Detoxifying, purifying and boosting the body after the festivities

Over the festive period, the body is put under enormous strain. The last few weeks of December are generally associated with all-round over-indulgence and consumption of rich food. Apart from the huge demands placed on the liver by these dietary excesses, our overall equilibrium becomes disrupted. The body’s bio-rhythms are affected by many factors, symptoms of which typically include poor digestion, physical and muscular fatigue, migraines and irritability. Fortunately, there are a number of ways in which to help the body recover its equilibrium and vitality. These are simple solutions which will detoxify, purify and boost the body, perfect for dealing with the aftereffects of the festive period.

First step: a post-Christmas detox diet

Though eagerly-awaited, the Christmas and New Year festivities are not such good news for the body which has to withstand something of an onslaught. The festive period is characterised by over-indulgence and heavy meals high in protein, fat and sugar, and low consumption of fruit and vegetables. So the first, post-festivities step is to re-establish good eating habits by, in particular, restricting your intake of protein, fat and sugar. Contrary to popular opinion, fasting is not a good idea as it deprives the body of many essential nutrients including certain minerals and vitamins. The same can be true of some diets promoted as detox cures. Following a balanced diet and ensuring optimal hydration is therefore still one of the best ways of restoring the body’s equilibrium after the festive period.

Improve your intestinal transit

While we might enjoy the blowout meals of Christmas and New Year, our digestive systems do not. They have to work very hard to deal with the increased quantities and richness of the food we consume at these times. These sudden and repeated changes in consumption can cause digestive problems such as bloating, heartburn, acid reflux, abdominal cramps and nausea. With their positive effects on intestinal transit, high-fibre foods such as raw or cooked fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, and cereals, particularly wholegrain cereals, should therefore be prioritised. Digestive comfort is also related to the balance of our gut flora. Normally comprised of numerous microorganisms that break down certain molecules and so facilitate digestion, our digestive flora is also seriously upset during periods of over-indulgence. It is thus essential to rebalance our gut flora in order to improve digestive comfort. In this context, multiple studies have demonstrated the benefits of probiotic supplementation, as described in our article on the preventive and curative effects of probiotics. Naturally present in intestinal flora, these microorganisms are also available in the form of dietary supplements, derived from various strains. One such strain is Lactobacillus gasseri the digestive benefits of which have been widely demonstrated. Along with relieving certain digestive disorders, this probiotic strain has also been the subject of a recent study into its effects on weight loss¹. Involving 210 Japanese adults, this study revealed that supplementing with Lactobacillus gasseri may help specifically reduce abdominal fat, as well as more generally decrease weight, and waist and hip circumference. This strain of probiotic would thus seem to be a key ally in neutralising the effects of the festive season.

Boost the digestive system

While probiotics are frequently highlighted as improving digestive comfort, there is less awareness of the role of prebiotics in the digestive system. Prebiotics are substances that promote the activity and growth of probiotics and thus improve the beneficial effects of probiotics in the digestive system. Hence the two are often combined for maintaining or restoring the balance of gut flora. This is the case with the formulation Probio Forte™ which combines in a single capsule several strains of probiotics and prebiotics including inulin. Found naturally in many plants, inulin is a polysaccharide – a combination of several sugar molecules bonded together. Though inulin, like starch, is considered a dietary fibre, it is non-digestible by digestive enzymes. This means it passes through the intestines unabsorbed and can be used by probiotics to beneficial effect in the gut. Inulin, of which chicory root is a rich source, can be extracted to formulate dietary supplements. Other prebiotics available as supplements include combinations of sugars such as fructo-oligosaccharides which are not absorbed by the body and thus deliver a prebiotic effect in the gut. This beneficial effect has indeed been demonstrated in a number of scientific studies, including one published in 2009 in theJournal of Physiology and Biochemistry². The study’s authors conclude that fructo-oligosaccharides primarily help improve digestive comfort, combat constipation and encourage the excretion of waste by the body. Taking a supplement that combines probiotics and prebiotics may thus constitute a sure-fire solution to improving the digestion after the festive period.

Restore good biorhythms

If our digestion ‘takes a hit’ as a result of end of year revelries, so too do our biorhythms. Eating on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve is often a long, drawn out affair which can delay and upset normal sleep patterns. What’s more, we are generally less active during the winter months. The result can be physical and muscle fatigue, loss of vitality as well as irritability and feelings of stress. In order to start the New Year on top form, it is therefore important to re-establish good sleep patterns and to take regular exercise. A number of natural plant extracts can encourage restorative sleep following the upsets of the festive period. One such extract is valerian, which has been extensively studied for its sleep-promoting benefits and absence of side-effects. Such effects were indeed confirmed in a comprehensive scientific review published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2006³. Another plant with demonstrated benefits in countering fatigue, particularly that related to stress, and which is available as a dietary supplement, is Rhodiola rosea. Its efficacy was confirmed by a study published in 2009 in the journal Planta Medica⁴.

Detoxify the body

Though the body can cope with a certain amount of overindulgence, the excesses typical of Christmas and New Year place it under sustained, repeated attack, forcing it to simultaneously fight off a number of external aggressions. This is particularly so for detoxifying organs such as the liver and kidneys. These organs are hard at work over the holiday period eliminating toxins and waste from the body. However, when excesses are too great, the accumulation of toxins and waste products can be difficult to get rid of, potentially causing digestive problems or stomach upsets. Fortunately, help is available in the form of substances such as milk thistle, a plant which contains a complex called silymarin, widely studied for its effects in protecting the liver. Indeed, studies published in the journals Phytotherapy Research and Natural Product Communications have highlighted silymarin’s antioxidant potency, detoxifying action and liver-protective effects^5,6. Another research team believes such properties make silymarin useful as a counter to the harmful effects of alcohol on the liver⁷. Other plants highlighted for purifying and detoxifying the body include dandelion or Taraxacum, which has been studied for its diuretic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycaemic and analgesic properties⁸. Taken in the form of dietary supplements, these natural extracts could prove highly beneficial as a post-Christmas detox cure.

As the festive season draws to an end, the body’s alarm bells may be sounding. In order to start 2017 on a sound footing, we need to make the right New Year’s resolutions for restoring equilibrium and vitality. The good news is that a number of solutions are available to help re-establish intestinal balance, facilitate digestion and detoxify the body. And why not adopt these measures over the long-term so that you remain in tip-top condition throughout the year?

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> Sources :

1. Yukio Kadooka, Masao Sato, Akihiro Ogawa, Masaya Miyoshi, Hiroshi Uenishi, Hitomi Ogawa, Ken Ikuyama, Masatoyo Kagoshimaand Takashi Tsuchida, « Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 in fermented milk on abdominal adiposity in adults in a randomised controlled trial », Volume 110, Issue 9 November 2013, pp. 1696-1703.
2. Sabater-Molina M, Larqué E, Torrella F, Zamora S, « Dietary fructooligosaccharides and potential benefits on health », J Physiol Biochem, 2009 Sep, 65(3) : 315-28.
3. Bent S, Padula A, Moore D, Patterson M, Mehling W, « Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis », Am J Med, 2006 Dec, 119(12) : 1005-12.
4. Olsson EM, von Schéele B, Panossian AG, « A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardised extract shr-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue », Planta Med, 2009 Feb, 75(2) : 105-12.
5. Abenavoli L, Capasso R, Milic N, Capasso F, « Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future », Phytother Res, 2010 Oct, 24(10) : 1423-32.
6. Milić N, Milosević N, Suvajdzić L, Zarkov M, Abenavoli L, « New therapeutic potentials of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) », Nat Prod Commun, 2013 Dec, 8(12) : 1801-10.
7. Das SK, Mukherjee S, « Biochemical and immunological basis of silymarin effect, a milk thistle (Silybum marianum) against ethanol-induced oxidative damage », Toxicol Mech Methods, 2012 Jun, 22(5) : 409-13.
8. Schütz K, Carle R, Schieber A, « Taraxacum — a review on its phytochemical and pharmacological profile », J Ethnopharmacol, 2006 Oct 11, 107(3) : 313-23.