How to detoxify the body after the end of year festivities – 01/01/2024 – Balance

It is possible to prepare the body so that excess food and alcohol consumption at the end and beginning of the year do not weigh so heavily on health.

For doctor Leandro Figueiredo, specialist in nutrition at the Hospital do Servidor Público de São Paulo and Abran (Brazilian Association of Nutrition), care is necessary before and after the celebrations.

“The preparation is precisely to stay healthy on a daily basis, with good nutrition, weight control, physical activity and avoiding long nights. In short: having an adequate routine and keeping your body healthy so that you can deal with and improve some periods of exaggeration”, says Figueiredo.

And what to do after the end of year excesses? First, get back to your healthy eating and exercise routine.

Drink plenty of water to eliminate more toxins, especially those related to alcohol consumption, and eat fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, which have a high antioxidant potential.

Meeting friends for happy hour also deserves attention.

“The advice for my patients who have three or four happy hours a week is that they choose which one they want to have more fun with and even reflect on whether there is a need to go to all of them. It’s a way of avoiding daily exaggerations, overindulging in fried foods and alcohol”, advises Figueiredo. Common sense is essential: if you overdo it one day, control it the next.

In the opinion of endocrinologist and metabologist Maria Clara Martins, in addition to alcohol, the big villains during the festive season are sugar and white flour. Include desserts, breads, pasta, spices and sausages on the list.

Sparing your body between Christmas and New Year can help with the detoxification process.

“If you can do this, it’s worth it. If you overindulged at Christmas, from the 26th to the 30th go back to your physical exercise routine, get quality sleep, avoid alcohol as much as possible and go on a diet. So, when you return to your normal diet and eliminate excesses, this week will make a big difference and you will arrive less intoxicated on New Year’s Eve”, advises the specialist in lifestyle medicine.

Regarding sweets, the doctor does not recommend opting for diet or light versions.

“The festive period is when the family gets together. There’s that pie that grandmother only makes at Christmas and New Year, aunt’s dessert, the wonderful pavé that only has at that time. I recommend that people eat in moderation , slowly, don’t overdo it as if the world was going to end, but eat the delicious sweets, that family tradition. Enjoy that moment, even if it has more calories and more sugar. Don’t carry the exaggeration behavior throughout the following year” , it says.

Staying hydrated, sleeping well, eating a healthy diet and exercising are important tools for detoxifying the body.

If your concern is linked to the possibility of gaining weight, the news is good. “The human body is wise and knows how to deal with excesses. There are studies that show that we tend to gain one to two kilos at the end of the year, but the body naturally loses those extra kilos”, says the nutritionist.

Does detox juice work?

The detox juice contains a concentration of foods and has vitamin C, minerals and antioxidant capacity. It does not replace meals and is a good option to start the day.

Basic detox juice recipe

• natural coconut water
• Apple, especially the green one
• A little ginger
• A leaf of your choice (it can be lettuce, cabbage or other)
• A piece of pineapple

Blend the ingredients in a blender, but do not strain to have the leaf fiber in the juice. The ideal is not to sweeten it.

Food care

• Before supper, avoid going all day without eating, because hunger can increase the intake of what is more caloric first and eating in greater quantities.
• Always combine greens, fruits and vegetables with other foods; the presence of fiber will reduce the absorption of fats and bring more satiety
• Moderate alcohol and soft drinks
• Avoid industrialized and ultra-processed foods
• If you overeat, try to be more balanced the next day.
• Choose vegetables and fruits, as well as lower-calorie foods
• Be careful with excess salt and sugar