Your Post-Thanksgiving Detox Guide

Most of us overdo it on Thanksgiving. Now, I’m all for enjoying a good holiday meal, but I also know how it can feel the day after. Symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and maybe even an upset stomach are all very common. I realize it’s not pleasant, but the good news is that you can detox from it all pretty quickly to get your body back on track. Here’s how you can do it.

Hydrate
I talk about the importance of staying hydrated often. Drinking lots of water offers a slew of health benefits. When it comes to a post-Thanksgiving detox, filling your stomach with liquids will help ease digestion. Hot lemon water is especially helpful and very cleansing.

Skip packaged foods

Processed, packaged foods are never good, but they’ll set you back even more than usual the day after Thanksgiving. These items are filled with all types of toxins like preservatives and excessive sodium. You’re far better off with things like healthy carbs (i.e., sweet potato, whole wheat pasta), healthy fats (i.e., avocado, extra virgin olive oil, tree nuts), proteins (fish, poultry), and tons of fruits and veggies. I also suggest breaking these up into 5-6 small meals, versus 3 larger ones. That can help get your metabolism back on track faster.

Decline Thanksgiving leftovers

Politely decline any leftovers offered by your Thanksgiving host. Or, if you’ve hosted a meal filled with traditional Turkey Day treats, send the leftovers home with your guests. Your body can’t properly detox if those holiday foods are still lingering.

Exercise

Exercise is great for lifting your mood, burning calories, and giving you energy. Another way our body detoxifies is through sweat. In the colder months, achieving that can be harder to do. So if you’re up for it, try a high intensity workout or a little hot yoga. But if that’s not for you, that’s okay too. Some movement is always better than none.