FEELING a little guilty about how you treated your body over the festive season? A detox could be the perfect way to make amends for all those mince pies, savoury nibbles and alcohol-fuelled gatherings.

Introducing healthy changes to your eating habits will help to shake off post-party blues and boost your energy levels. But food is only part of the story. It's also important to recharge your batteries by setting aside time for gentle exercise and relaxation.

Following a detox plan for a month will help to kick start your immune system and give your body a hand to get rid of toxins, while shifting those pesky extra pounds. It will also help to relieve stress and put you on the right track to good physical and mental health.

The digestive system, the skin and especially the liver and kidneys will have been working overtime to process the rich Christmas food and alcohol. Give your internal organs a well-earned break — eat plenty of fresh fruit, beans and veg, which are packed with nutrients and protective antioxidants, and avoid all greasy, salty, or sugary food and processed meals.

Why not order a regular delivery of organic fruit and veg from a local farm supplier — you'll not only be eating well, you'll also be shopping ethically too.

Instead of relying on a cup of tea or coffee for a wake-up call, start the morning by squeezing the juice of half a lemon into a glass of hot water. Make sure you drink at least eight glasses of water each day to flush out toxins and to give your body the hydration it needs. If you are struggling to up your intake of water, try replacing one or two glasses with herbal teas.

Quit smoking and cut out alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks, even diet versions which are mostly sweetened with chemicals.

Don't worry if you experience mild headaches or feel sluggish in the first week of your detox. It's a normal reaction as your body sluices out the toxins.

Before you join the throngs of people burning off excess Christmas calories at the gym, remember January is often the busiest and most expensive time of year to sign up for or renew a membership. Why not try your hand at some exercise classes rather than pounding away on a treadmill? Tai chi, yoga and pilates are excellent ways to strengthen and tone the body while relaxing and destressing the mind.

And if you find it hard to squeeze in a proper workout, be sure to fit at least some exercise into your day. Give yourself time to walk to work, or get off the bus one stop early or park your car a kilometre further away and make the rest of the journey on foot. Escape the office at lunchtime and go for a stroll around the park, and take the stairs not the lift whenever you can.

Regular skin brushing stimulates the lymphatic system and helps the expulsion of toxins. Make sure the skin is dry and use long, smooth upward strokes.

Detoxing is not only a good way to cleanse your body of toxins, it also offers an opportunity to "spring clean" stresses from your life and focus on what is truly important.

Losing the clutter and clearing out piles of junk from your home and workplace will help to concentrate your mind and energy and allow you to prioritise tasks. Donate old clothes to charity or send them to a recycling bank. Recycle old newspapers and magazines and take everything else to a car boot sale.

You would be surprised the difference switching off the television, especially at meal times, can make to the atmosphere at home. Replace a half-hour TV programme with meditation and breathing exercises, or simply curl up with a good book.

After a week on the detox plan you should notice a difference in the way you feel and look. Your energy levels will increase, you will sleep better, your skin will be clearer — and you may begin to look at your life afresh.

Why not reward yourself for sticking to a healthier lifestyle and give your detox a further boost? There are an array of luxurious spas to choose from, but for a soak in the country's only thermal waters try the newly opened Thermae Bath Spa. Lie back in the mineral-rich waters and take in the spectacular views from the rooftop pool over the abbey and the honey-coloured stone houses to the hills beyond. The spa also offers a range of calming therapies including watsu, a combination of water and shiatsu.

Don't forget there is one place you can always escape to for pampering that won't break the bank. With a few simple touches you can turn your bathroom into a slice of paradise. Just turn on the taps, place aromatherapy candles around the room, scatter dried or fresh petals in the bath and add a few drops of rosemary, peppermint, pine or juniper essential oils.

And for a post-detox treat, splash out on some luxe bath products such as The Sanctuary Spa's Kyphi Hot Sugar scrub, £9.95, for body polishing and deep cleansing, followed up with Kyphi Nourishing Body Butter, £7.45.

That really will give you a great start to the new year.