We'll be the first to admit just how easy it can be to overdo it on a night of drinking or eating out. So when the "just one more" mentality, whether it be one more glass of wine or another handful of chips, leads to three or four or five more, we wake up feeling sluggish and in need of some detoxing. Sound familiar?
Well, just because you may be feeling like you're in a rut doesn't mean you have to turn to extreme detox methods to get your body back up to speed. In fact, it can be as easy as eating certain foods over others and taking a few extra supplements. To find out how to detox fast, we spoke with clinical nutritionist Sam Franceschini, MSCN, who admitted that it's not all about going on some crazy green-juice binge. "You've probably heard these before, but some of the best (and easiest) ways to detox quickly involve getting great sleep and drinking a big glass of lemon water in the morning."
We rounded up eight easy ways to detox within the span of a day or so. Read through the following dietitian-recommended tips to quickly hit the reset button and detox your body naturally—in just 24 hours or less.
1. Overindulge in Sleep
Sleep is crucial to getting your body back on the right track, Franceschini insisted, so logging more than your average hours of rest is one of the best ways to hit the reset button.
2. Drink a big glass of warm water with lemon first thing in the morning
Repeat after me: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Squeeze fresh lemons into a big glass of warm or room-temperature water and drink it first thing in the morning. Avoid iced water and any cold beverages, especially during meals, since these will only mess with your digestion.
3. Replenish with the right nutrients (especially after a night of drinking)
After a night out, it's important to replenish your body with the nutrients you lose by drinking alcohol. "One of the organs that are most stressed when you're drinking is the liver. When you're replenishing the liver with some vital nutrients, you can actually skip your hangover and detox at the same time," Franceschini shared. She advises taking chlorella, which is chock-full of those good B vitamins, prior to going out drinking and then the morning after.
Go for electrolytes while you're at it, too, but Franceschini advises avoiding drinks like Gatorade because, although a popular hangover remedy, they come with a host of additives that can slow down your body's recovery time.
4. Cut out processed sugar
It should come as no surprise, but the first things to go when you're in detox mode are processed foods—specifically processed sugars. Food can definitely be used for detoxification, so it's just as important to know what not to eat.
5. And load up your plate with leafy veggies instead
Whole foods like cruciferous veggies, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens, just became your new best friends. Sure, spinach and kale may come to the top of your mind when trying clean up your diet, but Franceschini says these veggies can be just as (if not more) effective at detoxing.
6. Brew yourself a cup of herbal tea
Dandelion, ginger, and red clover are all natural detoxifying herbs, making them some of the best herbal teas you can drink.
7. Reach for essential oils
Essential oils like lemon, oregano, myrrh, and frankincense are great ways to detox topically through the skin. Apply them (with a carrier oil) around your neck like you would do with perfume to target the lymphatic system. Plus, you'll just smell really good.
8. Don't forget about your lymphatic system
"This is far and away the most ignored tip when it comes to detoxing," Franceschini told us. While we're used to detoxing the gut and limbs, focusing on the lymphatic system is just as important. The best ways to do so? Find an infrared sauna to sweat it out, get a lymphatic massage, or try dry brushing.
Before or after the shower, use a dry brush to help with circulation and exfoliate your skin. Start at your feet and move toward your heart, working your way up to your arms and abdomen.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.