When women start detox diets they immediately hit their nearest pharmacy and stock up on sachets of powdered gloop. The fact is that you shouldn�t need any special lotions or potions for a successful detox as you should be getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals you need from your food. A successful detox is one that will include a good mix of fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds and cut out processed, refined and most fatty foods, as well as caffeine and alcohol.�
Hydration for glowing bridal skin
We are told over and over to drink more water, only to find ourselves veering towards the coffee machine as we hit that three o clock slump. The fact is that drinking one to two litres water per day is going to keep your energy levels up and keep your skin hydrated and glowing-and I hate to say it but tea and coffee don’t count! A good habit to get into is to keep a bottle near you throughout the day so that you just sip it every few minutes. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs and carries nutrients to your cells. Lack of water can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired and nauseas-not a good thing when you’re trying to plan a wedding!
Another good habit to get into to prepare your skin is to keep a good light moisturiser on your desk, if you work in an office chances are you have dry skin and and oily t-zone from poor air circulation. If you can forgo the foundation for a few days a week do, if not, use a tinted moisturiser on the run up to your wedding to keep your skin hydrated.
Take time out from wedding planning
Detoxing is not just about cleansing your body. A successful detox also means cleansing your mind of any stress-inducing thoughts. A good way to do this when planning your wedding is to take a break from it -do something other than sitting on the couch though! Try treating yourself to a long bath or go for a walk with you partner, banning all talk of the wedding. If you’re finding you’re getting stressed on the run up to the wedding take time out to meditate. Meditation doesn’t have to mean finding a ‘higher place’ or humming the three notes in the chord of D, you can meditate anywhere by just taking yourself out of your situation and ridding your mind of heavy thoughts. The idea is to find one moment of complete silence in your head. Even if it’s just for a few seconds, it makes all the difference.
Juice up
It’s well known that fruit and veg are full of vitamins and also filling, perfect for any detox! But sometimes it’s hard to get around to getting your five a day. Juicing is not only healthy, but it’s handy. Typical fruits and veg include celery, carrot, kale, cabbage, apple, pineapple, cranberry, spinach, beet, and green. Mix it up to find your fave recipe and sip on it (along with your water!) for the day. It’ll keep you from grabbing snacks and will help with any sugar cravings.
Eat the simple food
One of the main aspects of a good detox is to eat only unprocessed, ‘clean’ food. That means no packaged food, jars of sauces, microwavable meals or frozen foods. Make your own meals, sauces and salads, using fresh produce that way you know what you’re putting into them. Instead of salt, flavour with herbs and spices. Balsamic vinegar is perfect for making salads a little tastier and instead of rice/bread/potatoes with dinner, have a portion of stir fried veg.
Get some zzz’s
Sleep is our bodies’ way of rejuvenating. It is the period in which we lower the energy levels expelled each day, our muscles and soft tissue are repaired and revitalized, and our mind is able to process memories and things we have learned for the day. A lack of sleep will quickly cause irritability, grogginess, the inability to make decisions or follow through with cognitive functions. It will cause hallucinations, dozing off during activities and even throughout the day, etc. Try to get yourself a proper sleeping pattern, go to sleep every night at the same time during your detox. If you find it hard to drift off take a book, and sprinkle your pillow with lavender, keep your room tidy and calm so
Go Nuts
Most people think that nuts are high in calories and fat... and they are right! Nuts are quite calorically dense. 15 cashews, for instance, deliver ~180 kcal! On top of that, it is very tough not to overeat these tasty snacks. If you can restrain yourself from overeating them, nuts can definitely be a part of a healthy diet. Nuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. Nuts are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 - the good fats) which have all been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
What to befriend on your detox
- White/green tea
- Water
- Apples
- Stir fries -try the new 0 calorie cooking spray from WW and a drizzle of soy for flavour
- Homemade soup -cut the cream, use low fat milk
- Purifying face mask
- Cooking
What to ditch:
- Coffee/regular tea
- Cigarettes
- Refined sugar (white bread, chocolate, crisps, biscuits etc)
- Fizzy drink
- Processed foods
Detoxing Celeb Style
Beyoncďż˝ made the Master Cleanse (or Maple Syrup Diet) diet a household name. The Master Cleanse is an intense regime which involves only one drink and no food. She prepares this recipe with hot water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper and drinks only this for 10-14 days. After using the Master Cleanse to lose 20lbs for her Dreamgirls role, she told Ellen Degeneres “I was very hungry, therefore I was evil.”
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Cleanse
Mrs. Coldplay is no stranger to cleansing and has been open about her cleansing regimen. Reports are that Gwyn embarked on a one-week detox at the start of her year when she removed all dairy, caffeine and processed food from her diet and drank a beet-carrot-apple-ginger juice, broccoli and arugula soup and ate meals like a sugar- and soy-free chicken teriyaki.
Anne Hathaway’s Cleanse
Anne Hathaway uses a lemonade diet to prepare for award shows and shoots. She uses David Kirsch’s 48-Hour Detox. The lemonade mix is similar to the Maple Syrup mixture in the Master Cleanse diet but is already made up. It is said that the Devil Wears Prada actress drank this four times a day for 48 hours prior to the 2009 Golden Globes.
Megan Fox’s Cleanse
The transformer star uses apple-cider vinegar and water to cleanse her system. On the apple cider vinegar diet, you consume a few teaspoons of vinegar three times a day, just before your three standard meals. Organic apple cider vinegar is a top-choice among enthusiasts.
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