It can be easy to let your body and your life go during the summer what with holidays, occasions and everything else.
So if you’re feeling like you’re a tad under the weather or just that you’re lacking a bit of structure to your life, follow our ten steps for a post-summer detox.
- Cut it out – The summer tends to be a time of having fun, taking it easy and being a little bit indulgent. Don’t pretend you don’t know what we’re talking about. Whether it’s the booze, the cigarettes, the takeaway latte or the carry-out pizza, try to stay away from anything that’s not good for you at least for a week. Yes you’ll be sober, irritated, tired and not as full as before but your body will love the break.
- Buy it in – Unfortunately we’re not talking about a new handbag or pair of shoes, we’re talking about buying in food that’s good for you. That means foods that are rich in fibre as well as lots of fruit and vegetables. Vitamin C is brilliant for detoxing as it is good for your bones, your blood vessels, your liver and pretty much every other part of your body too.
- Drink it up – Drinking water is one of the easiest and most effective ways of detoxing. It helps to clear out anything bad in your system and hydration is always vital for healthy-looking skin. But it’s not just water that you ought to be downing, fruit juices are also great for you as they too to cleanse out your digestive system. Not the nicest thing to think about, we know, but key to a proper detox.
- Sleep it off – Rest and relaxation is vital to getting re-energised. Whether it’s putting your feet up and reading a book in the evening or going to bed that extra hour early, give your body and mind the rest it needs. After a couple of nights you’ll really start to notice the difference.
- Switch it off – If you’re watching your fourth soap in a row or can’t stop updating your Facebook status, it’s probably time to step away from the screen. Staring at the television or your laptop screen for hours on end is not good for you or your eyes. While we wouldn’t suggest that you cut off all contact with your favourite show or social media, we would suggest you cut down the amount of time you dedicate to it.
- Bare it all – When we say it, we mean your face. Give your skin a break by going au natural for a few days. And when we say au natural, we don’t mean natural makeup we mean none at all! It’s important to let your pores breathe from time to time especially if you wear products on a daily basis. If going out in public with no makeup on is your worst nightmare, do it on a day you’re not going anywhere.
- Tidy it up – It’s not just yourself you have to think about when it comes to a detox, it’s also your surroundings. How can you feel relaxed and at one with yourself if there’s a mess in the corner of the room or the bin needs taken out. That’s right, you can’t, so do a clear-out of everything including your drawers, your wardrobe and your bin. Chances are you don’t use half the stuff that’s in your house!
- Bring it in – As great as the summer is for getting out and about, it’s also important to take some time to yourself. If you’re spent the last few months going out and meeting up with people, sit in for a few nights and relax. Again, this comes down to giving your body the rest it needs, as if you really need an excuse!
- Talk it out – A detox is not just an ideal way of getting your body back into shape but also your mind. This means catching up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while or calling up your sister. The saying is ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ but we reckon it works both ways.
- Work it out – As well as getting some much-needed rest it also vital that you stay active, or should we say get active, during your detox. Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you go run a marathon or pump iron in the gym, we just mean do some form of exercise that you enjoy. Yoga or walking are perfect for working those muscles and clearing that mind.
Do you have a detox tip that you swear by? If so, let us know what it is in the comment box below.
