After the love, the side effects

It's now mid-February, and with luck, you’ve managed to lose all the extra kilos you gained over the festive season. But just as you were gleefully looking forward to that new pair of skinny jeans, did the V-Day hype...

It's now mid-February, and with luck, you’ve managed to lose all the extra kilos you gained over the festive season. But just as you were gleefully looking forward to that new pair of skinny jeans, did the V-Day hype cause you to eat more truffles and cake than you intended? Still, it’s possible to take the pressure off your health (and conscience) by making smart decisions like these:

Take triphala powderTriphala powder is a combination of harar, behar and amla. These herbs act upon the intestine and have a mild cleansing and detoxifying effect. This means that your intestine (where all the waste and toxins end up) gets gently cleansed, helping eliminate digested food and waste products and preventing toxic buildup. And when toxins are dealt with, you are less likely to gain weight, retain water and have puffy eyes. Triphala also works to remove excess fat from the body and balance its acid secretions, keeping the body in balance (acidic bodies tend to put on weight and have dull and puffy skin). Good news for those who overdid the cocktails: triphala also helps detoxify the liver. Take 1 tsp of triphala powder with 1 glass of lukewarm water at night.

Have wheat bran milkWheat bran is the outer brown-coloured coating on the wheat grain, which is rich in fibre and vitamins. It’s a great aid to weight loss as it makes you feel full and it also ensures that the fat is absorbed to the wheat bran so less is absorbed by the body.Take 1 tsp of wheat bran and roast it a little on a tava. After a few minutes, while it is still warm, add it to a cup of milk, stir, let it sit for 15 minutes and sip. Have papaya and pineapplePapaya is a wonder fruit, low in glycemic index, helpful for diabetics and those with arthritis and obesity. The fruit contains an enzyme called ‘papain’ which helps break down foods and get digested so they don’t turn toxic in your stomach. So by ensuring that the intestinal tract remains healthy and cleansed, it actually keeps excess weight in check.Pineapple is another fruit which helps to lose weight. The active component in the fruit ‘bromelain’ has many benefits. It aids the digestion of tough proteins, particularly meats and paneer. Usually, undigested protein is the number one reason for gas, acidity and creation of toxins in the body.Have one slice of papaya or a few slices of pineapple with warm water before any big dinner.

Green tea and hot waterOur bodies are composed of two-thirds water, and this magical liquid helps us detoxify, cleanse the liver and also keep weight down. Green tea also contains the active compounds of catechins, polyphenols and gallates, which help the body to detoxify and reduce fat accumulation.Ideally, one should drink two glasses of hot water on waking up, and one cup of green tea with meals.

Eat more fruitit will not only avoid hunger pangs but also ensure that you avoid oily snacks before dinner. the additional benefit is that the vitamin c will assist the liver in digesting the food. Have one bowl of fruit every day.

From HT Brunch, February 17