source: harpersbazaar.com
The past month of
late-night parties, cocktails and cookies has come to a close and now
it's time to hit the reset button. No need to spend hours at the gym or
start an intense diet, though—just follow these easy tips from top health experts.
1) Make taking off your morning-after makeup even easier.
Swap out your regular face wash for an oil cleanser. Oils gently
dissolve even long-wear makeup, cleanse the face, and improve barrier
function of the skin all in a single step. It's so easy, you'll stop
"forgetting" to wash your face before bed. We like Julep Love your Bare Face Age-Defying Cleansing Oil.
2) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Then hydrate some more. "Maintaining
hydration levels will help you quickly eliminate toxins in the body,
particularly from alcohol," says Amanda Foti, Senior Dietitian for Selvera Wellness.
3) When water isn't enough, revisit a childhood drink.
After a night of celebrating with alcohol and sugary party treats, "I
recommend drinking Pedialyte," says Dr. Sobel, dermatologist and founder
of DDF Skincare. "It has nutrients that will help the body retain water without puffiness and rehydrate your body."
4) Make small diet changes to get your body back on track. Foti
tells us, "for the average healthy individual, detoxifying mechanisms
exist right in their own organs. Our bodies are very efficient at
pulling out the toxins and excreting them as necessary." However, after
weeks of forsaking healthy eating in favor of calorie-filled holiday
favorites, you can find yourself struggling to get back into a normal
pattern. "Following a juice cleanse for one to two days or incorporating
a shake or herbal tea every morning can work to mentally kick start
these changes," advises Foti.
5) Try planks for a flatter belly faster.
The full-body plank is a simple but challenging move you can do
anywhere. "Among other benefits, it helps eliminate belly bloat," says
David Kirsch, Celebrity Trainer and Author of Ultimate Family Wellness.
6) Moisturize smarter.
"People think the heavier the cream the better, but they cause
blemishes in the attempt to rehydrate" explains Dr. Sobel. In fact,
"moisture creams work by helping to hold water in the skin. They must be
applied to damp skin in order to see any significant increase in
hydration."
7) Do yoga, even if you feel like you can't. "The key to yoga as a hangover helper is to heal the places the alcohol has attacked," explains Lauren Imparto in her new book Retox: Yoga*Food*Attitude.
She suggests a Kidney Relief Backbend while seated in a chair: "Place
your hands by your sides or on the chair behind you. Inhale, lift your
chest. Exhale, find a backbend in your middle and lower back. Breathe
into your kidneys and optionally drop your head back. Hold three to ten
breaths."
8) Replenish potassium.
After a night out, your body has likely lost a lot of its nutrients
due to the diuretic effects of alcohol. Eat foods that cater to your
needs, "Bananas, a boiled or baked potato or an avocado sprinkled with
salt can all do the trick and will be gentle on your upset stomach,"
advises Imparto.
9) Pop a supplement. Nerium's EHT Age-Defying Supplement
contains a mixture of bioactive molecules isolated from coffee and
helps to maintain and enhance healthy neuron connections in the brain.
Strengthening these neuronal connections promotes better cognitive
function and brain health, enhances the body's natural energy stores,
and boosts the immune system.
10) Get motivated to work out by booking discounted fitness classes. Dibs,
a new NYC- based platform, is launching in the new year and promises to
help you find classes at lower prices using an algorithm that takes
into account real-time demand. Expect lower class rates when you book in
advance, for less popular class times or in inclement weather.
