Hydrate, Detox, Bounce Back: 5 Ways to Kick a Weekend of Overdoing It
Well, SXSW, one of Austin’s craziest times of year, is over for another year. After any big event, festival, birthday weekend or wedding, I harbor a mix of sadness and relief. Sadness because I love celebrating, drinking, and dancing with friends, but relief because there is only so much abuse my liver and digestive system can take, especially as I get older. It’s depressing but true.
This weekend, not only did I party around SXSW but I attended my friend’s lovely wedding, which was an awesome way to cap off my SXSW, but by the end of it all my body was just hating me. So today I tried to get back on the “I’m a normal human who makes relatively good choices” wagon.
Easing back into a somewhat responsible routine is a bit of a process. I have a couple tools I use to get myself through the “I just wanna keep partying and eating Taco Bell for every meal” withdrawals. Once I force myself to incorporate all these tricks into my life, I feel 100% better about everything.
5 Tools to Help You Detox & Bounce Back!
1. Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
I go for the famous Bragg’s, or one of the similar organic styles offered at other stores. ACV is great for helping with digestion, especially if you suffer from acid reflux, heartburn, upset stomach etc. after eating too much rich food or booze. (Tragically, I hardcore fall into this category. Ugh.) Similar to one of my other faves, kombucha, the unfiltered version of ACV has the “mother” which means tons of healthy enzymes and probiotics. If you are someone who has a hard time stomaching the taste of ACV (I find it to be pretty palatable on its own but I know a lot of people think it’s too acidic) I recommend mixing a tablespoon-ish with some sparkling water or juice.
2. Fresh Smoothies & Cold-Pressed Juices
Speaking of JUICE. I’m really picky about the quality of my juices and smoothies. Real talk: you can’t just get any jug of orange juice from the store. And you can’t stop by Jamba Juice and get a “smoothie” with a soft-serve ice cream base. All you’re doing is shoving a ton of sugar into your body, which is the last thing you need to be doing. I demand cold-pressed, organic, local… I know those are all overused buzzwords but whatever. It’s true. For readers based in Austin (like me) or in Brooklyn (like BS) I recommend my friend JUICELAND. I crave Juiceland’s Recovery Punch (watermelon, pineapple, coconut water, beet, lime, himalayan sea salt) whenever I’m feeling groggy and dehydrated. And their smoothies are perfect for when I need a bit more a of a “meal” but still want to stuff myself with as many nutrients as possible.
3. Healthy Supplements & Vitamins
There are all sorts of vitamins and supplements on the market and I don’t profess to be an expert at all. I will say that I have tried HUM’s Cleanse to the Rescue vitamin packs, full of herbs and enzymes formulated to calm down your digestive system and cut down on bloating, and they really do help with the post-indulgence bloating and grossness. I also like to load up on turmeric (Organic India holla!) to help with inflammation, and a good multi – I currently use Perfect Fit Women’s Multivitamins which I love. Also… I am NOT above chugging some Airborne and Emergen-C. You get that Vitamin C, girl.
4. Kombucha all day, every day
Everyone knows I LOVE kombucha. Similar to the aforementioned apple cider vinegar, kombucha is great for your gut. It’s a low-calorie probiotic beverage with healthy acids and enzymes plus living bacteria and yeast, which sounds gross but I promise it’s not. (Do you like yogurt? Then you are also eating living probiotic agents.) Kombucha helps your digestion and fights inflammation, which is wonderful for anyone who has been overindulging in the food & drink arena. I’m actually sipping on some Austin-brewed kombucha… RIGHT MEOW.
Sorry, this isn’t even food or drink related and it’s not really “one weird trick” or quick fix. And while it’s also an obvious one, it’s not popular. Especially when you’re feeling bloated and hungover and your feet are sore from a long week of walking and dancing. I totally get it. But you know what, there is something to be said for sweating it out. I’m not saying you have to run a marathon, but fitting in a 20 minute HIIT workout, popping in your favorite exercise DVD, exploring your local jogging trail or just taking the dog for a walk around the block can go a long way.
So, there you have it. On top of eating cleanly and mindfully, those are my top 5 detox tools I utilize when the struggle is getting too real. Load up on hydrating, probiotic beverages and make sure you’re getting your vitamins, and everything else will fall into place… until the next party, that is.