Motivate yourself.
Sticking to a detox can be difficult when you're facing the pressures of work and temptation all around you. It's therefore a great idea to make a list of all the reasons why you want to detox before you start such as to; get more energy, lose weight, sleep better, combat cellulite. Then if during your detox you find yourself waning you can refer back to your list to help you in your hour of need.
Watch what you drink.
That means plenty of water, ideally natural mineral water sipped at regular intervals throughout the day. Aim to get into the habit of consuming around 2 litres a day. Also, it's important to steer clear of fizzy drinks, tea, coffee and alcohol. If you try and cut down on these prior to your detox then you are less likely to suffer from headaches as your body begins to rid itself of toxins.
Learn the art of meditation.
Taking a little time out to meditate can have a dramatic effect on your health by assisting you to relax and feel calm once more. Start by sitting comfortably in a quite spot and try to clear your mind of all thoughts. Then concentrate on repeating a phrase or mantra that will inspire you and reduce extraneous thoughts popping into your head. Meditation can last as long as you feel comfortable with it and is the ideal way to de-stress.
Become a body brusher.
The skin is one of the main ways our bodies lose toxins in the form of sweating, therefore the more care we take of our skin the easier it is for the toxins to pass through it. Dry skin body brushing works in two ways, both by stimulating the lymphatic system and by removing dead surface skin cells. Simply get into the habit of spending a few minutes before bathing or showering to whisk a body brush over your skin, always taking care to work towards your heart.
Give yourself a steam clean.
Saunas and steam rooms are really beneficial when it comes to detoxing as they bring your blood vessels closer to the skin, making it easier for them to off load any waste material. The heat also increases your ability to sweat and so speeds up the detoxing process. A word of warning though. If you are on a fast or a very low calorie detox you should avoid saunas and steam rooms as they will probably make you feel very light headed.
Look at your diet.
What you eat plays an essential role in how you look and feel. A light detox plan can just mean eating a really healthy and well balanced diet, including plenty of organic fruit and vegetables and wholegrain cereals. It should also be about eating smaller portions at regular intervals and avoiding any fatty foods, red meat and dairy products.
Be a bathing beauty.
Baths are an important part of a sensible detox programme. They are the ideal way to shut yourself off from the world and relax for 15-20 minutes. The heat of the bath helps your muscles to relax giving you a feeling of well-being and by adding certain products to your bath you can turn it into a spa treatment too. Try adding Epsom salts to your bath water to assist detoxification or any specialist detox bath oil or seaweed.
Experience the magic of massage.
A detox shouldn't be about punishing yourself. In fact it's the ideal time to treat yourself to a well-deserved massage. Any form of massage is a great way to relax but one using the right combination of aromatherapy oils will further increase the detoxifying effect.
The power of products.
Last but not least there are some great detox products on the market that can help you follow a sensible regime as well as providing some pampering. We've listed some of our favourites below.
Four i4beauty FavouritesPlanet Botantic Herbal Detox (£40)
This excellent kit contains a salt body scrub, a cleansing herbal tea and both a pre-detox and detox extract. Simply take the highly effective herbal extract three times a day before food to aid the body's natural detox processes.
E'SPA Detoxifying Bath Oil (£21), Detoxifying Body Oil (£24) and Detoxifying Seaweed Bath (£21)
These three E'SPA products have been around for ages and that's because they really work. Follow a detoxifying bath with the body oil and you'll not only feel pampered but really be helping your body detox too.
Elemis Body Detox Collection (£35)
Available for a limited time only this detox collection; including a body brush and a specialist body oil, represents great value for money as the kit is actually worth over £70, so grab the chance now.
Boots Detox 28 Day Plan (£14.25)
Boots have made detoxing easy with their 28-Day Plan. You simply take one of the tablets and a capsule once a day for the 28 days, whilst following the general detox guidelines above.
