5 Ways to Detox After Thanksgiving

No matter how mindful we are during tomorrow’s Thanksgiving dinner, it’s a safe bet that most of us will end up feeling like we overindulged. Try not to beat yourself up too much, a cheat day now and then is no big deal (and we all know that Thanksgiving is the ultimate cheat day) and certainly shouldn’t set you off track of your long term goals for healthy eating and living.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to reset the body after a gluttonous day of turkey and potatoes:

1. Warm Water with Lemon. This tart mixture will help cleanse the body by flushing the liver and kick-starting your metabolism and digestive system.  I recently started drinking this first thing every day, before breakfast, and I have felt a remarkable difference.
2. Spin Class. Spin classes are a fun, intense and efficient way to get your body going. Exercise helps stimulate digestion, fat loss and more. If you’re not in the mood for a high octane SoulCycle class, no problem, but make sure to get moving and sweating in some way. Even a walk around the block will wake up your digestive system and you’ll get the added benefit of some fresh air and mental clarity.
3. Green Juice. Fresh-pressed vegetable juice is one of the best ways to get a quick high-dose of antioxidants. Unlike smoothies, juicing removes all of the fiber. This isn’t always a good thing, but in this case it helps your digestive system take a break and deliver your body a fresh dose of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. My go-to green juice includes a combination of kale, spinach, cucumber, mint, lemon and ginger. If you want to make this a little bit sweeter, add just one half of a green apple (don’t add any more than this as apples are high in sugar and it will end up counteracting the detox process).
4. Meditation: I like to think of meditation as a massage for the brain. A 20-minute meditation can help you improve mood, memory and mindset. If you don’t know where to start, you can try an app like Headspace to guide you. Meditation is a gentle, effective way to cleanse your mind and body.
5. Early Dinner. Sometimes I like to slip in mini overnight fasts. If you can finish dinner 7pm, it will give you approximately 12 – 14 hours of fasting time, which will give your overworked digestive system a rest. Intermittent fasting has many great benefits for the body, including cleansing the digestive system and liver, boosting immunity and reducing inflammation.