The Get Gorgeous Detox

Does your skin look dull and lifeless? Do you wake up in the morning feeling sluggish and tired? If so you could be due a health and beauty overhaul - in other words, it’s time to detox and treat yourself to a complete cleansing regime which could both boost your energy and make your skin glow!

Yawn, yawn (or yuk, yuk), yes, detoxing can be a tiring task involving a dull regime of gallons of water, or worse, lots of vile gungy green drinks and not a lot else! Instead of enduring an intensive detox plan, aim to introduce healthy alternatives into your lifestyle on a regular basis – think more along the lines of tasty exotic fruit smoothies, indulgent body wraps and invigorating scrubs!

And remember, detoxing isn’t just about ridding your body of toxins and losing weight, it’s about boosting your vitality, making you feel great on the inside and looking radiant on the outside. If you do want to take up a more intensive detoxification routine, make sure you consult a naturopath for guidance. In the meantime here are just a few ways to a gleaming and more vibrant new you…

• Delicious Detox Recipes
• Soothing Tea Recipes
• Exfoliate with Body Brushing
• Cleansing Body Wraps

DELICIOUS DETOX DELIGHTS

Eating well is key if you want to keep your body cleansed, leaving you glowing from the inside out.

Follow these guidelines for a healthier eating plan:

Start each meal with something raw, such as chopped apples or grapes. Fruit and vegetables have high levels of Anti-Oxidants and a wealth of nutrients, which cleanse and balance the body.

At least half the foods you eat should be raw. Invest in a juicer or blender and make a smoothie, a quick way to benefit from raw fruit and veg.

1. For all-round goodness, mix 1 ripe mango, 4 kiwi fruit and 1 medium pineapple.
2. Throw into a blender and whizz until smooth to make a delicious Vitamin-packed drink!
3. As soon as you get up in the morning, drink a large glass of hot or cold water with the juice of half a lemon.
4. Then every couple of hours drink a glass of non-carbonated water. In total you should consume 2 litres of water a day, which helps to flush toxins from your body.
   
   Cut down on high-carb potatoes and other starchy vegetables which can slow down your metabolism. Instead, eat leafy vegetables such as spinach or broccoli; green vegetables are rich in cleansing Chlorophyll. Garlic and onions are also especially good for detoxification.

TIME FOR TEA

A quick, refreshing and enjoyable way to detox is to sip some tea. Parsley tea is a diuretic, which helps speed up the detoxifying process.

1. Put 2 heaped tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley into a large jug.
2. Add 500ml of boiling water, cover and leave for 10 minutes. Strain and cool before drinking.
3. Ginger tea also helps flush out your system – add some freshly grated ginger to a mug of boiling water.
4. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes before straining.
5. Add a teaspoon of honey to flavor.
6. Alternatively, try Twinings Green Tea– it’s full of Anti-Oxidants that help ‘mop-up’ harmful Free Radicals and Toxins.

GET GLOWING

Don’t forget your skin is outer evidence of your inner wellbeing. Toxins and impurities are eliminated through the skin so it’s important to keep it fresh and clean.

Body brushing should be the first step of your beauty routine – it boosts your circulation, encouraging the skin to eliminate toxins, gives you an energy boost and leaves your skin smoother, with an all-over healthy gleam; on dry skin, use a natural bristle body brush and always brush towards your heart with gentle, sweeping strokes. Brush for five minutes every morning and night as part of your cleansing routine.

IT’S A WRAP

Often used in body wraps and masks, seaweed extracts help reduce impurities and draw out Toxins, leaving your skin deeply cleansed, toned and refreshed. These extracts are easily absorbed into the bloodstream, where they stimulate cell regeneration.

Seaweed is also a great source of Iodine, a mineral that encourages perspiration and the release of toxins through the skin. If you are in the vicinity of a spa that carries Elemis, try the gorgeously rejuvenating Elemis Cellutox Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap (approx $135 for 1hr 15mins with half body massage) it detoxifies and deep cleanses the body inside and out, combining the riches of sea plants and marine algae with aroma-therapeutic actives.

A warm seaweed body mask combined with a blend of Essential Oils is applied to the body, before you’re cocooned in a comforting foil wrap. Let your thoughts drift away, while you’re also treated to a pressure point massage of the face and a de-stressing scalp treatment.