Written By: Mita Majumdar | Published : December 16, 2015 11:35 AM IST
Right! Festivities are over. You've partied hard and long. You gorged on every savoury you laid your eyes on. Now, it is time to get back in shape and to the new-refreshed-healthy-you.
What is going to be -- hitting the gym, yoga, pills or signing up with a fitness centre? Don't simply focus on losing weight and toning up, but also on detoxing your body.
Detoxification means removing toxic substances that have accumulated in the body. These toxins interfere with proper functioning of the cells. Detoxification therapies stimulate the liver, kidney, lungs, skin and lymphatic system to flush out the toxins.
1. Carb-lovers cleanse
The basis of this five-day diet is eating foods that have resistant starch, that is, carbs that keeps you feeling full for longer. [1]The diet is about 1230 calories a day, plus a Fat-flushing-cooler that helps you burn 80 calories. Here goes
Breakfast A 300 calorie banana shake consisting of 1 banana, 12-ounce low-fat milk, 2 teaspoon honey, ice.
Lunch (370 calories) Pecan-crusted goat cheese salad with pomegranate vinaigrette. The dish has the following ingredients: polenta, goat cheese, pecans, pomegranate juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, spinach, carrots.
Dinner Black bean-avocado-brown rice-chicken-wrap, about 425 calories: On a whole wheat chapatti spoon 1/3 cup cooked brown rice. Then add 1/3 cup cooked rajma or lobhia (black eyed beans), 2 ounces grilled chicken breast (leave it out if you are a vegetarian), and 1/4 cup shredded carrot.Then top with 1 tablespoon avocado and 2 tablespoons tomato. Add salt, chillies, and black pepper to taste.
Snack Yogurt parfait, 180 calories: mix in 1 cup low fat yogurt with one and a half teaspoon of honey, a few drops of vanilla extract. Top it with one teaspoon of shelled, roasted chopped pistachio.
Fat flushing cooler In a large pitcher put some ice and pour 8 cups of brewed green tea. Add orange, lemon, and lime slices to give it a citrusy flavour. Enjoy the drink any time of the day, and as much as you want. In case you want it hot, don t use the ice and brew the tea whenever you want the drink.
2. 7-day juices diet plan
Food items in natural condition, that is, without grilling, boiling, cooking, are the best foods for any detox plan. Better still if the juices of these foods are used toflush out contaminants from your system.
In this detox diet plan, you need to consume fresh juices from vegetables and fruits for seven days at a stretch. Mix and match the veggies and fruits, or choose just one or two veggies or fruits per day; remember you just need to drink fresh juice for all seven days. After the seventh day, resume your regular diet. [2]
Actually, this plan can serve two purposes detoxify your system and help you with weight loss as it allows your body to release extra fat.
Vegetables and fruit juices are rich sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and potassium. And research shows that these nutrients act as detoxifying agents. [3]
Vitamins and minerals present in fruits and vegetables also help with weight loss and fat loss. For example, a Canadian study revealed that vitamin and dietary supplements not only lowered body weight and fat (more in men than in women) but supplementation reduced postprandial appetite. [4] (Read: 8 foods that will help you detox naturally.)
3. Three-day apple diet
A slight variation of the juice diet is fresh apple and apple juice for colon cleansing. Here you start your day with a glass of apple juice followed by a full glass of water. Do this three to four times a day. This is not an everyday routine. Just try this cleansing plan once in a while.
For serious colon cleansing, you need to follow a more rigorous diet such as three-day apple diet. Just have apples and nothing else for three consecutive days. Any variety /varieties of apple will do. Consume it in whole or sliced, peeled or unpeeled, in whatever form you wish.
On the fourth day have start with salads and other fruits. Next day, consume light foods and gradually switch over to your regular diet. [5]
4. Fasting
Fasting is an effective method of helping your body to cleanse itself of the toxins because during a fast the energy used for digestion is now available for repair, growth, elimination and improving immunity. Fasting also improves mental alertness, reduces influx of new toxins, promotes toxin excretion and reduces total body toxicity, says Anjali Mukherji, one of the top nutritionists in India.
Here s her fasting regime:
Day 1 and 2 Eat only raw fruits and vegetables. Drink 8-10 glasses of boiled water. You may add fresh lime in the warm water for taste.
Day 3 Extract juices from fruits and veggies and drink as much and whenever you want to in the day. Or, grind half a bunch of coriander leaves (dhania patta) with lime, add water. Strain and add a dash of lime before drinking it.
Consult your doctor before trying out this detox plan if you have medical problems. Actually, to be on the safe side, consult your doctor before you choose any detox plan if you have medical problems. (Read: 4 things fasting does to your body (and they re all good!))
5. Ayurvedic detox diet
Ayurvedic detoxification is not just through diet; it is a much more elaborate process spread out over 45 days, and involves a disciplined routine that includes diet, yoga, exercise, and even massage. This complete detoxification and cleansing treatment is called Panchakarma, a series of five therapies Vamana, Virechana, Nasya, Basti and Raktamoskshana. Read about it in detail in Ayurvedic detox diet a step-by-step guide to cleanse your body
The Ayurvedic detox diet is all about resetting the digestive fire Agni, allowing it to rest and strengthen. Even research shows that ayurvedic detox procedure are effective in reducing fat-soluble toxins. [6]
So here s a simple ayurvedic detox diet plan which you need to follow for a week.
6.Detox massage therapy
Another way you can detox is by kick starting your body s own natural cleansing processes through massage therapy. When circulatory systems become sluggish, toxins accumulate in the body. Applying rhythmic pressure to the muscles and tissues during massage therapy, stimulates your blood circulatory system and lymphatic system. Toxins are released and these systems start functioning better.
Do the massages yourself or get them done by a certified masseur (parlours, massage centres). If you are doing it yourself, try the Ayurvedic Abhayanga.
7. Yoga for detoxification
Yoga experts claim that certain yoga poses help the body to cleanse and detoxify. The yoga pose, Ardhamatsyendrasan, is one of them.
Here s how you do it -
Choose a detox plan that you are comfortable with
A warning though! Research supports the role of medical nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease, inflammation, allergies, and asthma, as well as protecting against and treating environmental exposures. For example, some fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants and phytonutrients enhance detoxification. However, most diet or other approaches to detoxification are not evidence-based, or are non-standardised and often controversial. [7]
Any detox plan will at least help you shed the flab you gained during the festivities, and keep you looking good.
You may also like to read
Photo source: Shutterstock
For more articles on fitness, visit our fitness section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. Click here for health related queries, visit our Q&A section.
References
