Detoxification of the body - not just after holidays, but every day!

ZENICA, (Patria) - No matter how much we try to be moderate in food and drink, and pay attention to what we eat, we all relax a bit during the holidays and put healthy lifestyle habits on another list of New Year's wishes and resolutions, which we will fulfill after the holidays, according to advice from the Institute for Health and Food Safety Zenica (INZ) after a "series" of holidays at the end of last and beginning of this year.

Accumulation of waste substances in the body

It is true that it is not easy to completely give up the rich holiday table and numerous traditional savory and sweet delicacies, but what you can certainly do is try to control the amounts of food consumed, and if you do overdo it a bit, focus on recovery and detoxification of the body after the holidays to repair the damage done.

- The holiday table, although very tempting in taste, is high in calories and rich in heavy food, extremely high in fats and sugars. There is an increased accumulation of waste substances in the body, which can cause numerous problems, some of which include headaches, fatigue, constipation, bloating, acne, allergies, weight gain, depression,... The goal of detoxification is to cleanse the body of harmful substances, fill it with vitamins and minerals, and improve the overall state of metabolism after excessive intake of fats, sugars, and alcohol, states Maja Trifković, Master of Nutrition at INZ.

Tips for cleansing and recovering the body after the holidays include ensuring adequate hydration – for effective detoxification, sufficient fluid intake is especially important for easier and faster digestion and consequently faster elimination of toxins.

In addition to water, unsweetened green tea and lemonade are recommended, as well as other naturally squeezed fruit juices. Definitely avoid alcohol, energy drinks, store-bought juices, and coffee in large quantities.

It is also necessary to recover your liver. The liver is the organ that suffers the most from holiday immoderation in food and drink, especially due to excessive intake of sugar, fat, and alcohol, so after the holidays, try to reduce the intake of meat, especially fatty meat, cured meat products, products made from white flour, sweets, and cakes, and definitely eliminate alcoholic beverages.

- Pay attention to adequate hydration of the body, and for liver health, teas from dandelion root, nettle, burdock, and chicory are particularly good. In addition to teas, vegetables such as asparagus, artichokes, kale, cabbage, and broccoli are good for liver recovery, and among fruits, be sure to include grapefruit, apple, carrot, and beetroot juice, says Master Trifković.

Ensure daily intake of fiber-rich foods (whole grains, bran, legumes, seeds, fruits, vegetables,...), which contribute to the proper functioning of digestion and help eliminate harmful substances from the body.

Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables (especially leafy greens), preferably organic, for adequate supply of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which will strengthen immunity and mitigate the harmful effects of toxic substances. Besides in soups or as a side dish to the main meal, vegetables can be mixed into various salads or combined with fruits into tasty combinations of different smoothies, which can be a practical and nutritious solution for your snack.

Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine

It is also essential to eliminate or minimize the intake of dry and fast food, fatty and fried food, industrially processed food, sweets, carbonated and sweetened store-bought juices, alcohol, and cigarettes. Do not overeat and try to distribute the total energy intake into several smaller meals throughout the day to speed up metabolism and improve the digestive system's function.

If possible, introduce some form of physical activity into your daily routine to further speed up metabolism and faster elimination of toxins from the body, according to advice from INZ.

Finally, remember that the body's need for detoxification is not just after the holidays, but every day!

The above are just a few simple tips with which you can significantly preserve and improve your body's health, but try not to think about it only once or twice a year after the holidays, because this type of detoxification will be most effective if you adopt the mentioned healthier dietary and lifestyle habits for life.

Therefore, to achieve long-term positive results for your body, strive to incorporate as many healthy habits into your daily routine as possible, so that you always feel vital and healthy, and are satisfied with yourself because, only in a healthy body is a healthy spirit!