January is a cruel month. After stuffing the face all through December, many find themselves struggling to get back into dietary routine in January. Weight-gain, lethargy, mood swings are all common, say nutritionists.
Scientifically, winter is the month when one should eat less, as the body tends to store up fat to insulate against the cold. “Winter is the time for having vegetable soups, and increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, these are the two months when we tend to load up on calories in the form of cakes, meats and alcohol,” says wellness expert Nuthan Manohar. “In January, I have observed that many of my clients don’t wake up and come to class. They complain of headaches, irritability, bloating, and body pain. It is because of the toxins in the body,” she says.
Detox seems to be the word of the month. Following a detox regimen for two to three days will help flush out the toxins from the body, says Gayathri Asokan, consultant nutritionist. “There is no need for drastic dieting, because that will lead to nutrient deficiency. All you need to do is follow some simple detox methods,” she says.
The easiest way is to include a lot of green leafy vegetables, which are rich in iron, folic acid, vitamin A and fibre and help detoxify the liver. “We need at least 100 gm of leafy vegetables daily. Very few people take care to include that amount of greens in their daily diet,” she observes. Follow this up with yoghurt, which has probiotics, which helps to keep the gut healthy. Increase the consumption of water. “If you can drink 2.5 – 3 litres of water a day, there is no better detox than that,” Gayathri says. Adding dried ‘amla’ powder to the water or just adding ‘amla’ pieces to the water would make it vitamin C-rich, she suggests, as it would help reduce weight, too. Including dried fruits and flax seeds would also help. “Though it is better to avoid non-vegetarian food while on detox mode, egg whites are good,” Gayathri says.
While some people prefer to do a “fruit cleansing” some others opt for a “vegetable cleansing”, says consultant nutritionist Mumtaz Khalid Ismail. “If that gets monotonous, try a combination of both fruits and vegetables. Since they are rich in minerals and vitamins and are low on calories, they help remove harmful substances from the body.” Mumtaz recommends a rainbow for the platter. “Try to include rainbow colours when you go shopping for fruits and vegetables. The focus should be on red, yellow/orange, green and blue.” She explains: for red, go for tomatoes and carrots that are rich in carotenoids. Greens include spinach and palak. Orange/yellow includes citrus fruits, which are rich in vitamin C. They are great antioxidants, too. Since blueberries are not easily available, blue can include brinjal and grapes.
While a detox diet is on, there is no need to totally avoid carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates such as oats, whole wheat, millets, ragi and quinoa are good, Mumtaz says. Reduce salt intake, 4-5 gms a day is ideal. Have sprouted pulses that are rich in protein. Even fats are not taboo. “Have good fats such as corn oil or bran oil. But not more than 500 ml per month for a person,” she adds.
A detox diet is best implemented when combined with the right kind of physical exercises. Nuthan says her detox yoga includes kapalbhati , a breathing exercise that makes the body alkaline. Then come some twisting poses, which start working on the abdomen. “When you do these exercises, your heart rate goes up instantly and toxins are released,” she says.
“The actual body cleansing practices include enema and vomiting. But through simple detoxifying methods too, one can remain healthy. In the olden days, people would fast once a week at least, that was their way of giving the body some rest. Some foods can take up to 16 hours to digest completely. So, a break in between helps the body a great deal,” Nuthan adds.
Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetable raises concerns about their safety, especially in these ‘pesticidal’ times. Mumtaz says the easiest way to deal with them is to soak the fruits and vegetables in salted water for about 15 minutes. “Always wash before chopping the vegetables. Adding a bit of turmeric powder or some drops of vinegar to the water while soaking. It will help remove surface-level impurities,” she says.
Getting rid of the toxins applies not just to the body, but to the mind and the surroundings as well. Eating detox food would automatically help detoxify the mind, too. “Clean the surroundings of the house if they are cluttered. De-clutter your room. Bring things with more energy into the house, such as green plants and water and make sure you lead a balanced life,” Nuthan says.
Nuthan Manohar and Gayathri Asokan will conduct a workshop “3 Days Quick Detox” from January 24 to 27 at ‘Me Met Me’, Nuthan’s centre, at Panampilly Nagar, in the mornings and at the Kerala History Museum at Edapally in the evenings. The participants will be given ‘detox kits’ containing ingredients and recipes. For details about the workshop, call 9567366250 / 9947257776.
