Its Time To Detox! 6 Ways to Lighten Up Post-Diwali - Slideshow

Diwali - A festival of Indulgence

Diwali or Deepavali is the biggest festival celebrated all over India. It is filled with colors, sounds and lights. All barriers are broken on Diwali; everybody thinks only about one thing - 'Indulgence'. Yes, it's true.

People consume ghee dripping sweets, high-calorie foods on Diwali. Different types of sweets and savories are prepared and offered to God on this day. It is very difficult for health conscious people to stay away from indulging on Diwali. Not to fret; here we are bringing you natural ways to lighten up post - Diwali.

Reasons for a Post - Festival Detox

Detoxification (detox) is the process of eliminating toxins from our body. A normal daily calorie count is only 1200 calories but it is estimated that on Diwali, consumed calories increase between 2000 - 2200. So it definitely affects our daily routine leaving us more torn down.

The main reasons for a post - festival detox are:

• Removing toxins or Cleansing
• Enhancing immunity
• Regulate metabolism
• Restoring balance
• Increased energy
• Better cognitive functioning
• De-stress and Good sleep

Go for a Fruity Detox

Fruits are a great way for detoxing. It helps in regulating metabolism by increasing the digestive enzymes. It flushes out toxins from the liver and rejuvenates your body.

Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, starch that are necessary for your day to day activity. Fruit detox can be followed for a maximum of 3 days strictly and should not be extended.

• Start your day with a glass of lemon water.
• Eat all kinds of fresh fruits but restrain from canned, dried and frozen fruits.
• A protein rich salad can be consumed in the evening.
• Refrain from caffeine, alcohol and sugary foods.

Liquid Cleanse

Liquids play an important role in flushing out toxins from your body. They cleanse your gut and replenishes metabolites. Complete liquid detox for a day really benefits you. Choose any one type of detox.

Water Detox Make sure you drink 12- 15 glasses of water. Refrain from coffee, tea or sugary drinks. Lemonade Detox Mix lemon juice with water and drink it early in the morning. Adding salt or honey is purely optional. You can drink a maximum of 8 glasses of lemonade a day. Fresh Juice Detox Include only fresh juices in your diet. You can drink all types of fruit juices without any sugar.

Detox with Green Tea

Green tea has antioxidants that help in flushing out free radicals from your body. It acts a detox agent for blood purification. Green tea rehydrates your body.

After eating deep fried foods and high-calorie sweets, your body loses balance. Therefore, green tea acts as a great detox agent. It boosts brain activity and induces sleep. Ensure that you include green tea consistently on a daily basis to spring back on track.

21-Day Sugar Detox

Sugars are deadly items that build unwanted calories. Getting rid of sugars instantly energizes you. Sugar detox must be done at least for a period of 21 days.

Eliminate all sugary foods from your cabinet and diet. Sugars include glucose, fructose, brown sugar, sorbitol, maltose, xylitol and barley malt. But it tends to have complications such as dizziness and hypoglycemia. Make sure you include lots of cereals, lean meat, plain yogurt, whole grains and fruits and vegetables.

Fasting for Detox

Fasting is an ancient method of detoxification. It is staying away from all kinds of foods except water. It is better to follow a fasting detox on a weekend where you will be staying indoors without much physical activity.

Stick on to a routine of drinking at least 3-4 liters of water on a fasting day. Some may consider drinking a glass of milk or fruit juice occasionally. Fasting triggers healing and weight loss. It also regulates blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

De-stress and Detox - Exercise & Yoga

Exercise and yoga eliminate toxins from the three major systems, circulatory, digestive and lymph. Stretching and breathing exercises promote detoxification. Yoga helps in mental detox. It also helps in combating stress, mood swings and fatigue.

Make sure you include exercise and yoga in your daily routine no matter if you choose a detox method or not. Early morning brisk walking benefits your overall health. Opt for a 30-minute yoga session or high-intensity exercise daily to detox.

Replenish and Restore After a Detox

You can follow any one type of detox program post-festival to get back on track. It is must for replenishing yourself with nutrients after a detox session. Don't switch off to high-calorie, deep-fried foods immediately. Stick to raw foods.

• Get Vitamin C from oranges, lemons, kiwis, strawberries, tomatoes and mangoes.
• Get Fiber from apples, dried peas, kidney beans, black beans and soybeans.
• Get Potassium from bananas, lima beans, white potatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes.
• Get Folate from spinach, broccoli, melons, asparagus, oranges, and black-eyed peas.
• Get Good fats from fish, eggs, nuts, avocado, olives and coconut.
• Get enough Water, or soupy broths enhanced with spices for hydration.

Green Smoothie

• 1 cup spinach firmly packed
• 1 apple, coarsely chopped
• 1 ripe banana chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Combine spinach, apple, banana, mint, and 2 cups of water in a blender; blend until smooth. Drink this detox smoothie early in the morning to flush out toxins from your body.