Diwali is over and so is the festive food. From namkeen snacks to plate full of mithais, to appetizers to alcohol people have indulged in them all. Are you missing the Diwali delicacies? Or are you happy that the bingeing season over?
As the Diwali celebrations come to an end it is time to get back to your usual diet and also look at starting a detox diet. It is recommended to check your weight as well as your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. This helps you know how your health is post-Diwali.
Detoxifying helps you cleanse your system of toxins absorbed from all the calorie-laden foods had in Diwali. Detoxify to help speed up your metabolism and enhance your overall health.
Detox with these foods:
1. Water
Staying hydrated is the key to good health. Drink enough water, this will help you flush out excess fat and sugar. Drink two to four litres of water every day to ensure a good detox.
2. Lemon
Lemons are a natural cure for everything from bloating to indigestion and help regulate your digestion. Start an early morning ritual, have lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water right after you wake up daily.
3. Honey
Has Diwali caused constipation due to the excess consumption of refined foods? Honey can help relieve constipation. Regular consumption of honey with lemon and water can help keep the gastrointestinal tract clear.
4. Cucumber
Toxins leave your body through urination and nothing helps that more than cucumbers. This diuretic ingredient helps lose excess water from the body, which also helps cure bloating.
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are full of antioxidants. Its high water-content can keep you hydrated, and its beta-carotenes can keep major diseases out of the way.
6. Spinach
This green leafy vegetable is rich in dietary fibre and vital nutrients, which can ensure a clean gastrointestinal tract as well as fit and healthy blood cells to boost your immunity.
Why you must start a post-Diwali Detox:
- To regulate your body weight
Most people put on weight after festival times. Starting a detox diet and eating light helps you reduce your weight. - Remove excess sugar from your system
When you eat more sugar, your body demands more insulin, which in turn puts a strain on your pancreas. In the long term, this can cause chronic fatigue, diabetes, and weight gain. - Remove toxins from the body
Pollution levels are alarmingly high at this time of the year, and they can affect your metabolism, immune system and may cause heart disease, strokes, and more. Detox helps improve your body’s natural function. - Restore your body’s balance
A bad diet and lack of exercise can cause a toxic build-up, which can lead to fatigue, sinus, muscle ache, headaches, bloating and gas, sleep problems, water retention, and weight gain. Detox by making the right food choices and exercise to reboot your body.
Here are a few Detox tips:
1. Hydrate Well: Increase your water intake to flush out all the toxins from your body. Dehydration exhausts you and affects your skin too.
2. Eat Fresh Fruits And Veggies: Fresh fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals which are essential for your body to function efficiently. Fibre in fruits and veggies will help bring your digestive system back on track.
3. Nuts and Seeds: Dry fruits and nuts are full of protein, minerals, healthy fats and antioxidants. Snacking on this helps prevent junk food snacking.
4. Exercise: Start slow and steady with your exercise routine. Choose an exercise that best suits you. Choose a jog, cycling, gym workout, running or pilates to get back in shape.
5. Eat probiotics: Probiotics are bacteria that are essential to maintain good gut health, and consuming them is one of the best ways to naturally restore gut health. Include foods like curd and kefir in your diet.
6. Avoid artificial sugars Sugars contain an abundance of empty calories. This is detrimental to the body, as you end up consuming a whole lot of fat boosting calories, which can cause weight gain and other problems.
7. Eat light It is beneficial to the body to counter the five days of heavy eating by a period of going easy on food. Choose foods like khichdi, porridge, soups and salads which are light on your digestive system.
8. Avoid processed foods Processed foods are loaded with fat, sugar, hydrogenated oils, salt, and a large number of calories. Stay away from them to cleanse your system.
Confused about where to start? Do you need a personalised diet plan?
Consult our expert nutritionists for a one-to-one interaction at our Department of Nutrition Therapy. Please find below link for more details:
https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutritiontherapy.html
