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Detox services

A dozen ways to make yourself feel better.

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RECOMMENDED: Fitness guide to NYC

Holistic health counseling
All that meditation and yoga will help only so much: At some point, you're going to have to put down the Ben & Jerry's. For guidance, seek out a holistic health counselor, who trains people to change their diet and use food to positively affect their energy and emotions. Locally certified counselor (and Reiki master) Elana Smith can help you feel better with one-on-one counseling sessions, cooking lessons and even guided tours through health stores. Smith will home in on your "trigger foods"—the items you reach for in times of stress—and reveal what they say about you, so that you can better understand how to break the bad habits and find healthier options. If you're willing, she'll even come into your kitchen and simply throw that crap away—Smith calls it a "de-junking" session. (If you'd prefer not to witness such sacrilege, you may want to rip off the Band-Aid yourself before she comes over.) Call for appointments (914-629-5043, soulnourish.com). Sliding scale $30--$150 per session.

Flower therapy
Most people resort to cheap bodega posies to liven up their dinner parties, but Jessica Suda believes that there's more to flowers than aesthetics: She holds that flower essences contain a special vibrational energy, and she uses them to address problems ranging from anxiety to drug addiction. Drinking an essence, which is diluted in alcohol, is thought to rebalance your emotional state. It's all a bit pricier than a bouquet, but the benefits, if you see 'em, could last a lot longer. E-mail jessica@gianprem.com for an appointment. 60-minute consultation $40, each flower essence $12--$15.

Seaweed wrap
Seaweed is supposed to have all kinds of healing properties: removing toxins from your skin, relieving stress and exfoliating skin. For a direct infusion that happens to feel pretty damn good, too, try the seaweed wrap at Yasmine Djerradine Institut de Beaut. In this 60-minute treatment, a mineral-rich seaweed imported from France is mixed with essential oils like thyme and cypress, and then painted onto your body. Once slathered, you'll be cocooned in foil and a heated blanket. After a quick shower to remove the goo, you'll enjoy a gentle 30-minute massage. "The skin becomes very smooth and light, like a baby, and it gives you a boost of energy," says spa owner Yasmine Djerradine. Yasmine Djerradine Institut de Beaut, 30 E 60th St between Madison and Park Aves (212-588-1771, yasminedjerradine.com). $125.

Bare-bones massage
Who doesn't like a massage? Aquila, Ursus & Gryphon Massage Therapy is an unfussy local collective, opened last year by three Brooklyn massage therapists who studied at the Swedish Institute, and each therapist here has a different specialty. Jacqueline Borde and Thomas Stephanos are focused on deep-tissue massage, a medically based practice that pinpoints muscles, while Sarah Falkner is the go-to for other bodywork techniques, like aromatherapy and Reiki. AU&G also offers cheap rates and a bartering option (food and language lessons are frequent trades); the therapists' warm personalities don't hurt either. 276 Prospect Park West at 17th St, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn (718-355-9317, augmassagecollective.com). Sliding scale for all services $85--$150.

Intuitive energy healing
Diana Ferrante draws from shamanism, angelic healing, Reiki and yoga to work one-on-one with clients plagued by personal or professional inertia. "I treat that feeling of procrastination, of feeling stuck," says Ferrante. Using her intuition, she reads a person energetically—just by talking on the phone—and immediately offers specific tips (make five networking phone calls, do a cleanse, enroll in salsa dancing class) to get them unstuck. Ferrante can serve as that kick to the butt you need to start a new career or fix a relationship, and as a bonus imparts an "elevated energetic state" —which most of us would call a helping of self-confidence. Call for appointments (917-697-5812, claritytocreate.com). 60-minute phone session $175 (in January $99), 30-minute phone session $85 (in January $65).

Detox footbath
Your body sweats (and pees) out toxins every day, but the detox footbath kicks that process into high gear. It has become somewhat controversial in holistic health circles, and critics insist that the 30-minute procedure that utilizes "ion therapy" is just smoke and mirrors. But Janet Humphrey, a holistic practitioner and founder of Giving Nature Center, is impressed by the anecdotal reports from her clients, who immediately notice increased energy and ability to focus. The process is painless and noninvasive; you'll dip your feet into a tub of water containing copper, which sends a positive charge through your body, and then reverses it. As the negative ions leave your body, they take toxins with them. Though the water turns a brownish gold, that crud is leaving through normal secretions, not pouring out of your toes. Giving Nature Center, 155 W 19th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves, fifth floor (212-489-8082, givingnaturecenter.com). $25.

Ayurvedic nutrition
Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old Indian medical tradition that organizes food taste groups into six categories (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent), and is based on the five elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth. Ayurvedic practitioner K. Michael Ferranti figures out which of your elements are out of whack, making you stressed and fatigued; after factoring in the season and your body type, he prescribes a food plan. For example, a pitta diet of sweet, bitter and astringent foods (like fruits and certain veggies) will cool down someone with too much fire. Ferranti may also recommend the expanded pancha karma treatment, a five-step detox program that tacks on remedies like an herb-based sesame oil enema or neti pot nasal therapy—yep, you'll learn to perform those yourself. Call for an appointment (917-747-6889, gothamayurveda.com). One-hour consultation $125.

Reiki
Reiki is sort of a cross between meditation and an old-fashioned laying on of hands. By touching a person's body, a Reiki practitioner can reinforce the life force energy (known as ki in Japanese) to boost your natural healing process, often helping alleviate stress, anxiety and physical problems. Try it in a private session with Heather Alexander, who's been studying since 2005 and opened her own clinic in 2009. You can sign up for one-on-one healing sessions, or take a class that will introduce you to the practice and even teach you some self-healing tips. Inside Triomph Fitness, 540 President St between Third and Fourth Aves, Gowanus, Brooklyn (917-572-3172, brooklynreiki.com). One-hour session $85.

Acupuncture
This ancient branch of traditional Chinese medicine has long been used to treat all kinds of stress and illnesses, but having needles stuck into your body can still be a scary prospect. That's where City Acupuncture of New York comes in: Instead of working on clients alone in a tiny room, the practitioners here (all board-certified, with master's degrees from the well-regarded Pacific College of Oriental Medicine) invite small groups to sit together in a quiet, communal circle of reclining chairs and massage tables. The goal is to make the experience more comforting, supportive and social. (Don't worry; the space feels more like a sanctuary than a dorm room.) Another great idea: Fees here are on a sliding scale. City Acupuncture of New York, 139 Fulton St at Nassau St, suite 600 (551-574-1803, cityacuny.com). Sliding scale $25--$50.

Lymphatic drainage massage
While it sounds a little gross, this type of massage is supposed to be quite good for you. By stimulating the lymph vessels, lymph nodes and certain organs (which are part of your autoimmune system), this gentle, rhythmic massage can eliminate toxins—something thought to be particularly beneficial during the flu season. Thirteen-year massage vet Johanna Schwarzbeck will target specific areas of the body—such as the creases behind knees and elbows, the pelvis, the abdomen, and the neck and face—to open up the lymph valves and essentially help your body help itself. Advocates report various benefits, including relaxation, decreased swelling and managing chronic conditions like arthritis. Lotus Healing Center, 319 Grand St at Orchard St, fourth floor (917-881-7554, lotushealingcenter.com). First session $80, additional 60-minute session $100, 30-minute session $50.

Back-purifier treatment

We don't care how sanitized your soul is—if your back's got grime, you just don't feel clean. Lie down at Faina European Day Spa for the back-purifier treatment, during which you'll be steamed, exfoliated, masked and dry-massaged. Don't worry if you've got blackheads or acne, this spa can handle it; Faina spa owner Faina Shafir explains the necessary use of manual work to get the job done: "You really have to open the pores, and take out what is in there. Then the skin will heal." Faina European Day Spa, 315 W 57th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves, suite 402 (212-245-6557, fainaeuropeanspa.com). 60 minutes $105.

LOVE Cleanse juice fasts
Organic Avenue is an NYC-based company that offers vegan, raw, organic cleanses that are prepackaged and can be either picked up at local boutiques or, if you live in New York City, mailed directly to your door, making the detox process easy—except for the whole "you eat only juice" thing. Luckily, founder Denise Mari was smart enough to also offer a starter plan, called LOVE Easy, which adds some tasty-sounding raw foods like sunflower falafel and chocolate mousse into a short-term first-timer diet. Whichever cleanse you choose (and for however long you want to do it), Organic Avenue claims its plans will help you achieve mental and physical clarity, clear skin, good weight and even positive thoughts. Locations throughout the city (212-358-0500, organicavenue.com). Cleanses start at $274.

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