Cut down on refined sugar - especially sweets and treats eaten on an empty stomach, which sharply affect the body's biochemistry. Try organic dried fruits instead.
Avoid smoking and limit non-necessary medicines such as painkillers unless you really need them or your doctor has recommended them.
Go easy on the caffeine - choose still water (sparkling water just adds unnecessary carbon dioxide to your body), organic juices and herb teas made from filtered water. Naturally decaffeinated organic coffee is okay.
Exercise regularly and if you jog or run outdoors, stick to very early morning or late evening, so you're not ingesting traffic fumes and pollution from rush-hour traffic.
Exfoliate - this removes dead skin and opens up your pores allowing them to naturally secrete and sweat out impurities from the body.
Take regular mind-detox breaks - even five minutes every hour while working will give your head a break and ease your stress levels. Go somewhere quiet and away from people and sit still, breathing slowly and deeply, emptying your mind of all your worries for a while.
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Treat yourself to fruits you've never tried before and experiment with your blender or juicer to come up with interesting, delicious and refreshing concoctions. Make a point of adding a new raw vegetable to your next salad. Grated fennel or beetroot are great options.
Take your time when sitting down to dinner - eat slowly and allow yourself to focus on the task of eating, letting the body concentrate on the job of digestion. A meal that's not completely digested can stress and overload the body.
Pamper yourself - an aromatherapy bath, a massage, light meditation with candles can all help you unwind and ease the tension in your body.
Ensure you get regular sleep - you should aim for around eight hours per night but seven is often okay for some. An exhausted body works less efficiently.

By Alex Gazzola for Friday magazine

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