Detox delight

Natural Health, Sept, 2007 by Mary Bolster

YEARS AGO, detox meant recovering from a Saturday night of too much alcohol. It involved lying in bed for 24 hours, moaning quietly, and vowing never to drink again. The subsequent week would be spent amateurishly purging the toxins: waking early, exercising vigorously, and limiting calories. Then the weekend rolled around again, and the cycle stared over. I exaggerate slightly--it didn't happen every weekend, nor did it last beyond college. The point is, a detox used to be about extremes: You'd trash your body for weeks then put it through a period of deprivation.

The secret to a modern-day detox is moderation. If you can incorporate healthier habits all season long, a detox becomes more about slowing down and getting centered than about purging--and it's ultimately more productive. Instead of just helping you recover, the detox helps you re-energize, refocus, and reconfirm your commitment to a more positive way of life.

A detox like "You: Renewed" on page 68 eases you out of sloppy summer habits with a gentle prescription of herbal teas, relaxing yoga poses, healing seasonal meals, and a contemplative or soothing ritual that encourages you to look inward. Taking a step back allows you to identify and change patterns that may be sabotaging your efforts to stay healthy, fit, and calm. And the uncomplicated nature of our detox means that you can incorporate many of the tips into your everyday routine. Before you know it, every day will be a detox day.

MARY BOLSTER

EDITOR IN CHIEF

editorinchief@naturalhealthmag.com