If you’re looking for a few new ways to detox this New Year, but lack both the funds or the time to check yourself into the Mayr clinic, fear not. Us normal folk can still cleanse, purify and heal our way back to wellness like Rosie HW, Gwyneth and Co. All it requires is some minor stalking of said detox queen’s Instagram accounts and a heads up on a few of 2017’s biggest health trends. Read on to find out more…
By Daniela Morosini
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1 Get into Veganuary
‘Veganuary’ is a great way to ease yourself into a more plant-based lifestyle and help you feel a little more sprightly after the meat and dairy fest that is December. It's just a month and could really give you the energy you so crave. Droves of A-Listers are vegan, including Ariana Grande, Alicia Silverstone and Miley Cyrus. Plus, Beyonce’s dabbled with veganism in the past, undertaking a 22 day vegan challenge to help her refocus and achieve her fitness goals. Not sure if you can totally convert? Try going vegan for January.
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2 Sweat it out with a sauna
There’s something very cleansing – on an almost spiritual level – about a good sweat session. An hour on the treadmill’s not for everyone, so why not take a visit to a local sauna? The controlled high heat will help you work up a serious sweat without moving a muscle – sticky as it may feel, there’s nothing quite like it for hitting ‘reset’ on congested pores from top to toe. Look out for Infrared or Crystal saunas for a real boost…
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3 Yoga with Adriene
If your New Year’s Resolution is to take better care of yourself, try yoga. Even if you don’t quite connect with the spiritual side, yoga is great way to have a little bit of peace and quiet and practice mindfulness, whilst having a gentle workout. We love Yoga With Adriene’s videos on YouTube – she’s got a programme for everything from a bad back to a broken heart. You won’t be disappointed. P.S, the A-list are obsessed with her…
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4 Stock up on Tumeric
We’re calling it now: turmeric is 2017’s green juice. Shailene Woodley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr have all been evangelical about the benefits of this humble spice – not only is it delicious (cod with turmeric. Try it, thank us later), but it’s got powerful anti-inflammatory properties, making it great for your skin and health. You can add a little sprinkle to your morning hot water and lemon, use it directly on spots or cook with it. Oh, and it costs next to nothing.
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5 Upgrade your water bottle
We all know that we need to drink more water. But who among us really has the inclination to keep filling up cup after cup? And if you spend most of your day out and about, it’s just not practical. Make like Gisele and Jessica Alba with a bkr water bottle – trust us, these babies are not just a pretty face. Glass is a better shout than plastic, as plastic water bottles can release a chemical called BPA into your drinking water, which can be a hormone disrupter. These elegant glass bottles come in a range of colours and designs, and make sipping chic.
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6 Get a detox massage
Every Victoria’s Secret Angel worth their salt has waxed lyrical about the benefits of lymphatic drainage massage. Your lymphatic system is your body’s natural system of detoxing, and while it does an alright job chugging along on it’s own, lots of things (like the aforementioned indulgences) can make it a bit sluggish. Book in for full-body or facial and be amazed by the benefits of this deeply rejuvenating treatment. You’ll be firing on all cylinders in no time.
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7 Ballet Beautiful yourself
What do Gigi Hadid, Lily Aldridge and Miranda Kerr all have in common? (Other than being other-worldly beautiful) They’re all fans of Ballet Beautiful, the barre-based fitness craze designed by dancer Mary Helen Bowers. The small, repeated movements seem easy, and might not make you sweat, but they’ll leave you with long, lithe, sculpted limbs. Can’t get to NYC to catch a class? No problem. You can catch lessons on YouTube, or sign up for a plan which gets you personalised classes direct to your laptop or smartphone. And if you'd prefer to keep things local, be sure to explore our list of ballet and barre classes.
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8 Do a double-deep cleanse
Quality Street – great for making even the most forgettable of Christmas TV better, not so great for your skin. Actually, sadly, most delicious festive treats seem to leave your skin feeling dull, grey and a bit congested – so come New Year, do damage control with a deep-cleansing facial. After an hour or so of gentle extraction, pore-minimising masks and rigorous massage, your skin will feel baby-soft and clear as anything. Win-win. Try Face Place for the best deep cleanse ever…
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9 Liver-boosting foods are everything
Your poor liver. After a month of steady drinking (cider counts as one of your five a day, right?) it’s probably feeling a little worse for wear. One of your liver’s key jobs is helping remove toxins from your body, so give it a helping hand by adding some liver-boosting foods to your diet. With food gurus on hand, the A-list are already loading up on mushrooms, peppers, avocados and green tea to help this process.
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10 Pop a charcoal pill
Stay with us – taking charcoal tablets might sound like an accident in art studio, but we promise there’s real benefit. Charcoal has been used in medicine – both traditionally and homeopathically for eons. It’s used in hospitals to treat poisoning and drug overdose, and gas masks are lined with it to prevent dangerous fumes being inhaled. Essentially, it’s a powerful detoxifying agent and has legions of A List fans, including Ms Paltrow. Pop a pill, slap on a mask, chug a water – however you take it, it’s got plenty of benefits.
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11 Rethink running
Walking may be man’s best medicine according to Hippocrates, but there’s nothing like properly pounding the pavements on a jog to get your head clear and your heart pumping. Running’s totally free and can fit into your schedule – only got half an hour? No problem! – and it’s brilliant exercise. Ellie Goulding’s a keen runner, and Karlie Kloss has smashed a few half marathons – hey, if it’s good enough for them…
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12 Cut down juicing costs with frozen berries + spinach
A-List juice fans are a dime a dozen – Poppy Delevingne, Olivia Munn, Gisele – but while we all sadly know, they aren’t talking about a bottle of Sunny D. The celebrity juicing trend is a little more health conscious, and the most popular juices in Hollywood have to be those evil-looking, vegetable-based green ones. They’re brilliant for your skin and ace for your overall health (hello, bucketloads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) but not so great for your bank balance, with an average juice costing around £5 a pop. Our secret? Stock up on frozen spinach and frozen berries. Much cheaper than the fresh stuff, and much longer-lasting, you can whizz up super healthy juices at home from frozen in no time at all.
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13 Start multi-masking your skin
If you’re short on time but want to give your skin a proper detox, try multi-masking. Beloved by Instagirls like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, multi-masking is the super clever practice of using multiple masks at once, and targeting them to specific skin concerns. For example, got an oily T-Zone, congested cheeks and patches of dryness? Pop a clay mask on your nose and forehead, a fruit enzyme peel on your cheeks and dab a hydrating mask where needed. Half the time, triple the benefits.
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14 Skip rope, save time and money
Kate Hudson and Padma Lakshmi have got a genius way to pack a mini-workout into their day. Both of them have said they always have a skipping rope in their handbag all the time, so if they ever get even five minutes spare in their day, they can squeeze in a little sweat session. Chuck one in your bag and challenge yourself to do one skipping session a day – it’ll help you with your new year fitness goals and get you fighting fit.
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15 Swap shop bought soup for broth
Given that Salma Hayek looks as smoking hot as she does at 50, we’re gonna say she knows a thing or two about keeping healthy. One of her favourite fit food shortcuts? Bone broth. Delicious, nutritious and a doddle to make, bone broth’s been rising up the cool stakes recently. Made by boiling bones (or you can buy it ready-made), it’s rich in nutrients like collagen and is super anti-inflammatory. Try having a bowl with some veggies for a quick and easy lunch al desko and save money on your usual Pret run.