Post-Holiday Detox

On 23 September autumn officially begins, so you still have time to enjoy an autumnal detox. Yes, that’s right, spring is not the only season that is ideal for enjoying these kinds of cleanses; instead, every season has a rhythm and energy adaptation phase.

If during springtime we see how nature buds and energy rises up tree trunks into new leaves, in autumn the reverse happens: the trees lose leaves and their energy drops into their roots to capture and store nutrients ready for the following spring. A spring detox diet serves to eliminate excess fats and to remove the heavy and salty foods of the winter, focusing in particular on the liver. The aim of the autumnal detox is to eliminate excess sugars and to nourish and strengthen oneself ready to face the winter ahead with a strong immune system. The organs that we focus on during this season are the large intestine and the lungs.

During the summer months we typically tend to overindulge: frequently consuming ice-creams, soft or sugary drinks, increasing the number of meals and snacks eaten out, all with high salt and oil content, and at irregular times with erratic eating habits. If this is not the case and we have followed a balanced diet throughout the summer, with a lot of vegetables, seasonal cereals such as corn, quinoa, amaranth or barley, and pulses in the form of salads or pates, there may be no need for a detox, but we still need to adapt our diet to the new season that is about to begin, perhaps reducing portion sizes and using more simple cooking processes, such as pressing, blanching, steaming or boiling, adding more broths and whole grain rice and reducing the intake of summer cereals.

If, on the other hand, you have overindulged this summer, you may be interested in doing a detox diet.

As regards food, the first things to be eliminated are all the toxins you have consumed, from ice-creams and alcohol to fried foods and animal proteins. The most suitable foods are those that are starting to appear in the markets now, such as green mustard leaves, radishes, rocket and the first cabbages of the season (don’t forget that their leaves are their best part), as well as root vegetables. Whole grain rice is perhaps the most balanced cereal and definitely the most suitable for cleansing the intestine.

When making sauces and condiments for your dishes, increase the use of mustard, both Dijon, whole grain and ecological, as well as mustard seeds which can be lightly toasted for grinding and adding to stews. Remember that we are talking about detoxing, and so you should reduce or eliminate the use of oil (use a maximum of 2 tablespoons a day), and butter, both of animal and vegetable origin (tahini, peanut, walnut…). Also reduce the use of salt, which must always be unrefined. To that end you could use more toasted and ground seaweeds in condiments and dressings. In any case, remember that the most important thing is to reduce intake, simplify cooking and sauces and buy high-quality locally-produced, seasonal vegetables.

Another important part of any cleansing process is the elimination of accumulated toxins, and the best way to do that is definitely through moderate exercise: energetic walks that make us break out into a sweat, even cleaning the house from top to bottom, getting rid of everything we don’t need anymore, but that others might, emptying shelves and dusting the hardest to reach corners. I can assure you this is a very intense exercise and it eliminates toxins, not only from your body but from your surroundings, and so it acts as a double detox.

Contact with nature promotes oxygenation and we mustn’t forget that our main nutrient is oxygen, so, if we are careful with the food we buy, we must be even more careful with the air we breathe. Reaching the winter with “unblocked” and well-oxygenated lungs could help save us from a cold or two.

Finally, give yourself a body scrub with cloths wet in very hot water and, if possible, fresh ginger juice. To do this, fill a washbasin with very hot water and fresh ginger juice, place a cotton cloth in the washbasin, remove and squeeze well. Start rubbing your entire body with the cloth, using circular motions. This will activate the lymphatic system and promote cleansing.

Don’t forget that, like nature, energy will move towards the roots, and so you should spend more time on relaxing activities like listening to calming music, reading, or holding relaxing conversations with loved ones.

Also, for a comprehensive and exclusive detox that is totally customised for the mind, body and soul, SHA offers a specific DETOX programme available for 7 or 14 days, which combines the latest, cutting-edge treatments designed specifically to achieve that objective. In addition to a detoxifying diet, we provide natural therapies and physical exercise, which are adapted specifically to your body and are always monitored and supervised by our team of professionals, with which you can ready yourself for the upcoming autumn-winter season.

Find out all there is to know about our programme here.