Gentle Ways To Cleanse After A Major Holiday Indulgence

It’s the week of Christmas, and chances are your body is feeling less-than-stellar. If you feasted on tons of Christmas cookies, ham, and the holiday cheese plate, it’s safe to say you may be feeling the need for a reset.

The good news is that you don’t have to resort to a crash diet or hours upon hours of exercise to get back on track. Your body is resilient and knows how to heal itself. Here are a few gentle ways you can help it along the way.

Begin your day with warm lemon water and sip it throughout the day. Lemons1 provide several health benefits, which combined with warm water, can promote hydration and stimulate digestion throughout the day. Hydration cannot be stressed enough during this time—consuming enough water is essential to help your liver and kidneys filter out toxins.

Try sipping on warm green tea before and after meals to keep your metabolism and digestive fire strong. Fennel tea is a great choice as well, as it relieves digestive problems such as indigestion, bloating, flatulence, constipation, intestinal gas, heartburn, and even irritable bowels. This beautiful herb stimulates digestion and has carminative effects that soothe the digestive tract and prevent the formation of gas.

Although you may be tempted to eat very little after eating so poorly, it’s important to focus on nourishing, healthy meals. Think fruits, veggies, and plant-based proteins. You can find gorgeous recipe inspiration in my new Thyroid Yoga Recipe Book: You Nourish You, which has more than 30 pages of nourishing, plant-based meals that are gluten-free and dairy-free. I made many of these recipes when I put on my chef's hat for a recent retreat, and I can promise you that even the most die-hard dairy and gluten lovers will be drooling over these meals and desserts!

Intermittent fasting is a simple way to get the benefits of a fast without feeling like you’re deprived of food. Eat your last meal no later than 7 p.m. in the evening, and try a delicious cup of Bulletproof Coffee in the AM instead of breakfast the next day. The coffee, grass-fed butter and MCT oil will leave you satiated while your body continues to fast. It is in this fasting state that your body is much better able to burn fat as fuel. Once lunchtime rolls around, you’ll have fasted for over 16 hours, giving your digestive system a total reset.

If you find yourself feeling like a puffy marshmallow post-Christmas, pick up some Radiance Body Oil and give yourself a belly massage, or ask your best friend to help you out. The peppermint oil is incredibly soothing and the lemongrass, geranium and frankincense boots inflammation to the door!

Yoga is the quickest way to get your energy system back into balance, plus it boosts your mood. My Thyroid Yoga Course has a variety of self-healing tools, including a quick and incredibly potent 8-minute sequence to ignite your digestive fire and banish any bloating. Try incorporating 20 to 30 minutes in the morning to get back on your exercise track. You’ll be feeling at-home in your body in no time!

If going for a run is too intense, try getting your sweat on with a visit to an infrared sauna. Infrared is the type of light used2 to heat objects in the sauna instead of air, allowing the body to sweat at lower temperatures. Because infrared light penetrates deeper, the heat pulls out toxins deep under the skin and exfoliates them through the skin—which is amazing for detoxifying and weight loss! My go-to for infrared is HigherDOSE in NYC and sweatheory in LA.

Eating with intention is my ultimate tip to avoid the feelings of regret that follow holiday overindulgence. To prevent damage at the upcoming parties this holiday season, avoid overindulging in foods you wouldn’t normally eat. For example, if you typically avoid gluten or dairy,  you may not feel well if you eat a large amount “because it’s the holidays.” Resist the “when in Rome” mentality, and you won't struggle as much with a guilt-riddled detox mindset in January. Indulge in some vegan pumpkin pie or a small serving of the food that was made with love by your family and friends, and enjoy what's on your plate, no shame! The more you stress out over the small stuff, the worse it will be for your body than the food itself! Eat with gratitude and intention, and cherish the love that was infused into your meals.

You don’t have to go to extremes to reset your body after a festive feast. Take care of your body with the intention of mindfulness, nourishment and self-love.