What to eat after Christmas to “detoxify”?

The term detox is a bit “overused”. As a reminder, detoxifying the body and eliminating toxins is the role of emunctory organs such as the liver, kidneys or intestines. During holiday meals, especially at Christmas, we tend to eat large amounts of foods high in fat and sugar. As a result, you can quickly feel bloated, have stomach aches or nausea … Certain foods and drinks can help improve the situation after a holiday meal. You can even prepare your body before this time to aid digestion during meals. “A good detox is to promote drainage and the elimination of toxins. It begins with the consumption of 1.5 to 2 liters of water and the practice of a physical activity”, warns Karen Elbaz, nutritherapist and micronutritionist. How to properly eliminate toxins after the holiday season meals? The expert answers us.

What can be the consequences of a too rich Christmas meal on health?

After eating too rich, the body can suffer in different ways. First, the liver can also be impacted. Consequences: you may feel tired, have migraines, notice an alteration in the quality of your skin (it is less smooth, pimples may appear…). The intestine can also be damaged. “It is very sensitive. If the microbiota is disturbed, it can cause gas, bloating, transit problems …”

How to prepare your body before Christmas?

To fight against the harmful effects of too rich meals, and in particular those of the end of year celebrations, there are several solutions. For Karen Elbaz, we can prepare the holidays beforehand by:

• Optimizing the quality of its microbiota. “It is about consuming omega 3, probiotics, or prebiotics, to limit fast sugars … Probiotics are good bacteria that enrich the intestinal flora. Prebiotics can also be useful because they nourish good bacteria. found in plant foods or in whole grains. “
• Protecting his liver. “To protect your liver, bet on plants, a regular consumption of cabbage-type crucifers. You can also supplement yourself with activated charcoal, desmodium, turmeric… They are perfect for protecting the liver.”

What to eat after Christmas to limit “breakage”?

“After the holidays, we must act quickly”, warns the nutritionist. For “limit the breakage”, the solutions are:

• Intermittent fasting. “If it is well tolerated, it can be a solution to do over a few days. The principle is to fast for 12 to 16 hours after a meal. You should drink plenty of water and you can drink calorie-free liquids like tea or coffee without sugar. “
• Adopt a more plant-based diet. “For a fortnight after the holiday meal, focus on a more plant-based diet to stock up on vitamins and fiber.”
• Limit red meats. “The digestion of red meats is slow. It is therefore advisable to replace them with vegetable proteins or to favor fish and white meats.”
• Limit cheeses and cold meats. While they are excellent in taste, cheeses and cold meats are very high in saturated fat, which makes them foods to avoid in case of detox.
• Bet on spices and aromatics. “They promote the functioning of phase 2 enzymes contained in the liver, which helps promote liver function and its detox. In short, the more we stimulate the liver, the more we promote liver detox.”
• It is necessary to promote the good functioning of the intestine. “To achieve an intestinal detox, and promote good transit, our diet must be rich in fiber, we must also consume foods containing good bacteria (probiotics), such as leek, garlic, chicory, asparagus or again the onion. “
• Favor good fat. “The good fat is that contained in olive oil, rapeseed oil, linseed oil, oily fish, or even in hemp oil for example.”
• Limit fast sugars. “Foods with a high glycemic index such as industrial cakes or white products, ie white bread, white pasta… should be eaten sparingly.”
• Limit processed industrial products.

Which foods to favor after Christmas?

Certain foods are to be favored after the excess of the holidays. They help detoxify the liver and restore normal intestinal transit. Specialist Karen Elbaz recommends eating:

Artichokes, rosemary, black radish in all their forms. “You can consume them as a cure, in herbal tea… These foods stimulate the liver, which promotes biliary elimination. As a reminder, the latter is involved in digestion. To detoxify the body, you have to stimulate the entire digestive circuit. ”

• Whole grains and legumes to replace animal proteins. “The latter are too difficult to digest, especially after a rich meal. So, prefer legumes in combination with a whole grain such as quinoa and chickpeas.”
• Colorful vegetables. “They are rich in fiber and are therefore important for transit. We must promote quantity and diversity by eating at least three colors of vegetables per plate and 400 grams per day.”
• Avocado, beetroot, watercress: watercress soup, avocado carpaccio
• Fermented vegetables. “Sauerkraut is a friend of the gut because cabbage is fermented. It contributes to the health of the microbiota.”
• Soups. “This is a very interesting post holiday dinner base. We can also recommend sprinkling the soup with flax seeds rich in antioxidants, to accentuate the detoxifying power.”

What to drink after a meal to feel better and avoid bloating?

Drinks can help you feel better after a meal that is too rich. Karen Elbaz advises several:

• Green tea. “It is a good, healthy drink because it is rich in polyphenols which fight against oxidation.”
• Rosemary or thyme infusions to detoxify, fennel to improve digestion. “Be careful with fennel: it should not be taken for too long without medical advice.”
• Star anise or anise infusion.
• Lemon balm infusion if the person has stomach ache.
• Dandelion infusion to drain.
• Lemon and ginger infusion to calm feelings of nausea.
• Licorice Infusion: “Rich in diglycerides, it is ideal for protecting the gastric mucosa.”

In addition, you can also take charcoal. “It helps reduce gas and bloating. However, it should be taken away from all the rest of your treatments within 2 hours of taking it before or after.” People who have trouble digesting can take a digestive enzyme complex to help them. “You can also give bromelain, which is extracted from pineapple which helps direct proteins. Probiotics can also be taken with professional advice.” Also stock up on vitamins and minerals to detoxify yourself and fight against oxidative stress.

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