By Mel Ball
So you've celebrated Christmas in style (well, who wouldn't?), totally over indulged on wine, chocolates and turkey dinners and now hit the New Year like a Head On car crash! For most, I guess, its been like hitting a brick wall - your'e feeling sluggish & lethargic, dare I say 'toxic', finding it difficult to get back into the routine of work and school runs and maybe even a little run down and depressed, maybe even ill or recovering from illness. Wouldn't it be nice to just to pull the covers back up over your head on these dark winter mornings and mutter "wake me up when Spring is here" and simply hibernate?
Its a natural instinct to want to rest at this time of year and conserve our energy. However, with today's fast pace of living we often go against the grain, working hard and playing hard and although the latter can be a lot of fun, both can leave us feeling 'burnt' out leading to lowered immune systems and ill health.
So how can we lighten our toxic load and create the space inside & out to bring about a new cleansed & energised start to the New Year?
Many people at this time of year choose to 'detox' the body of unwanted toxins or go on a 'diet' opting for the latest detox craze or latest celebrity diet plan. Did you know that entering the word detox into google brings up 19,500,000 results? New Year is truly the time where the 'detox' market well and truly hits its peak. It has certainly become big business. People are attracted to the pull of quick fix weight loss plans and short 3 day detox programs promising instant results. In my humble opinion, yo yo dieting is never the best way forward in terms of maintaining health, your self esteem and achieving long lasting results. Making changes to lifestyle and diet takes a lot of individual effort. It takes approximately 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and about 6 months for it to become part of your personality.
What ever your goals or chosen approach, make sure to make it realistic and achievable, manageable, safe and ultimately brings about the health benefits you desire. Fasting or intensive detox diets should always be sguided by a qualified nutritionalist or naturopath.
For me, personally, I think the use of the word 'detox' at this time of year is better applied to a 'Lifestyle Cleanse' - its not just about ridding the body of unwanted toxins from the body, its about clearing out the old to make space for the new on many levels, as a good friend of mine often says, its about 'letting go of all that no longer serves you purpose'.
In terms of nutrition and diet it could be clearing out the acidic junk food, processed food, alcohol & caffeine and making space in your body for it to cleanse, replenish & renew with healing, nutritious and alkalising foods following the additional burden placed upon it over the festive season. It's giving you and your organs a chance to breathe and settle down. Our bodies are truly remarkable and designed to deal with toxins effectively via our inbuilt routes of elimination, however, sometimes we consistently overburden them and so need to lend a helping hand - nurturing and looking after our health as best we can. Some of the tell tale signs that our body is in need of a cleanse? Feeling sluggish & lethargic, poor skin, puffy dark eyes, constipation, irregular sleep patterns, low energy levels, joint pain, poor digestion to name but a few. Looking at your dietary habits, reassessing what you eat and implementing a healthy eating plan is always a good starting point and can bring about some great changes to health, help any weight loss goals, leave you with glowing skin, improved digestion and re energise you for the year ahead.
Its not just our diets though that are in need of a overhaul at this time of year. Engaging in Physical Activity can also help cleanse the body too. Increasing our exercise levels can help shift those extra pounds and any excess toxins, increase metabolism and also, through the release of feel good 'endorphins', aid our emotional & mental well being. There are so many forms of exercise that you can enjoy, whether its joining a local gym, starting a new exercise class, swimming, Yoga, running or even taking regular walks outdoors and filling your lungs with fresh air. These days there's something available for everyone and it doesn't necessarily have to cost a thing. Start slowly too, give yourself the chance to adapt and progress. Results certainly don't happen overnight, no matter how much you'd like them to but with time & effort they do come about. And when they do? Celebrate them!
Even with the best of intentions, often our state of mind & post Christmas blues can greatly hinder our new year plans.Winter, although a season of festivitiy & celebration, can also, with its shorter days and dark mornings, be a time when we can too often find ourselves mentally & emotionally drained. And the motivation needed to kick start our New Year Health & Fitness plans is at an all time low.Whatever the reason, life at times can bring about great challenges that we have to face as well as managing our day to day stresses. Many of you will be able to deal with such challenges well and adapt quickly, throwing yourselves into your new healthy living program and achieving all the goals you set, however, some of you may not and find that you need extra support in moving forward. Maybe finding and putting in place some coping strategies, or even finding somebody qualified to talk to who can help you work through any difficult situation that you may be facing could be a great help and a huge step in the right direction. Recognising, releasing & clearing away any old emotional blocks, and turning negative thoughts into positive ones, although very difficult and challenging, can be very rewarding and life changing. Our physical health is directly affected by our mental and emotional well being and vice versa and so we should never neglect one area in favour of the other. I have always believed that when making any lifestyle and health changes we need to address the whole to obtain the best results. It just takes your desire and your choice to implement those changes.
When it comes down to it its about finding your own 'Healthy Life Balance'. Diet, exercise, mind & emotions, rest & relaxation, relationships,our home & working environment all interact and affect each other, in positive and negative ways. An imbalance in one area can potentially affect the others. This is why I believe it is important to take a Holistic approach to health with a focus on maintaining a balance in these areas in order to bring about the greatest improvements to health and well being.
Change doesn't happen overnight - It's about making small ripples that lead to big waves in this ocean we call life. Its not a race, take your time and set obtainable goals. The New Year is an opportunity, a new start. An opportunity to take the reigns and make some changes, try something new and make a difference. Do it not for others, do it for YOU! And most importantly ENJOY IT :)
Happy New Year, may you achieve all that you desire!
OUR TOP TIPS FOR A HEALTHY NEW YEAR
1) DIET & SUPPLEMENTATION
- Cut out processed foods, sugar and junk foods, hydrogenated saturated fats, red meat, alcohol, caffeinated beverages, fizzy drinks
- Include lots of vegetables, especially your greens. Get variety and colour packed onto your plate to obtain a good intake of vitamins and minerals.
- Buy organic where possible
- Eat plenty of fish, especially oily fish containing lots of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids
- Get protein from quality sources that is easy to digest - Hemp protein, or green protein blends are great to add to smoothies and are a good source of nutrients.
- Eat smaller sized meals more often than going for hours between meals to maintain blood sugar levels
- Introduce Whole grains - Short grain brown rice, Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), millet, buckwheat - these are full of important nutrients.
- Avoid cooking with oils such as olive oil and other oils that become unstable at high temperatures. Organic Coconut Oil is a great alternative for cooking with and there are many health benefits to be obtained from regular intake. Use Olive Oil, Flaxseed oil, Hempseed Oil or Udos Choice Oil for your dressings, stirred into smoothies or stir into food that has already been heated e.g homemade soups.
- Include healthy snacks - a handful of nuts, seeds and dried fruits, chopped carrots, celery, cucumber & houmous, Nut Butters on oatcakes or with celery, fruit - especially berries, natural unsweetened yogurt, healthy snack bars e.g bounce balls, raw brownies, Raw cacoa chocolate - IQ chocolate is fantastic and actually good for you!
- Keep hydrated - drink plenty of water, try to aim for at least 4pts a day, swap tea and coffee for herb & fruit teas.
- Fruit & Vegetable juices - the healthiest way? Juice your own. The only fruit to mix in a vegetable juice is apple. Don't forget that some fruits are acidic and still high in natural sugars - so dont go overboard on these.
- Get a healthy start to your day - always have breakfast. Porridge oats are ideal for stabilising blood sugar or try a raw food muesli such as Primroses Kitchen (a personal favourite of mine). Avoid breakfast cereals laden with sugar and salt.
- Include linseeds or Chia seeds
- Always CHEW your food thoroughly to ensure that proper digestion takes place and your food is properly broken down.
Bare Health Recommends: Honestly Healthy - Eat with your body in mind, the alkaline way
SUPPLEMENTS
Supplement recommendations are unique to each individual and their level of health. They should be used to support a balanced diet, which these days is often difficult to get. Its always a good idea to pop into your local health store to seek advice and information and follow a supplement regime tailored to your specific needs. However at this time of year and when detoxing/cleansing the following can be taken to support digestion, liver & kidney function, and overall health.
- DIGESTION - A good quality probiotic supplement to ensure you are getting a sufficient intake of friendly bacteria. Digestive Enzymes - for those who have digestive problems such as indigestion & heartburn, a digestive supplement with each meal can often help. Herbs such as centurium and yarrow have been traditionally used to aid digestion and help abdominal bloating and discomfort.
- BOWELS - Keeping your bowels moving is absolutely vital and should be the most important part of a detox! The types of food we eat, medication we take can influence our bowel habits and its always important to ensure they function well. These are one of our main exit routes for the body to expel its waste. Bowel health should never be overlooked. Make sure your taking in enough water too. Fibre plus is a fantastic product for helping to cleanse the bowel, it's also great for soothing any irritation in the bowel too.
- IMMUNITY - If your immune system needs that extra support then Vitamin D is essential, especially at times when we are unable to spend time outdoors converting natural sunlight to Vitamin D. Supplements containing Beta glucans are also great for immune support as is Echinacea and olive leaf, herbs traditionally used to modulate immunity and fight off infection.
- ALKALISING GREEN FOOD POWDERS - by adding a daily serving of a green food containing high levels of chlorophyll to your diet you will be obtaining a potent source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals and enzymes that will aid energy levels, support immunity, help detox and cleanse, support intestinal health and improve hair,skin & nails. Wheatgrass, Chlorella, & spirulina are all great examples and they can be bought on their own or combined in a green food blend.
2) INCREASE YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS
Get a regular exercise routine - something that will get the heart and circulation pumping, help burn off those extra calories and tone your muscles. Make sure that its something you enjoy. It could be dancing, walking in the outdoors, swimming, running, Yoga or even walking the dog more regularly. You don't have to join the gym - Just get moving more :)
3) EMOTIONS & MENTAL HEALTH
Take time out to reduce your stress levels where possible as high levels of stress can be detrimental to health. Join a local meditation, relaxation group or a yoga class. Placing your focus solely on controlling your breath can help keep the outside world at arms length and allow you to achieve stillness and a deep sense of relaxation. Seek help with any problems you feel need addressing, sometimes talking to a qualified stranger can be a great opportunity to let things out and talk openly in an environment you feel comfortable. Identifying and learning coping strategies to get things resolved can often move things forward.
4) REST & RELAXATION
So you burnt the candle both ends over christmas? A good nights sleep is vital to keep us functioning at our best on a daily basis. From a chinese perspective, the body cleanses best between midnight to 2am. When you rest at night your body is busy doing its repair work inside. It recharges the batteries and cleanses the system.Try to get at least 8 hrs sleep a night. If you have problems sleeping then there are natural remedies you can take to try and settle you back into your natural sleep cycle. Also ensure that you are taking time out for you doing things you enjoy, whether that is alone or with family and friends. Everybody needs time to switch off - go on, plan that holiday, get that massage, you deserve it!
And should you want to make some changes but find yourself in need of a little extra help, then the team at Bare Health are happy to support you along the way. We have a team of experienced, professional Therapists & in store advisors who can help you find your healthy balance of mind, body & soul.
For more information call Bare Health on 01260 408413 or email mel@barehealth.co.uk
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