By Meera Dossa ND

Decadent chocolates. Flowing wine. Mouth-watering desserts. Sound like the typical indulgences of the holiday season? No matter where we turn, it seems that around this time of year, temptation is thrown our way from every angle! And who wouldn’t want to give in? After all, we all deserve to enjoy the finer things in life. So here are a few tips to help you get through the sugar-laden, caffeine-loaded, festive season.

1. Love Your Liver
Through the good times, and the bad, in sickness, and in health, this is the organ that is going to be your best friend! We ingest thousands of toxic chemicals and harmful foods on a daily basis – an assault that only increases over the holiday season. As this is the time of year that your liver kicks into overdrive, any help you could offer it would be much appreciated.

Start your day with a cup of warm water containing the juice of half of a fresh lemon. This soothing drink, gives the liver a nice kick start and helps cleanse the liver toxins.

Foods that aid the liver and support the pathways of detoxification should also be incorporated as much as possible. These include: onions, garlic, beets, carrots, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and turmeric.

2. Obey Your Thirst
The liver isn’t the only organ responsible for clearing toxins from your system. The kidneys also play a vital role in this process, filtering our blood numerous times throughout the day and excreting wastes through the urine. Be sure to stay adequately hydrated in order to support the flushing of toxins from your system. If you are unsure about how much water you should be consuming, a good general rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces (ie: if someone weighed 140 lbs, half their weight would be 70 ounces – which would equate to approximately 8 glasses of water per day.)

3. Make a Move!
Ensuring activity over the holiday season is a must! Everyone knows just how hard it can be to shed the “seasonal seven”! So why wait until the New Year to start losing the weight? It’s very easy to throw your workout regime, along with your eating habits, out the door. But moderation, in terms of what you put into your body and how much energy you expend, is the key. Cutting your exercise routines in half is far better than extinguishing them altogether. Take the stairs at the mall instead of the escalator and park just a little bit further away. These minor investments will pay in dividends come the New Year!

4. Have a Spa Day
Ever wonder where all of those toxin-laden pounds are stored? In your fat and muscle cells! Keeping active enables these foreign invaders to be mobilized from these cells, but they still have to find their way out of your system. Enter the environment of the calming spa where you will surely find a sauna to warm you up, allowing you to sweat out the toxins from within. Saunas combined with exercise are the sure fire way to clear those toxins and relax your system.

5. Just Dance!
It’s the holidays…get out and have a good time! Not only is dancing a great way to unwind, but it’s also a great way to get physically fit! According to the Mayo Clinic, dancing is a great way to socialize while burning anywhere between 200 – 400 calories, similar to other forms of physical activity.

All in all, enjoy the holiday season. Relax, eat and be merry…within MODERATION!

Happy Holidays!

Meera Dossa, ND is a licensed naturopathic doctor at The Pacific Wellness Institute. She is certified and licensed to perform vitamin injection therapy in the province of Ontario. To book an appointment for intravenous therapy and naturopathic treatment with Dr. Dossa, please contact The Pacific Wellness Institute at 416-929-6958.

Posted in Health, Naturopathy |

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