5 Steps for Detoxing After Overdoing It at a Summer Bash
From boat bachelorette parties to car trunk beach BBQs, there’s definitely no shortage of fun events going on during the summer months. But if you’re anything like us, self-control can be seriously hard to summon around delish finger foods and cocktails, which can leave you feeling less than great the next morning. Since we all have those please-just-let-me-feel-normal-again days, we reached out to Megan Roosevelt, a dietician and the founder of Healthy Grocery Girl, for help. Read on for her five go-to detox tips, which are pretty much perfect for the days you’ve gone overboard with the festivities.
1. Eat REAL food. We totally get waking up and feeling stuffed after an evening spent eating lots of tasty treats, but NEVER skip a meal to save on calories. Megan says, “After a day of overeating, the best thing you can do is to start the day with a healthy balanced breakfast. Try one of my go-to recipes, like a fruit and veggie smoothie made with plant-based protein or half of an avocado on sprouted whole-grain toast.” Even more, she says to keep your nourishment up throughout the rest of the day. “Continue to eat real foods [non-packaged] and mostly plants throughout the day. Go for nuts, seeds, beans, whole-grains, fruits and veggies.” She tells us that plant-based foods have the nutritional properties that will help your body bounce back to feeling its best.
2. Support your liver. So you drank a bit too much last night? No worries, girl — it happens. But instead of beating yourself up for drinking one too many, Megan advises getting right back on track by reaching for foods that’ll support your liver. “A detoxifying dandelion root tea, cabbage, broccoli, lemons, grapefruit, garlic, onions, ginger, spinach, kale and beets will all do the trick.” If you have an upset stomach, Megan swears by ginger, which can help cure nausea. She also says that sipping peppermint tea can help settle your tummy, while bananas are easy to digest and packed full of nutrients that’ll help your heart and digestive system.
3. Reach for your water bottle. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Megan tells us that water will not only help flush toxins away, but it will also keep your system regulated. In line with all of the other advice we’ve heard about drinking water this summer, Megan says she makes it a point to drink half her body weight in ounces each day. Follow this guideline without overdoing it, and you’ll be back on your way to feeling great. Coconut water is also a good choice, as it has heaps of natural electrolytes to help your bod replenish and repair ASAP.
4. Sweat it out. Just like drinking tons of water, Megan reminds us that sweating is another way to flush out toxins. If you don’t feel up to your usual high-intensity HIIT workout or intense circuit sweat sesh, try a jog or a brisk walk to help improve blood circulation AND improve digestion. Megan says, “Exercise will help you feel strong, happy and keep a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle. Yay, endorphins!”
5. Get a good night’s sleep. Your body stays super busy while you sleep, working hard to rest and repair. Megan notes that quality sleep is completely crucial for its ability to balance ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and leptin, the satiety hormone. “Skipping sleep can actually lead you to feel hungrier throughout the day and make it harder to make good choices when it comes to what you’re eating,” she warns. “To get better sleep, try to unplug from all electronics 30 minutes before you get in bed. Make your room a cool, dark place and try using lavender essential oil in a diffuser on your nightstand. Lavender helps promote relaxation, which can help you doze right off into a restful night’s sleep. Tomorrow is a new day.”
What do you do to feel better after a day of overindulgence? Tweet us your best tips @BritandCo!
(Photo via Getty)