Winter detox: An easy way to shed those extra kilos

The nip in the air ensures winters have arrived. This season brings parties and celebrations, with variety of foods to gorge on. What's more, most of the times during the jubilant celebrations, we tend to get a wee gluttonous too. This coupled with being cooped up indoors to avoid foggy, chilling atmosphere, even snowfall in some geographical areas. Moreover, as the mercury dips, the metabolic rate of our body too goes down, which is an addition to the winter blues.

Winters not only hinder our outdoor physical activities such as jogging, running, trekking, cycling, etc but it also impacts our weight management efforts and makes us gain more weight.

When we start gaining weight, we tend to accumulate fat as well. To add to your woes, this fat starts attracting toxins and storing them. And this is where winter detoxification is needed to combat fat and weight gain.

Detox should always precede weight loss. This is because fat has the tendency to store toxins. And believe me, those who are overweight or obese, they take the most beating.

Obesity is associated with free radical damage, which causes release of toxic substances in body that accumulate in fat. When we shed that excess flab and fat, all these toxins get into the blood stream. This spells doom for health as the toxins have the propensity to cause all sorts of medical health issues right from a depressed mood to serious conditions like cancer, cardiovascular ailments etc.

To keep obesity at bay, foods that enable detoxification should form the basic game plan as a precedent for weight loss. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are packed with heavy dose of nutrients and a rich source of powerful antioxidants. Stock these essential products to detox, lose weight and to get naturally glowing skin during winters.

The ABCD of Winter Detox

A for Almonds: Loaded with goodness of magnesium, manganese as well as Vitamin E, almonds are protein rich nut. Besides said to be a memory enhancer, almonds help in keeping the skin soft, moisturised and combat dry air.

A also for Apples: Rich in fiber and Vitamin C, apple is a filling snack, which detoxes your body and helps in weight loss.

B for Beetroot: Enriched with ‘betalains' which are anti inflammatory as well as anti oxidants in nature are apt for the winter detox.

B also stands for Broccoli: This yummy delight can be consumed by slightly stir fried in olive oil or steamed with other seasonal vegetables. It’s an amazing powerhouse of free radical scavengers. Broccoli is a star amongst winter detox foods, which not only helps in removing toxic elements associated with excess fats in the body, but also helps in losing weight whilst helping in improving good cholesterol levels in our body.

C for Cabbage: A super solid antioxidant, Cabbage is rich in Vitamins A and C. Mix both the colours of purple and green for a polyphenol rich detox diet.

C also for Cauliflower: It contains glucosinates which trigger release of detox enzymes in our body. Cauliflower is a must in our armaments for detox.

C also for Cumin: Cumin is immune - boosting and is an adjuvant with other foods when it comes to detox. A decoction of cumin with basil leaves is a refreshing antioxidant detox drink.

D for Dry ginger: Both dry and wet variants of ginger are good detoxifying ingredients. Ginger is packed with anti-inflammatory properties and aids digestion. Like cumin, ginger too is an adjuvant when it comes to detoxification of the body. Ginger basil tea is a healthy herbal drink during winters.

G for Garlic: Garlic is anti-inflammatory, anti cancer, anti cholesterol, anti oxidant in nature. Just a few pods when consumed daily or especially during winters, bring in huge detox benefits for its properties cited above. Garlic also helps to boost the HDL or good cholesterol level!

Other winter detox products: Onions, green leafy vegetables, herbs and spices like turmeric, fennel, cinnamon, and vegetables such as green collards, kale, spinach, etc are power houses of anti oxidants and helps in removing toxins from the body.

Thereby, include these healthy combos of winter detox in your diet and remember portion control and moderation is the keys to detox and weight loss. Indulge in mindful eating. Eat with a high level of consciousness and there you are - a healthy, fit individual all set to face any challenge of life.

Disclaimer: People with hypothyroidism should avoid cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc as these may hamper the thyroid hormone functions.