Detox is a word we hear all the time on the covers on health and beauty magazines. Many programmes, pills and super-foods claim to have detoxifying effects, but in truth you can create your own pre-wedding detox very simply at home. Busy brides, or brides on a budget can get gorgeous health without investing a lot of time or money.
The benefits of such a programme can be weight loss, renewed energy, an increased feeling of well-being, better skin and clearer eyes - all depending on how long and how deep you go into a detox. This is brilliant as part of your bridal beauty preparation.
Something to remember: food and expensive detox gadgets don't heal you, your body heals itself but only when it's free from the distractions of modern life, such as alcohol, processed food, copious amounts of fat and sugar, smoking and other lifestyle "habits". Busy brides are often stressed too which can damage the body, hamper your ability to lose weight and ruin that beautiful happy glow that all brides want.
Detoxing is simply giving your body a break, and letting it use its own incredible powers to heal you from the inside out.
Here are some simple ideas for your own wedding diet detox programme:
1. Hydration is key for brides who want glowing skin
We've all heard it plenty of times - drink more water. Most people are quite dehydrated, which can show up in dry skin, increased appearance of wrinkles, bad breath and even mental fog (remember our brains are 80% water).
Aim for 1-2 litres of fresh, clean water a day, and always have a bottle with you so it becomes a habit to drink it, particularly at work. You can add in a slice of lemon, parsley or even cucumber to make the water taste fresh and inviting. Tea, coffee and sugary drinks DO NOT count as your water intake for the day and can actually have an unintended effect of making you hungrier and thirstier.
We also confuse the feeling of dehydration with hunger, so next time you feel hungry but you've already eaten, have a glass of water instead and see if the feeling passes.
2. Take a rest from the wedding
An effective detox is also a mental thing. If you usually spend all weekend on the computer or watching TV, try relaxing in a different way. Read a book, do some gentle yoga, take a nice long bath, or laze around outside in the fresh air and sunshine. It gives your body a chance to regroup, revitalise and refresh for the week ahead.
This also includes rest from any habits you know in your heart are not serving you and your health including; smoking, drinking alcohol regularly, eating fatty, salty or sugary foods or even indulging in activities like gossiping, watching trashy TV or reading beauty magazines that make you feel unworthy, fat or ugly.
Ban all wedding chores and discussions for your detox and try to resist thinking or obsessing about all the things you still have to do before your big day.
Give yourself a break from all of this, and you will free some mental energy and who knows, might even unleash some hidden creativity or passion.
3. Juice your way to good health
Some celebrities do a juice detox, known as a "Juice Feast", eating no food, but drinking fresh raw juice in unlimited quantities to get ready for a red carpet, a photo shoot and even their own weddings. This is very gentle on the body because it requires very little energy to digest while still getting amazing nutrition and vitamins into the body.
It's also an incredibly quick way to lose a few pounds without starving yourself. You can drink as much juice as you like during a Juice Feast. Start with one day of just juice, and then increase a day each time you do it. You might want to do this just before your wedding, or in preparation for the honeymoon. Either way, it's a safe, effective and very quick last minute wedding diet.
You may not want to do a juice feast, but you can still add in a fresh juice or smoothie to your daily routine. By drinking a lot of freshly made juice, you can make your skin look better, reduce the appearance of cellulite and get increased energy. Freshly made is always better than store bought, as they often have unwanted sweeteners, preservatives in them or they have been pasteurised (heat treated), which can destroy a lot of the nutrients.
Start with simple recipes with a base of cucumber, celery and apple and then experiment to your heart's desire. You only need a cheap juicer or blender to get started and there are plenty of free juice recipes on the internet to try out.
4. Eat fresh and simple food
During your detox only eat small amounts of simple and real food, either just fresh and raw, or lightly steamed without condiments or sauces. Avoid anything fried, processed, baked, salted or microwaved.
Real food means anything that is instantly recognisable as food and generally has one ingredient, such as fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts and sprouts. Experiment with "mono-meals", which is a simple meal of just one food - like eating as much watermelon as you'd like, or a whole bowl of delicious ripe tomatoes.
If you get hungry during the detox, drink as much fresh raw juice as you'd like and get used to the feeling of "real hunger", unlike eating out of habit or boredom.
It will be worth it - imagine walking down the aisle in your gorgeous wedding dress!
5. Being present and grateful for everything, not just the wedding
How often do we think, "Life goes by so fast!"? Between obsessing about the past, and worrying about the future, it's rare for us to actually be present right now. Especially when you are planning for a wedding; life just feels like a prelude to the big day.
Yoga, meditation or just simple breathing exercises can bring you into the present. Try putting your hand on your heart right now and taking in 3 deep and slow breaths. Doesn't that feel wonderful?
Before you go to bed at night, tell your partner 5 things in your life that you are grateful for and ask them to do the same. I guarantee you go to bed with a smile on your face.
I hope you realise now that detoxing doesn't need to be complicated or expensive and you can do it any time you like. You don't have to pay to go to an expensive spa, or even do any special wedding preparation. A simple detox can be worth more than any expensive pre-wedding regimes.
You can repeat this simple detox over and over, and you can take it from a simple 2-3 day, into a 30 day challenge, 100 days or beyond. Each time will be a gift to your body and your health, not to mention a fantastic investment in your wedding day body!
