Diwali is a festival of light and happiness and it is often associated with parties, get-togethers, binge eating, not following a proper routine, sleep-less nights, careless eating and drinking and much more. Having such a lifestyle for a couple of days, disturbs our gut as well as adds on to some weight too. Due to this there are some common health concerns that pop up after the festive indulgence. Some of them are as follows:
1.Increased Inflammation and associated risks:
Fried, ultra processed, and sugary foods often lead to the formation of certain free radicals in our body, which become the primary cause of the inflammation. Diets full of refined flour, processed juices or sodas, and processed snacks are also linked to risk of heart diseases as well as strokes. High intake of sugar can also lead to impaired functioning of the white blood cells and reduced immunity. Hence, it becomes easier for our body to get any infections.
2.Sleep deprivation:
Late night parties and festive gatherings can lead to a disturbed sleep which can affect the hormonal balance, including increased stress hormone cortisol and decreased sleep hormone, melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone which naturally reduces cortisol and this process is carried out smoothly when we get enough sleep. However, late night get-togethers hamper sleep, leading to less or no production of our sleep hormone melatonin which results in increased production of stress hormone, cortisol. This increased production of cortisol may lead to weight gain, emotional eating, poor gut health and a slower metabolism. Furthermore, being sleep deprived can also lead to a sluggish body and metal fog, making it extremely difficult to stay motivated or productive.
3.Water retention and bloating
The authentic traditional festive foods are mostly high on spices and salts, which may result in water retention. This leads to slight puffiness and bloating, primarily in the hands, feet and the face. In addition to this, the festive foods, sweets, and alcohol may also lead to dehydration from the body. This will result in retaining more water in the body in order to compensate for the losses, leading to bloating. It can also lead to related gut health issues like constipation, indigestion or acidity.
7 Simple Steps to Detox your body:
Amidst of these festivities, our health truly goes for a toss as mentioned above. Hence, it is extremely important for us to detoxify our body so that it can attain its normal functioning. Some of the simple steps are as follows:
Step 1: Consume turmeric and lemon water
Lemon water aids in digestion and helps in flushing out toxins from the body. It further helps our body in maintaining an alkaline pH. As per a research published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2022, the citric acid present in the lemon helps in boosting the secretion of gastric juices, which help in the breakdown and digestion of food. Similarly, turmeric has proven to be extremely beneficial in managing liver health and its anti-inflammatory properties further help us in detoxifying our body.
How to consume this drink – Boil 1 inch of fresh turmeric in two cups of water till the time it reduces to one cup. Once it reduces, turn down the flame and sieve the water in a cup. Squeeze 4-5 drops of lemon and drink hot.
Step 2: Stay hydrated
It is important that we focus on the hydration levels as it helps in improving the digestion and keeps the body alkaline. When the body is at alkaline pH, the issues of bloating also reduce. Drinking a good quantity of water also helps the liver in processing the toxins. Hence, try to incorporate a good amount of water in your daily routine especially after the festive season.
Ways through which we can incorporate more water intake are as follows:
- add more infused waters like cinnamon and lemon, ginger and turmeric etc.
- add herbal teas such as green tea which are also rich in antioxidants. This will also help in further detoxification. It can be consumed one to two times a day.
- Having vegetable juices in the morning will add to the detoxification process and will improve the organ functioning.
- Add amla and aloe vera juice to your morning routine as it is an excellent source of liver detoxification and will add to the daily water intake.
Step 3: Include fiber-rich foods
Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into the diet is extremely important. Adding these to your daily routine is extremely important as it adds to the daily vitamin, minerals and fiber. The fiber present in the fruits and vegetables leads to production of short-chain fatty acids, which facilitates the development of good gut microbiome.
The variety of foods that can be added for increasing the fiber intake are:
- GLV’s (Green Leafy Vegetables) like palak, bathua, and methi leaves etc.
- Seasonal fruits like apple, guava, pomegranate, citrus fruits etc.
- Whole grains and millets such as jowar, brown rice, oats etc.
Step 4: Include probiotics
During the festive season, the consumption of fried foods, refined flour, sugary drinks and sweets tends to increase a lot. Due to which the gut health and the gut microbiome both go for a toss. Hence, it becomes important to include foods which are a natural source of probiotics. Fermented foods like idli, dosa, buttermilk, curd etc are excellent sources of probiotics. Similarly, foods like kanji (rice kanji, beetroot kanji, carrot kanji), kimchi, sauerkraut, miso etc are some more fermented foods which are rich in probiotics. Including them in your regular routine will improve the gut health and further promote better digestion.
Step 5: Say No to refined sugar and refined flour
It is important to exclude refined sugar, and things made up of refined flour from your routine especially after the festive season. These foods lead to destruction of the gut microbiome and cause issues of indigestion, acidity bloating etc. Hence, limit your intake or completely eliminate them. You can add alternatives like dates, jaggery, jaggery powder, homemade sweets made up of jaggery, honey and enjoy roasted or baked options instead of fried.
Step 6: Eat cruciferous vegetables
Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts contain certain compounds that support liver detoxification. According to a review published in the Frontiers in 2023, these vegetables contain sulforaphane, which can induce detoxifying and antioxidant enzymes in the liver.
How to use them – Make sure you steam or saute these vegetables before use. You can consume it in the form of a salad or as a vegetable preparation or simply add them as a side dish to your meals.
Step 7: Include physical activity
It is extremely important to start with the physical activity routine post the festive season to manage the gain of those extra inches. Additionally, as a part of following a good lifestyle, it is also very important that we include a minimum 20-30 mins of physical activity on a daily basis. This can be done by incorporating yoga, walks, HIIT workout or anything similar. Doing this will act as a natural detox for your body. It will promote good gut health, improved organ functioning and production of better digestive enzymes.