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

Detox Holidays Preparation

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 tips that we believe will make the whole process run as smoothly as possible, so you can enjoy your holiday to the full and gain the maximum benefit.

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 (caffeine, alcohol), refined sugars, saturated fats and processed foods one to two weeks before you travel. 

We recommend:

Reduce and/or eliminate 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

Increase 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 relea se toxins, speed up digestion and metabolism and so much more. 

At Home

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. 

Please note this is general information and your personal state of health, allergies, etc. may require this advice be varied. We always recommend for you to consult your GP first.