StyleNest team up with Liz Earle to bring you exclusive detoxing tips to help get you on track for your perfect summer skin.
Whilst exercising and dieting in the desperate hope to reach our summer target for tighter abs, firmer thighs and the ambitious but achievable goal of a smaller bum too, we often forget about cleansing the inside of our body. Detoxing is a simple but yet effective way to help cleanse the body of toxins and help your skin look refreshed as well as your body and mind.
“When I was first told that fasting on a fruit only diet would give me more energy, or that giving up some of my favourite foods and cups of coffee would leave my skin glowing, I was skeptical. But the principals of detoxification are based on traditional “cures” practiced by European naturopaths for centuries. Giving up certain foods, or existing on fruit alone for twenty-four hours, is not hard, especially when the benefits are so great. I now give my system a regular detox boost, even if it is only over the weekend. A short detox programme is a great way to feel more energised and refreshed. It is the perfect way to revitalise the body, renew energy levels and restore glowing skin and when you have finished you will feel far fitter and healthier and motivated not to return to bad habits.” – Liz Earle.
Tip 1. Better Breakfasts
Start the day with a healthy breakfast to help increase energy levels for the upcoming day. Refined sugars, most common in breakfast cereals should be avoided for more sustainable energy throughout the day and for those cold mornings, a bowl of porridge made with water and sweetened with honey and finished with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds is the perfect warming option. Fresh chopped fruit such as berries with natural yoghurt is the perfect summer time option and for a British classic, organic boiled egg with soldiers. The boiled egg contains vitamins A, B-complex and E as well as zinc and wholemeal soldiers with orange juice offers a healthy dose of vitamin C.
Tip 2. Midday Meals
Soup is a heart winter meal and great way of getting lots of vitamin and vegetable fibre intake, whilst also helping to shed a few of those unwanted pounds. When food an water are finely mixed to make soup and enter the stomach together, they are held in a homogenised state as they pass through our intestines. The increased volume of water and semi-solid food then stays in our system for longer than if we were eating food and drinking liquid separately, we feel fuller for longer and much less likely to over-eat.
Tip 3. Winding Down
If one too many the night before has left yourself feeling a bit delicate, a ‘liver wrap’ is a simple and effective way to stimulate a liver detox. With simply three household items; a hot water bottle, a flannel and small towel, you can achieve this. Wearing only a dressing gown, gather your detox essentials and lie somewhere comfy. Apply a cold damp flannel to the right side of your body, beneath the ribcage covering the liver area. This briefly lowers the temperature of the tissues beneath and your body’s reflexes respond by increasing circulation in that area. Next, place a really warm hot water bottle on top of the damp flannel to retain moisture and stimulate the autonomic nervous system. This in turn boosts blood flow to the liver and supports its detoxification activity. Cover the hot water bottle with a soft towel and rest on a sofa or go to bed. This is a useful therapeutic treatment to carry out at bedtime and you can even fall asleep with the hot water bottle in place. Otherwise, simply put your feet up and rest for 30 minutes (the longer the better).
Click here to read StyleNest’s exclusive interview with Liz Earle.