Who is ready for lots of fun and festivities this holiday season? We hope you have all the good things the holidays can bring to you, and at the same time you and your family sail through them with good health and comfort. To accomplish that, you may need to participate in some detoxing during the holidays.

Why you need detoxing

Let’s face it: the holidays can be full of stress, lots of unhealthy food choices, alcohol, and insufficient sleep. These factors can be difficult to manage any time of your life, but when that time includes menopausal changes at the same time and the demands on your time and efforts are increasing, the challenges may seem more daunting.

Detoxing during the holidays (and indeed, I encourage you to incorporate the following suggestions into your lifestyle year round) can help with hormone balance, unwanted weight gain, better digestion, sharper brain power, improved sleep and mood, and thus a better holiday experience. Practicing effective detox techniques now can help you establish new healthy habits you can use for the rest of your life.

Read about how do we maintain our healthy lifestyle through the holiday season

How to detox during the holidays

Let’s explore some safe, effective (and even delicious) detox techniques for the holidays.

Enjoy a chlorella detox smoothie: Chlorella is one of the most potent tools you can use to promote detox of heavy metals and other toxins, boost energy, support immune function, maximize energy, and help rebalance hormones. This blue-green algae powder is super high in protein and antioxidants and also supports healthy blood sugar levels and fights inflammation. Make this smoothie a part of your routine! All you need are 1 cup spinach or kale, ½ frozen banana, ¾ cup frozen pineapple chunks, ½ tsp chlorella powder, ¾ cup coconut water, and ½ inch fresh ginger. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.

Do the twist. The yoga pose known as the sage twist involves sitting on the floor and twist your body in a specific way that squeezes your abdominal muscles, which in turn stimulates your liver and kidneys. When you relax from the pose, blood flows into your organs and prompts detoxification. Here are the steps:

• Begin by sitting on the floor with both legs extended in front of you.
• Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on the floor next to your inside left thigh.
• Place your right hand, palm down, on the floor behind you.
• Take your left palm and wrap it around the outside of your right knee.
• Inhale through your nose, extend and lift your spine upward, then exhale and twist your torso and head to your right side as far as you can comfortably.
• Hold this pose for several relaxed breaths, then return to the starting position and repeat the sequence but start with the left side this time.

Eat before drinking: Eating foods high in protein, potassium, and healthy fats before drinking alcohol can help slow the rate at which your stomach empties and thus delay alcohol absorption. Consider eating eggs, salmon, bananas, Greek yogurt, or avocados before you head out the door to party.

Choose mocktails: Alcohol consumption is changing as more and more people are turning to nonalcoholic beverages. Mocktails give you an opportunity to enjoy beverages that not only taste good and look like alcoholic drinks, but also provide health benefits, including detox powers. Ingredients found in healthy mocktails, such as kombucha, ginger, hibiscus tea, mint, pomegranate juice, celery and coconut water, and lime can help boost immune function and clear toxins. Check out this these healthy mocktail recipes.

Sleep. The most natural and effective detoxification for your body is a good night’s sleep, yet many people ignore this fact. Research shows that the brain flushes out toxins while you sleep. Healthy sleep habits also promote cell and tissue regeneration and release hormones that reduce inflammation. There are many effective tips for restful sleep, including avoiding blue light, establishing relaxing routines before bedtime, avoiding use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine hours before retiring, and more. Now is the time to adopt them and get the sleep you need and deserve!

Read about stress, sleep, and natural strategies that work

Consume fiber: Foods rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, whole grains, and seeds help keep things moving in your digestive tract and remove harmful toxins and excess hormones through stool. One easy, healthy habit is to have a leafy green salad with added beans, seeds, and a lemon and apple cider vinegar based dressing every day. Supplementation can also help ensure you're getting enough fiber daily.

Take prebiotics and probiotics: Prebiotics are foods that support and promote the growth of beneficial organisms, such as probiotics, in the gut. Taking both prebiotics and probiotics or eating foods that provide these helpful components are one way to support detoxification of xenobiotics (food additives, chemicals, environmental pollutants, etc). In a 2021 study, experts reported that “probiotics are an effective, feasible, and inexpensive tool for preventing xenobiotic-induced dysbiosis and alleviating their toxicity.” Examples of prebiotic foods include apples, oats, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, dandelion greens, onions, bananas, barley, and leeks. Probiotics can be found in raw sauerkraut, yogurt, fermented soy, kefir, and supplements.

Bottom line

One way to keep your holidays as festive and healthy as possible is to effectively manage of avoid situations that may make them otherwise. Don’t let menopause or other challenges get in your way! Incorporate detox habits into your routine and help make the season bright!