Over the holiday season, it’s not uncommon for our eating habits to change, sometimes in rather dramatic ways. Whether you hanker after eggnog with a touch of rum, bon bons galore, triple servings of stuffing or my personal favorite – cave aged Gruyere cheese, chances are that you’ll find some way to indulge. While it’s a good idea (at least I think so) to splurge occasionally, the holiday season allows us to get carried away. Office parties, open houses and celebrations with family and friends can make resisting just too hard.
While most of us are all too familiar with the effects of these foods on our waistlines, diets high in sugar, preservatives, fats and high glycemic carbohydrates affect our emotional and physical wellbeing including the appearance of our skin. Many individuals begin the New Year with a clean slate by going to the gym and clearing the cupboards of tempting holiday treats. And a good few embark upon a cleansing or detox regimen to get back on track again. Today, we’ll explore how a detox can help your body and help your skin regain the radiance before you were tempted.
Curbing Bad Consumption Habits
Eating the wrong types of foods can throw your system off balance. Excess sugar increases a natural metabolic process called glycation, in which sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs – how appropriate! – for short ). AGEs can damage collagen and elastin, the fibers that keep skin firm and resilient leading to wrinkles and sagging. If that weren’t enough, AGEs can also make skin more vulnerable to sun damage.
Foods and meals high in salt can have a drying effect on the skin. What’s more, a diet that includes too much salt can eventually lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Limiting, or even eliminating, salt from your diet is a critical step in detoxifying your body. Too much alcohol can also dry skin causing it to have a lackluster appearance. It also reduces the level of vitamin A in your body, which leads to slower turnover of dead skin cells. Dairy products can be particularly problematic in susceptible individuals and their consumption has been associated with acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Realigning Your Diet
In addition to eliminating sugar, salt, alcohol, and dairy products from your diet, a detox or cleansing diet will emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and plenty of water. The aim is to consume antioxidants, fiber and a range of nutrients to help support your body and limit the damage generated by free radicals. A diet filled with these elements also encourages the digestive process and helps to eliminate waste materials and toxins.
When detoxifying your body, make sure that you’re including regular exfoliation and moisturization in your daily skin care routine. Exfoliation helps remove the dead cells from the surface of your skin while using a high-quality moisturizer can provide hydration.
In addition to following a healthy diet, you may want to consider the following packaged detox solutions to help your skin and your body on its way to optimal health:
Thorne Mediclear Nutritional Support & Detox – A formulation designed to provide your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants throughout your detoxification program. As toxins are removed from your body, this product offers an assortment of nourishing ingredients.
Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox – The Wild Rose kit is a comprehensive cleansing program. During a 12-day process, it removes unhealthy toxins while stimulating your metabolism, digestion, and elimination functions. It includes a specially designed meal plan and 4 herbal formulas. An optional cookbook helps with meal planning.
