After what seemed to be a long summer of travelling to and from various destinations for both work and pleasure, there seemed to be a little overindulgence in many things out of my usual routine; some self-inflicted and some beyond my control.
Okay, so a little more than usual on alcohol consumption, that isn’t to say I was getting into a drunken frenzy each night! It just meant that instead of drinking alcohol now and then, on social occasions or when in the mood for doing so on an evening with good company, I was drinking a little more than usual, as the socialising was more abundant. I also didn’t need to drive, which made it an easier decision-making option. I am not one to go crazy and still try to keep some form of control by pacing for my own top up level and by drinking water in between. I also prefer or tend to drink in the eve, rather than the day, but these are my own limitations that I set for balance within my own boundaries, which brings to me one’s own meaning or goal set, idea of detox.
Detox for one person may be entirely different to another. The basic idea is to cleanse our body of what we feel to be toxic for own individual requirement. For example, as a non-smoker, whilst abroad where the smoking ban is not so prominent, I felt like I was doing a boxer, duck and dive out of the way, smoke hit to the face and body. Everyone seemed to be smoking everywhere and my usually clear lung pathway was overfilling on smoke, initializing a coughing act. There weren’t many smoke free areas. I couldn’t wait to get out of the smoke zone which was virtually impossible, unless on my own in a room and all doors locked (not so sociable).
I knew as soon as I could, I was more than ready for my detox situation which meant avoiding alcohol like I do normally ,which is most days of the week, when back in my home environment. It also means avoiding smoking situations surrounding me. For many, this would seem a little extreme but for those who may have suffered a chest infection or may have had breathing problem such as Asthma or some sort of cough or wheezing, smoke-free zones can mean a lot, and possibly even life or death situations.
So what else can one do for detoxing? There are herbal teas that are known to be cleansing including pure black tea which contains antioxidants for purifying the system. There is green tea which has been known for years to cleanse and detoxify the body and also aids the digestive system.
Other ways of detoxing may be to cut refined sugar out of the daily diet, as this not only helps add to possible weight gain, but also slows one down on energy levels by a giving a quick burst of energy with a quick slump also. A natural sugar alternative like fruit sugar, fructose or fruit agave syrup, should give a slower release and therefore help retain energy levels.
Avoiding the bad fats within the diet and eating the good fats instead will also help by reducing cholesterol. Eating good fats like those found in oily fish or the fat of pure olive oil, will be far better than lard. Just eating meat and poultry without the fat will be beneficial. You don’t have to go veggie if you don’t want to. Just be sensible and find what works for you. Balance and moderation is always the key and returning to this as soon as possible will be good.
Another way to detox is to make sure a regular sleep pattern is in place. The odd late night isn’t so bad, but do that regularly throughout the week and it will, more than likely, show on the skin as the skin may appear to look dull and lack its usual lustre. It may also cause a breakout of spots, the reason being that the skin makes its new cells approximately one hour after we sleep on a regular basis overnight, so good quality sleep is essential to replenish as well as recharge.
Eating as much fresh fruit and vegetables for fibre as well as all the vitamins really helps. You can also make some smoothies yourself if you prefer. Make your cakes and desserts out of pure and natural sweet fruit/syrups, puree/compote and wholesome flour cakes/pancakes along with oats, nuts yoghurt and honey toppings.
As always, drinking plenty of water helps with the digestion and release of all the harmful waste from the body.
Detox doesn’t have to be boring!
Love and Sparkles
Samsara x
