The Philippine Online Chronicles

Do you still have holiday hangover? Maybe there are a couple of Christmas cookies still in their tin containers, or a Queso de Bola still sitting in your refrigerator. You know it’s time to stop the holiday indulgence, but are finding it hard to transition to post-holiday healthy eating.

Detoxification is a good way to kick off a healthier year. Detox is also called cleansing, with some programs featuring water fasts or starvation plans. Hold up. To get the best benefits of detoxification, you need to do it the healthy way. You can still eat real food while going on a detoxification program.

Toxins in our body can cause fatigue, stress and physical illnesses. They can be found in the food you eat, the air you breathe, the water you drink. Think about the last time you encountered food coloring, pesticides and chemicals. Yes, that’s toxin exposure right there. Your stress level can also increase the amount of stress hormones in your body – these can be toxic too.

Eliminating these toxins from your body doesn’t have to be difficult, expensive, time-consuming or one that will leave you starving. It does however involve a certain mindset. Before starting any detox program, don’t think that you’re depriving yourself. This could just be the biggest pitfall you could have when cleansing. Visions of crispy pata and leche flan begin dancing in your head and before you know it, you’ve succumbed. Keep the course. Like any health program, you need to believe you can do this. Get your mind in the game and you can get fully started on feeling healthier than ever.

Detoxifying the healthy way

Eat fruits. An apple a day isn’t the only fruit you should rely on to keep the doctor away. Grapefruits, lemons, and limes are also just some of the fruits that can help eliminate toxins from the body, making it healthier and more energetic. These citrus fruits can help cleanse the liver and kidney of toxins. Fiber helps bind and flush out toxins. Apples and figs (prunes) are rich in fiber and therefore great for ridding the colon of toxins. Papayas are also high in fiber. It also has an enzyme called papain which helps digests proteins. It’s a fruit that helps maintain good digestive health.  Eat fruits in moderation and you’re on your way to a cleaner, leaner you.

Go for dark greens. Greens are high in vitamins and antioxidants but low in calories. These make them good choices when you also plan to shed some of the pounds you gained over the holidays.  Kale, spinach, mustard greens, and green leaf lettuce have a good amount of detoxifying nutrients. Kick off your lunch or dinner with a leafy salad to help your body digest the meal better as well.

Load up on veggies. Vegetables have to be enjoyed steamed, raw or lightly sautéed. Creamed spinach doesn’t count, nor does deep-fried kang kong.  Fresh, organic vegetables will complement your detox diet best. Red and green vegetables such as beets and broccoli can help you detox better too. Raw vegetables carry enzymes that can aid in detoxification. If you’re enjoying them in a soup, take in all the liquid as the vitamins from the fruits may have seeped into the water.

Snack small and healthy every three hours. Don’t go starving yourself as this will only wreak havoc with your bloody sugar. These can then drain your energy more and may even trigger faster weight gain. Snacking on small, healthy snacks such as unsalted nuts can keep your blood sugar stable. Avoid snacking on sweets, especially those with artificial sweeteners. Your liver, which is mainly responsible for detoxifying your body, will need a lot of energy to process artificial sweets. Give your liver a break. Focus on healing and cleansing your body instead.

Stay hydrated throughout the day. Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water to avoid getting dehydrated. This is of utmost importance if your day is composed of a lot of physical activity. Try sliding in some fresh lemon or even the juice from two calamansi fruits to one glass of water to add a little zing.

Move. Try to get at least twenty minutes of vigorous activity in your day. This increases your energy and gets your circulation going. Exercise also improves your lymphatic system’s performance, helping it clean out toxins from your body.

Avoid meat. To make your detox program digestive system-friendly, stay away from animal protein. Give your digestive system a rest from all the meat. If you really need to satisfy the carnivore in you, go for lean organic meat.

Cleansing is a way of healing your body. The above steps can very well be a healthy lifestyle you can maintain.  There’s no need for starvation or for feelings of deprivation. You can achieve a cleaner, healthier you no matter how much junk food you consumed over the holidays. All it takes is the right attitude and a fresh perspective, and the genuine desire to actively take care of yourself.

Photo: “West St., Annapolis: If you need this, you probably can't read this” by Earl, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved

Toni Tiu kicks off her day by drinking one glass of room temperature water upon waking up, followed by another glass thirty minutes later. This is one of her healthy ways to detox just as her day begins. Follow Toni’s blog Wifelysteps.com.