Tips to get over the holiday splurge

Unsifted wheat flour (Photo: Wikipedia)

Should I make a New Year’s resolution this year?

I was doing great this time last year…Zumba, Cross Fit, 4-Hour Body!  Mexico in February with the family. I felt good – my brain was turned on and I had discipline (yes, I would say a 5.45 am Cross Fit class is pretty disciplined!).

I managed really well until October of this year. A ten-day vegetarian silent retreat did me in completely. Not the vegetables, but the white flour carbs.  Following the 4-Hour Body Lifestyle breads, sweets and treats were only a part of my life on my splurge day, one day out of a 7-day week.

As Tim Ferris, author of the 4-Hour Body, says “who can eat chicken and bran seven days a week?”. I looked forward to my splurge day, but felt a distinct food hangover the following day. Often to the point of thinking maybe just maybe I won’t have quite so much bread, cake, pizza the next time…

Q: What can splurging do to your skin?

A: Your skin is the largest excreting organ of the body. If the body can’t pass toxins through the liver or kidneys, then you guessed it, the skin takes a beating. Many problematic skin conditions are related to digestion: acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and other dermatitis issues. Repeat breakouts along the jaw line can suggest indigestion. Wheat, dairy, sugary and refined foods can cause absorption problems and lead to toxification of  the body.

While detoxing your body with a cleanse or fast is helpful, it can leave you feeling worse and looking worse for the short term.

After a long fast, my personal break-outs were awful! Adding digestive enzyme supplements and more water would’ve helped. My skin did return to normal after a week; my energy level soared and my thinking process improved.

This New Year, like many people, I need to get off my ever-widening rear end, eat more kale, and more regularly go for a lone cross-county ski.

I am draggin’, my skin is saggin’,  and my brain is laggin’, all because I have this stupid hand-to-mouth disease. Everything in my hand goes in my mouth!

Tips to get over the holiday splurge and get great-looking skin:

• Hydration
  Junk can’t move without lube. Dehydration causes the body to shut down auxiliary functions like waste elimination
• Pooping
  That’s right, pooping is necessary 2-3 times a day to clear the body of toxins
• Exercise
  Clean blood on the move replaces toxic, deoxygenated blood more efficiently when we exercise regularly
• Eating
  Clear, vibrant skin is a reflection of what we put in our mouths
• Enzymes
  Digestive aids, green drinks, fermented foods, probiotics all help us process our foods better. These are especially important on a “cheat” day
• Fasting
  Believe it or not, we were designed to fast – to clear out everything and “reset” our digestive tracks by giving this workaholic system a break. Increase your water and give your body a digestive holiday (always consult a health care professional before attempting something more than a couple-of-meals fast)

Got a great way to get over the Holi-daze? 

Post a comment on what helps you maintain smooth skin and effective digestion and enter to WIN a Joyous Cleanser! Most commented-on suggestion wins!

For other suggestions on how to achieve great skin and a healthy, happy mind, click here.