‘Tis the season to cleanse. Here’s what you need to know to detox the healthy way.
- Dry brush your bod every morning. First, go to Whole Foods and pick up a dry brush. Next, commit to brushing your body every morning before your shower. Start at your feet and work your way up toward your heart (to brush your arms, start at your fingertips and work your way toward your heart). This ancient technique stimulates your lymphatic system, which helps your body release toxins.
- Sweat every day—even if you’ve got zero energy. If you’ve got a class at The Studio (MDR), you’re set. If not, take a power walk or do some form of light exercise that gets your heart pumping. When you’re cleansing, your body is trying to get rid of built-up toxins — and sweating them out is a great way to give them the boot.
- Make time for downtime. When you’re cleansing, you may feel a little more tired at the end of every day. So, bank on this and cut yourself some slack. Get into bed a half hour earlier each night and read, or spend an evening in your bathtub instead of out at happy hour with friends.
- Get ready for things to feel worse before they feel better. You may feel a little irritable, tired, and headachy at the end of the first day. You might even feel like you’re getting sick. That’s because your body is trying to heal itself by getting rid of mucus. Just remind yourself that it will pass and that when it does, you’ll feel better than ever.
- Don’t go on a bender when your detox is done. When you come off your cleanse, eat as clean as you possibly can. Introducing toxins right away can do a lot of harm. So think fresh, whole, organic foods for the weeks (and hopefully months!) after your cleanse. Eat plenty of veggies, fruits, non-gluten grains, beans, small amounts of nuts, seeds, and lean organic meats and fish.