Detoxing after a festival is the best way to give your body the much-needed rest after days of indulgence. If you are looking for detox ideas, this is what you should read.
Food Food
Festival binge means eating sweets, fried snacks, and spicy food along with alcoholic drinks and beverages. This causes dehydration and bloating issues. Include light meals with seasonal vegetables, khichdi, and yogurt for gut recovery. Have plain water and hydrate yourself to flush out all toxins and waste products produced with junk food. Dietician Poonam Duneja, Director of Nutrifybypoonam, says, “The best foods that can really help in promoting gut microbiome is including salads which will add bulk to the stools and help in bowel movement. Include pre and probiotic drinks like carrot beetroot ‘kanji’, curd, kombucha, sauerkraut and kim chi that will help feed the good bacteria in the gut and promote better digestive health to reduce bloating, acidity and constipation.” Caffeine on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster as it is known to cause acidity and digestive issues due to its ability to stimulate the release of hydrochloric acid. Dr. Vanshika Gupta Adukia, Founder of Therhappy, adds, “Cut out on sugar in every form be it jaggery, date paste or even coconut sugar. Do not get caught in the fad of liquid cleanse or juice cleanse drives as often these are difficult to follow and leave you rather hungry. Instead keep yourself fuller by eating the very fruits and vegetables that would go in the juice.”
Kick out Hangovers
Loads of water, some oatmeal with pomegranate and nuts with a glass of grape juice or pear juice is said to help overcome a hangover. Dr. Rimmi Verma, Orthopaedic, Sujok Therapist, and Diet Consultant at AXIS Hospital, Andheri West says, “You can drink a glass of jaljeera or fresh lemon juice to relieve yourself. These beverages are made with natural ingredients and are helpful in preventing puking and ease discomfort. A banana is also one of the best foods to treat dullness. It will give instant energy and help in eliminating nausea. A plateful of salads made with fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots is also beneficial in curing hangovers post-Holi.” Harman Virk, Co-Founder and CEO of Oxie Nutrition, adds, “You might wake up in the middle of the night from time to time or feel uneasy, so to avoid that, you can stop the binge 2-3 hours prior to sleeping and drink some milk to help with the release of melatonin and serotonin which will help you sleep better. About 7-8 hours of good deep sleep will make the next day much more bearable and help you recover faster.”
Choose Your Detox Wisely
The best way to detox is to get back to eating balanced meals. Include spinach, celery, berries, nuts, kale, avocado, artichoke, cottage cheese, beans, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, brown rice, and Brazilian nuts. Prateek Kumar, nutrition coach and Founder of FitCru, says, “Simple homemade food with balanced nutrients will naturally support the body’s own detoxification process. Lean protein and vegetables like veg khichdi or veg pulao with homemade curd is good. A good workout is a perfect way to sweat out all those toxins and get your energy levels back up. Head to the gym, go for a run or take a yoga class to help get your body back into balance.” Nutritionist Sapna Jaysingh Patel, Founder of Health Before Wealth, avers, “There are a variety of detox teas in the market that can help cleanse your system and improve your digestion. Try drinking a cup of detox tea each morning for a few days after Holi to help rid your body of any toxins.” However, be cautious that you do not go on long detoxification periods as it hampers the relationship of our body with food. “We should choose to eat mindfully and eat at home for some time. We should be careful of our food portions and practice portion control. We should take in fluids in large amounts to keep our bodies hydrated,” says Aayushi Lakhapati, nutritionist and co-founder of Upnourish.
Detox Ideas
Keep nutrition and immunity as the focus areas. Karishma Kirpalani, Founder of Shake It, says, “A filling and balanced smoothie is ideal when you are feeling low on energy. The antioxidants from the fruits will help counteract the sluggishness you feel after a night of drinking while the protein from yogurt or whey will help keep you feeling energized.” Shraddha Gadit, HOD of Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute, adds, “Although our liver is equipped well enough to detoxify our body, certain changes in the diet can help detoxify us a little better from the Holi binge. Fasting will offer the much-needed break to your digestive system. It is not necessary to go a full day without any food or fluids while fasting for detox. You can opt to fast for a few hours of the day and the other hours you can opt for fluids and fruits.” The first thing that affects our mood and feeling of wellness is our gut health. “The best detoxification is by hydrating with plenty of fluids to flush out any toxins, which may have accumulated with all the food bingeing. It is also important to include sufficient intake of soft fibers from seasonal fruits, soft vegetables, and whole grains that are prebiotic in nature,” says Chef Chekkera Muthanna, Pastry Chef at Taj West End, Bengaluru.
Expert Speak
- “Infused drinks are a great way to detox after heavy festivities. One can try infused water with different combinations such as carrot, orange, ginger, or a warm tea containing honey lemon ginger with mint,” Suparna Mukherjee, In-charge, Clinical Nutrition, Narayana Health City.
- “Eat foods which are good for liver health. The liver is one organ that is required for the detoxification process. Consume more citrus fruits, berries, beetroot or juice and cruciferous veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli,” Prakash Joshi, Corporate Chef at Kynd Cafe and Bar Pune.
- “Have coconut water for electrolytes and get some sleep. Eat eggs as they replenish a lot of nutrients in the body. Avoid inflammatory foods and dehydrating beverages like coffee and soda,” Swasti Agarwal, F&B Strategist, Foodhall.
- “Consuming protein rich food such as fish, chicken, paneer, tofu, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes will fill you and provide your body with the amino acids and other nutrients it needs to recover,” Miten Kakaiya, a fitness coach and founder, Miten Says Fitness.
- “Eat foods high in Vitamin B and Vitamin C, such as tomatoes, spinach, sunflower seeds, and wholegrain bread. These foods will fuel you through the following week,”, Nutritionist Nikita Oswal, Founder & Chief Nutritionist Fat2fitcurves.
If you’re looking for more detox tips on SEEMA.com, why not check out our The Balanced Life section for healthy, ayurveda-oriented ways to live your life
