Past few days were real fun, huh! Late night parties, going for holiday destinations with your friends and family, meeting relatives or simply celebrating at home. All these most of the times leads overindulgence in food which is usually sweets, oily/fried or junk food and many a times alcohol.
It’s likely that you will experience the unpleasant aftermath of a holiday eating spree for next few days or weeks. It’s time to get back into routine and get rid of all the waste material you have filled yourself with. Having experienced myself following are the few things which really help:
- Hydrate yourself. Drinking ample amounts of water helps to flush excess salt and fluid out of your system, aids in digestion, and helps to reduce the puffiness caused by food extravaganza. Aim to have at least 2.5 -3 liters of water in the day. Have a glass of water 15 minutes before each meal.
- Replenish lost vitamins and minerals. Alcohol and sugary foods flushes vitamins from the body, so now you need to indulge in fruits and vegetables, they will also provide the much needed antioxidants. Have whole fruits, fresh fruit juices or even fresh lime water, they will help your body rebound after a long night out.
- Restore the flora in your stomach. Probiotics will help you restore the flora in your stomach and will aid in the digestion and metabolism of alcohol or spicy food. Yogurt is one of the best options, it also calms and soothes the stomach.
- Banish bloat with potassium. Potassium counteracts the bloating effects of sodium. Some of the potassium rich foods are beans (soy, kidney beans), banana, spinach, dried apricots, baked potato, baked sweet potato and yogurt.
- Start your day with lean protein. High-protein meal especially in the morning will prevent overeating the rest of the day. Protein keeps you satisfied for a longer time, ultimately reducing overall calorie intake. Some of the good options are egg whites, chicken, lean fish, low fat/nonfat milk, low fat yogurt, soy milk.
- Go moderate on caffeine. A weak cup of coffee or tea is okay, but too much caffeine will dehydrate your body the opposite of what is needed at this point of time.
- Herbal teas with honey. Green tea and other herbal teas (like fennel, mint) provides the much needed antioxidants to get rid of the free radicals you built up all weekend. It soothes and relaxes your stomach and works wonders on headaches and indigestion, especially when sweetened with honey.
- Sleep. One of the most important things to regenerate and restart your body is sleep. You need to go back to your normal sleeping cycle. If you had a late night, rest up the next day. You may increase your sleep timings to 8-10 hours of sleep for the next 5 nights. Make sure to get to bed early in a dark room with no distractions. If possible try to wake up at your normal time.
- Exercise. Exercise will help your body to get rid of the toxins that have accumulated. Increased circulation gets blood and oxygen to your body and brain and release endorphins that alleviates your mood.
Some of the meal options can be
- Enjoy sliced banana with yogurt at breakfast, or add plenty of spinach to your egg white omelet along with honey sweetened green tea or an oats porridge with added apricots.
- A spinach soup (try to make it without salt or low salt) with apricots or buttermilk with some fruits can be a good snack at any time of the day.
- Tofu or soybean salad/ vegetable or a chicken piece along with a 1-2 chapattis can make a good Lunch. Add lot of greens to your salad like lettuce, coriander, mint, spring onions and bell peppers of all colors.
- Dinner could be composed of beans along with curd or cucumber raita and lots of salad (make it as colorful as you can)
Well, these will help to detox the adverse effects of partying. Voila! You are ready to party again.
Thanks for the tips