How to Prepare for a Detox Holiday: Expert Tips for a Successful Cleanse

It’s a good idea to ease yourself into the detox mode a week or two before your holiday, in order to make the transition to a detoxification diet as easy on your system as possible. Here are a few top tips that'll ensure you can enjoy your holiday to the full and gain the maximum benefits.

Diet

To avoid a detox 'crash' (the slump in energy, often accompanied by headaches), which comes with a radical change in diet, try to adjust your diet to remove stimulants one to two weeks before you travel. 

We recommend reducing or eliminating your intake of:

• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Meat
• Refined carbohydrates (white breads, pasta, white rice, pastries)
• Sugar and artificial sweeteners
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Processed foods
• Hydrogenated oils (most vegetable oils)
• Fried foods

And increasing your consumption of:

• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Whole grains (oats, whole wheat, rye, barley)
• Legumes (lentils and beans)
• Olive oil
• Nuts and seeds
• Green tea
• Water

You can also help your digestion by having your last meal of the day by 7pm.

Sleep

Skip the late-night parties and long work hours the week before you go. Good sleep is essential for the functioning of your body yet is often sacrificed to the demands of a busy life. You will be putting your body though quite an intensive experience, so to avoid extra stress and to make the process easier, it is best to be well rested.

Breathe

Hectic and demanding situations can often trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response, a bodily reaction to stress which agitates our nervous system, releases adrenaline and shortens our breath. Staying in the ‘fight or flight’ mode too long causes toxic stress hormones to flood our body and can lead to major illnesses long term. Three or four deep breaths can calm the nervous system by changing the circulating chemicals and hormones in the body.

Move

In the run up to a holiday we know how desk-bound you can get, swamped with to-do lists and admin to get done before you travel. However, if possible, we recommend exercise to get the heart pumping, muscles working and body sweating to help release toxins and speed up digestion and metabolism.

Home care

Skin brushing is a great way to start the detox process, as it stimulates lymphatic drainage to assist in removing toxins – brush the skin with a soft natural bristle brush with movements towards the heart.

New to the idea of detox? It can be hugely beneficial for overhauling your lifestyle, and we offer a range of Detox Retreats, from intensive to introductory. Click here to explore the collection.