As much as we anticipate Christmas festivities, over-indulgence during the holiday season makes us feel like rubbish when the parties are over. Too much eating and drinking, excess sugar and less sleep lead to fatigue, weight gain, puffiness, and skin breakouts. Sound familiar? The good news is these symptoms can be reduced or alleviated with lifestyle changes. Here are six easy ways to beat bloat, get energized and feel healthier in a few days. 

DRINK WATER

Have the juice of half a lemon in a big glass of water after you wake up. It kick-starts your digestion, aids the liver and helps to alkalize your body (yes, this one again). By providing your body with hydration upon waking, it refreshes and energizes your cells. Drink water throughout the day as well and right before you go to sleep. While our bodies are asleep, we go seven or more hours without any hydration.

MOVE YOUR BODY

Whether it’s a gentle walk or a high-intensity workout, exercise will decrease fatigue, get your blood flowing through the muscles and get your heart rate up, burning calories and help to flush toxins. If you feel like exercise is the last thing you can do, take a break once an hour, even if only for five minutes, to stretch and move around!

AVOID ALCOHOL

To our bodies, alcohol is a toxin, which means when we ingest it, our bodies will work to metabolize the alcohol before other sources of energy. In other words, while your body is busy working on the alcohol, the other calories in your food or drink will store as fat. Not to mention, alcohol will dehydrate and fatigue you. If you’re serious about detoxing quickly, say no to that glass of prosecco.

REMOVE “LIVER LOADERS”

Sugar, dairy, gluten, and caffeine are responsible for our body’s inflammations and load up the liver resulting in a toxic build up. Doing a “cleanse” and removing these foods for two weeks will do wonders to your body and overall wellbeing. Instead, load up on your brassica veggies, detoxifying herbs and fruits like grapefruit and berries.

DRY BODY BRUSHING

Improve your lymphatic system, increase circulation and encourage the detoxification process by doing a dry body brush before your shower. Not only is your skin the largest organ in the body, but it is also one of the most important elimination organs, playing a large role in daily detoxification. Dry body brushing sheds dead skin cells, stimulates the nervous system and encourages the discharge of metabolic wastes so the body is able to run more efficiently.

BINGE ON SLEEP

Giving yourself a good night’s rest is key to resetting your body. Sleep has been connected to weight loss, reduced cortisol levels and stress, and improved overall health. The best part about sleep is that it takes absolutely no effort – just make sure the temperature of your room is cool, and give yourself a 10-hour block to snooze.