detox my summer retox

this summer i was a bit of a social butterfly flitting from here to there without a care in the world, until i basically overdosed on gin. i’d done myself in you see and ended up down and out with the flu for over a week. too much fun was the problem (or really too many boozey & late nights) and i had literally drained my tank til i was running on fumes.

off to the naturopath i went who took one look at my readings and then gave me the ol tut tut tut head shake. it was time to cleanse. so a week before going back to uni i was on a mission to detox my retox.

during my week long cleanse i introduced a couple of practices and upped the anti on some others. i basically cut out sugars, dairy, processed foods and ALCOHOL, ordered my main meals from eat fit food and ended the week with a 3 day juice cleanse (available from urban remedy).

along with what i put into my body i decided to take some care with the outside of it too. i introduced both dry body brushing and epsom salt baths to my daily routine and instead of doing the tibetan five rites every other day, i upped the practice to every morning.

for the first couple of days i felt a bit lethargic and really had to force myself out of bed for my sunrise tibetan five rites but by the end i’d bounce outta bed and  i didn’t even miss my morning skinny cap (i’m even thinking for all these years i actually have been a morning person, i just never got up early enough to realise it!) i also didn’t feel the need for the 3pm pick me up (goodbye mini mars bar) and have  found my cravings for sugar are now non existent. now this has never happened to me before. previously i felt like sugar almost controlled my body and i don’t know if it was the combination of everything i did that week or what but i just don’t fancy the sweet stuff anymore! which has now encouraged me to make some even bigger lifestyle choices!

1.     eating alkaline (more on that in another post)

2.     yoga everyday
3.  taking up the oprah & chopra 21 day meditation challenge

4.     keep up the dry body brushing & epsom salt baths

5.     schedule a massage every 6 weeks

this year i turn 29, so my goal is to reach optimal levels of health and wellbeing by the time i'm 30. i'm thinking mind health wise i'm heading towards an 8/10 but body health wise i'm probably sitting at a 5,  so i definitely have a bit of work ahead of me but by building on practices like these everyday i think i am well on way to achieving a 10/10 on my mind/body health.

xx

what is:

dry body brushing

it’s the practice of using a dry body brush to exfoliate and stimulate the skin. It’s said to aid the body’s lymphatic drainage, improve the appearance of cellulite and helps tighten the skin while encouraging circulation. there is a particular method to master and miranda kerr’s kora organics blog is a great place to get acquainted with it... you can try this beginners post, this how to post and for all the post pregnancy ladies check this one out too! if you’re still a bit unsure there are even tutorials available on youtube or dvds available to purchase along with your brush!

after two weeks of dry body brushing i’m hooked! and i might sound like an infomercial but you really DO need to try this one for yourself!

epsom salt baths (high in magnesium)

soaking in some epsom salts (fantastic for after some dry body brushing) draws out toxins from the body, improves circulation and heart health, relieves sore muscles and is great way to wind down and de-stress. epsom salts are cheap and available from the supermarket! add a couple of drops of lavender, get a book and soak away your day… again i’m all for this exercise of indulgence and have kept up with the practice every second or third day.

tibetan five rites

to get the body going in the morning i have been beginning my day with a practice also known as the fountain of youth! the tibetan five rites are five yoga-esque exercises that promote energy, enhanced clarity, a sense of calm, reduction in stress and increased strength and flexibility. each rite is performed 21 times in sequence from rite one to five (if you are new to the practice it is suggested start with a lower number of repetitions and work your way up to the full 21). getting up and moving in the morning is going to be great for you but this practice is one that increases energy throughout the day rather than depleting or exhausting it.