Time to refresh?
Some of us enjoyed our summer break so much that even though we're back to work and routines, the holiday habits are still with us.
Has your exercise gone by the wayside, are you still snacking on chocolates or pouring a wine on most days? If your health is still in holiday mode - it's time to snap back.
Detoxing can sometimes suffer a bad reputation but it doesn't have to mean long fasts and hungry stomachs full of lemon juice.
Chinese medicine practitioner Yan Li says organs such as the liver and stomach are the focus of a detox - the idea is to lighten the load on these organs and support them to work more effectively.
"You may feel lighter after the detox is completed and have more energy," Dr Li says. "Your body's immune system will be stronger and blood will circulate more efficiently."
Dr Li says there are also mental benefits to detoxing the body, including improvements in sleep patterns and concentration.
However, detoxing is not always easy. Cutting out stimulants such as caffeine can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including headaches and irritability. Stick with the detox though and the symptoms pass relatively quickly.
Dr Li describes these as "symptoms of healing" which may include an uncomfortable stomach and lack of energy.
She recommends a diet low in fat and sugar and high in fibre, plenty of water and rest to combat these symptoms.
Sheridan Hammond, founder of Dunsborough's Samudra Wellness Centre, says cleansing and detoxing come in all shapes and sizes.
"It can be anything from a simple one day right through to 30 days," he says. "All have benefit in giving the system a chance to repair."
Jan Purser, naturopathic nutritionist at Food Body and Health, says there are differences between a general detox and a detox for someone with "gut issues".
"As a general detox, I would suggest still eating regular meals," she says.
"Not fasting but avoiding alcohol, sugar and caffeine - and usually gluten, dairy and preservatives."
People with "gut issues," Ms Purser explains, may need to keep starchy carbohydrates to a minimum and cut sugar altogether.
"Those foods tend to feed bad bacteria or yeast overgrowth," she says.
Mr Hammond says it's essential to view cleansing as a long-term activity for your body and be consistent with your efforts.
"Often what happens is people will do a strong cleanse, come off it and start binging. That's just horrible for the system," he says.
"Cleansing can be done over a long period of time without stopping eating - you can still eat and drink and do all the things you want to do but give your body a chance to repair every day."
