Have you been busy decking the halls with plenty of rich dinners and delicious sweet treats? You are probably feeling ready for a major detox right now. Research shows that a sudden dietary change from fatty and sugary foods can cause serious withdrawal symptoms. However, it is possible to minimise withdrawal effects associated with cleaning up your diet without going on a liquid cleanse or minimal detox diet.

Holiday habits of overeating, alcohol, sleepless nights and excessive sugar can slow down our body’s ability of naturally detoxing. But this does not mean you must go on a starvation diet. The liver, with the help of our kidneys, rids our bodies of toxins and can become sluggish when we treat it badly. Our bodies accumulate toxins from ingesting food, water and air. However, extreme fasting, juicing or herbal cleansing solutions don’t seem to make a difference and most are not scientifically proven. Instead of looking for the best cleanse or detox, try some of the natural detox steps below:

1. Get outside and exercise regularly. Sweating helps your body eliminate toxins and the fresh air and vitamin D from the sun can help to reduce stress.

2. Avoid problematic foods. Mine is fudge, which I refuse to prepare most times. Try and restructure your relationship with your problematic food items or get support if you need it.

3. Limit unnecessary supplements. Some may do more harm than good. Speak to your doctor before purchasing any supplement.

4. Drink plenty of water. It’s the best source for flushing toxins out of your body.

5. Fill your plate with fruits and vegetables and eat organic when possible.

6 Cut out simple carbohydrates such as white sugar, white flour and any fried foods. These foods make you feel full and satisfied but also cause a rapid rise and fall of your blood sugar level, which is not good for weight loss.

7. Get more sleep each night. Without proper sleep you can experience weight gain and compromise your immune system.

Strive for natural methods of taking care of yourself. A healthy lifestyle consists of eating the right foods, exercising regularly, challenging yourself, getting plenty of rest, learning to manage your stress and getting rid of bad habits and adapting to a positive and healthy mindset. This is how you achieve good health naturally. Start now and B-Active For Life!

Betty Doyling is a certified fitness trainer and figure competitor with more than eight years of experience. Check her out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/B.ActiveForLife