(Average reading time: 3minutes, 42 seconds)
A few mornings with a banging headache after a few too many Christmas spirits?
Maybe a stomach ache because your eyes were bigger than your belly?
Or a few more pounds to lose than the original plan.
(Insert other festive over-indulgences here).
It may be too late to change how it’s going to go down, your diary is already booked up months in advance for drinks & dinners with all your friends and family, and no-one wants to cancel. Christmas is such a fun time of year to catch up and connect with those we love; it’s only our wallets and health that really take a bashing.
So let us focus on what you can change.
1. You can change how you feel the day after.
The best but admittedly not the most fun way to do this is to choose to drink less alcohol or at the very least alternate alcoholic drinks with glasses of water, or sparkling water with fresh lime juice. The sugars from the fresh lime can speed up the metabolism of alcohol, which can help to reduce the hangover.
Luckily there are tons you can do to support your liver’s own detoxification process.
If it is a pre-planned big one, take some prickly pear cactus (Nopal) 4-5 hours before you start drinking, studies have found it drastically reduces the severity of a hangover.
Another natural way of supporting the liver is by taking Milk Thistle in capsule or tincture form before, during and after a night out. It’s anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties have been researched intensively, putting it to the top of our list.
Then there’s always those nights that have been sprung upon us out of nowhere, and no matter what intentions we have of staying sober, good moods are contagious, and before we know it, we were dancing on the tables, drink in hand. For those nights you are going to need a lot of sleep and a few cups of Teahuggers “Hangover help” tea. With a blend of recuperative herbs, its a well needed-hug in a mug the morning after the night before.
2. You can change that bloated, “why did I eat that much” feeling.
Ideally, we would all plan our daily meals in advance, stop when we’re no longer hungry and give it a good 3 hours after the last mouthful before we lie down for the night. But then there are those meals where someone is serving up a ton of yummy food (normally your mum because she wants to make sure you are eating well and looking after yourself) and before you know it, the last forkful is going in, and the button is popping off your jeans.
These are those meals when you need a combo of digestive herbs, like Viridian’s digestive elixir tincture before you eat, to kick-start your digestive fire in preparation for the onslaught. Then once you’re done, a cup of something hot with fennel and cardamon, both of which help reduce bloating and gas for soothing, easeful digestion. You’ll find both of these in Yogi Tea’s Stomach Ease blend, plus an extra dose of ginger thrown in for its well known carminative effects.
If you know in advance your one of those that can easily overeat, fill your plate with a variety of greens. They work by filling you up quicker, supporting your liver and act as a prebiotic food source for your own healthy gut flora, which can help maintain a harmonious digestive environment. There’s a reason Brussel sprouts are a great accompaniment to the rather indulgent Christmas menu.
3. You can spend the next few weeks getting your head right, and prep your cupboards for the kickstart January detox.
Most people already have a few tweaks they want to make to their health and fitness regime in the new year, what’s a few extra pounds when they’re hidden by winter jumpers anyways. Heard that voice in your head before…then this is the route for you.
Studies show that planning and preparing are the keys to success. You wouldn’t go into a big meeting without your head in the game, would you? Work out where the weak points in your diet and lifestyle are and have a plan of action to play to your strengths, and combat the weaknesses.
For instance, if your good all week at work and it’s the weekend that undoes all that hard work, make a weekly meal plan. Buy your ingredients in advance, so you have a ‘go to’ rather than deciding after work what to eat and choosing the easy, not-so-healthy option. Also, connect with friends that are probably in the same detox boat, plan to do something active and have a cuppa rather than meeting at the pub or eating later than necessary.
Or, if your weakness is a late night snack, make sure you have sufficient healthy fats with your dinner that will make you feel fuller for longer. Our Udo’s choice omega oils can be drizzled over salads and cooked veggies, full of omega 3’s that will heal your gut, lower inflammation and act as brain food for mood and memory.
The perfect nourishing supplement for a health and energy boost is our Terra Nova Life Drink, a primary food grown supplement full of antioxidants, all the vitamins and minerals you need, medicinal mushrooms and tons of other health-boosting properties. (Check out the reviews, it’s pretty special).
Why not choose to make a change to your health this year, it is only you that can do it.
So while you’re busy rushing around trying to buy those last minute bits for loved ones, stop and think about how you can gift yourself. Whether you drop huge hints to Santa for one of our Christmas gift cards or come in and speak to one of our nutritionists for some advice on how to hit the detox hard in January.
