After another amazing night’s sleep, had a lovely leisurely morning – (herbal) tea and (buckwheat) pancakes in bed (not quite the same as my usual Sunday morning treat of proper coffee and croissant!) listening to a bit of Puccini rather than the usual One Direction as chosen by my daughter, followed by another long hot Epsom salt bath. These Epsom salt baths are fantastic – our grandmothers were right to love them. They contain magnesium which gets absorbed through the skin where it helps support energy metabolism, and hormone balance, reduce bloating and inflammation, and soothes sore and tired muscles. In addition they also help to draw out toxins and excess fluid from the body – perfect for detoxing. So what are you waiting for – add 2 cups of Epsom salts to your bath and relax in it for 20mins. PS Bags of Epsom Salts are available at most chemists or online (try www.amazon.co.uk or www.westlab.co.uk ).
Remember to give yourself a spiritual detox too
I had purposely cleared my diary and put my to-do list on hold, and as the children and husband were still away I also had none of my usual chores like chauffeuring the kids around to various friends’ houses and clubs, and cooking and tidying up for the masses. It was the first time in ages when I had nothing to do but look after myself, and boy how I relished it! After cooking up yet more soup (getting ready for the liquid days) listening to yet more music of my choice – oh joy, I went for a long walk up Arthur’s seat in the afternoon. This gave me the perfect opportunity to do some reflecting. Another important part of the detox is to remember to take time out (of our often v busy lives) and care for our spiritual side – without sounding too hippy / head in the clouds, use this time to reflect on our lives: what makes you happy? What makes you sad and angry? And what would you like to change and how are you going to go about making it happen? It’s also useful with helping with motivation to have a think about why you are doing this detox programme, and to set some goals for yourself – they don’t have to be major, little steps are often the best.
I had purposely cleared my diary and put my to-do list on hold, and as the children and husband were still away I also had none of my usual chores like chauffeuring the kids around to various friends’ houses and clubs, and cooking and tidying up for the masses. It was the first time in ages when I had nothing to do but look after myself, and boy how I relished it! After cooking up yet more soup (getting ready for the liquid days) listening to yet more music of my choice – oh joy, I went for a long walk up Arthur’s seat in the afternoon. This gave me the perfect opportunity to do some reflecting. Another important part of the detox is to remember to take time out (of our often v busy lives) and care for our spiritual side – without sounding too hippy / head in the clouds, use this time to reflect on our lives: what makes you happy? What makes you sad and angry? And what would you like to change and how are you going to go about making it happen? It’s also useful with helping with motivation to have a think about why you are doing this detox programme, and to set some goals for yourself – they don’t have to be major, little steps are often the best.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step”
Old Chinese Proverb.
Old Chinese Proverb.
| These goals can include:
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I came back down Arthur’s seat feeling invigorated both physically (wind-swept and wind-burnt!) and mentally. My reflections had made me realise just how out of kilter my work-life balance was. I love my job(s) - as well as the nutritional therapy I also work as a Cochrane reviewer, it truly is the best job and what I’ve always wanted to do, but it is definitely effecting my family life. How many times have I caught myself ‘just finishing off a little bit of work’ on the laptop when I should be helping the children with their homework, cooking their supper or reading them a story, not to mention spending quality time with my husband in the evenings? When was the last time I played a game with them, rather than letting them watch CBBC whilst I finished up a case study? I vowed that I would try to keep my working hours to when they are at school and not to spend so much time on my laptop - I worked out that I was regularly spending over twelve hours a day glued to the screen?!?!! I'm amazed my children don't tell me I have square eyes! I’ve also decided not to ask for a renewal of my Cochrane contract when it finishes in the summer - a great shame, but somethings gotta give.
After cooking the most delicious bit of venison steak, sweet potato chips, curly kale and courgettes for supper - my weekend treat! It was time for an early bed and sweet dreams, already for starting the liquid only days tomorrow…
After cooking the most delicious bit of venison steak, sweet potato chips, curly kale and courgettes for supper - my weekend treat! It was time for an early bed and sweet dreams, already for starting the liquid only days tomorrow…
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