fruits. and foods low in dairy
5. Eat your fruits and veggies. Green leafy vegetables are a great way to begin adding essential nutrients back into your diet. You can also juice them for added nutrition.  Further, celery is also an excellent vegetable that is abundant in vitamins and will also help to balance the acid in your stomach and body
6. Take a supplement. Supplements such as probiotics can assist in boosting energy levels, increase immunity and combat the effects of alcohol, stress and lack of sleep. Magnesium supplements are another supplement that helps in detoxing the body. It also has other health benefits such as transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth.
7. Take a bath. After you have been detoxing, you may begin to see the effects on your skin. You can pull toxins through the skin taking  detox bath. This will also help you relax a little after the holidays.

Here is Foodbabe.com’s Detox drink:

http://foodbabe.com/2012/03/17/super-detox-juice/