Christmas time and all the festivities can be a time when one's health is not a priority. However, there are some simple things you can do to help compensate for this and in doing so help to make the festivities more manageable and more enjoyable. I hope these tips are helpful.
1) EAT WELL AND BE HAPPY
We often spend Christmas eating more than we usually do. If you choose your foods carefully, you dont have to suffer for the next few weeks with symptoms of over-indulgence.
Christmas nibbles: If you are preparing nibbles, add in lots of cut up vegetables to go alongside your hummus or home-made avocado dip. They still taste good, but you are getting some fantastic benefits from the nutrients that you are adding in to your diet, and it also cuts down on the amount of crisps or sweets that you consume. Good quality olives are high in essential fatty acids, so they can be another beneficial addition to your nibble plate.
Trying to care for yourself with good quality food, have your fridge stocked with great vegetables, good fats such as avocados, olives and fish and good quality proteins, such as organic eggs, nuts and seeds, lentils or beans.
2) WHAT TO DO IF YOU OVER INDULGE ON CHRISTMAS DAY
There are a few things we can do to over come this and the often associated indigestion.
A little exercise: Try going for a brief walk. This will help to get everything moving so that you can make some space in the digestive system.
Add some fruit: Try adding some lemon to your water, the bitterness and the slight acidity will help to support digestion of the excess food that you have swallowed! Pineapple and papaya are high in enzymes that support digestion. Serve them as after dinner fruits to try and break down the excess.
If all else fails, take a couple of digestive enzyme tablets. These again will help to break down the excess food that you have been indulging in!
3) JUICING EVERY MORNING
Start the day with a healthy juice to help cleanse your system and provide healthy nutrients. A refreshing, energy booster I like to recommend is carrot, apple and ginger.
4) HOW TO AVOID AND OVERCOME A HANGOVER
Good food first: Try and eat before you know you will be having some alcohol. A meal that contains protein and good fats will help to slow down the absorption of alcohol and the nasty effects that can occur from drinking too quickly. Ideally, just have a couple of drinks.
Lots of water: Don't dehydrate yourself. For every alcoholic drink have a glass of water alongside it. A major cause of a hangover is purely the fact that your body is dehydrated, so aim to drink at least 2 litres of water the next day as well. Drinking lots of water all through the festive season and going into the future is recommended to help cleanse your system naturally.
Nutrient boost: Replace nutrients that alcohol washes away. Lack of these nutrients contributes to the hangover sensation you may feel the next morning. Magnesium, potassium and B vitamins are usually first to go. Taking a good multi-vitamin such as the Tresos B, or a B complex and a mineral supplement the night before and the morning after will help keep that listless feeling at bay.
Herbs: Milk thistle is a herb that helps detox the liver and taken at the correct dose can do the trick to really ward off the symptoms of a hangover. And if you have over-indulged, the homeopathic remedy Bio NV is great for knocking a hangover sensation on the head.
As far as alcohol is concerned, moderation is really the best policy, and as a Naturopath this is what I recommend.
5) HOW TO AVOID GETTING RUNDOWN
Christmas tends to be a period of over-indulgence and under-nourishment. We work hard and play hard, which in turn can lead to a burnt out immune system.
Sleep: Try to get as much sleep as is possible, during the festive months we seem to lose our normal patterns. Avoid coffee to overcome the problem, as this will only make things worse.
Vitamin C boost: Eat foods that are high in Vitamin C, citrus fruit, berries, orange, red and green vegetables will help to keep the immune high.
Daily multivitamin mineral supplement: To give your body the nutritional tools and equipment it needs on a daily basis and to help with health maintenance.
6) KEEP YOUR SKIN CLEAR AND HEALTHY
Water: Drink as much water as you can before and during the festive season. The more you can help the kidneys to cleanse toxins, the less work your skin has to do, so the more glowing you will look!
Nettle tea can help too: A few cups of this a day will assist your skin to clear.
Try to avoid: Saturated fats, too many sugars and over-indulgence with alcohol as these all contribute to grey or blemished skin.
Include foods with lots of anti-oxidants in your diet: Orange, red and yellow vegetables, berries and green tea are all great choices to help with glowing skin.
Written by:
Nick Dale
Naturopath
Tel: 9397 9124
Mobile: 0412 596789
www.perth-naturopath.com
www.facebook.com/perth.naturopath
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