The Morning After: Your Guide To Staying Well During The Holiday Season.

by Rebecca Prade | Dec 18, 2017 | NUTRITION

Surviving the holiday season can be tough. With office parties and frequent festive get-togethers planned with friends and family, recovering from night after night of eating and drinking can definitely take its toll. The misery that is a hangover has no cure aside from not drinking in the first place. But have hope! There are some at least marginally effective treatments and I’m here to share with you my tricks for recovering this holiday party season.

Our number one rule for the holiday party season is there are no rules! Rather than arming yourself with a hard set of do’s and don’ts, you will have more success if you switch your focus to just enjoying the people and the party. With that in mind, there are certain guidelines that can help you fearlessly raise your glass and fork in the name of seasonal merriment.

A big night out requires prep and usually, if you are anything like me a lot of it! A restaurant needs to be booked, friends organised, a babysitter arranged, an outfit chosen, and hair and makeup done… but what about prepping your body for the onslaught of a late and boozy night? I know it seems another thing to add to a long ‘to-do’ list but trust me, your body will thank you for it later.

During the party season, I recommend taking these supplements daily to maintain energy levels and help your liver detox properly:

Pure Synergy Pure Radiance C – ¼ of a tsp mixed with water 3 times a day. Having a healthy dose of Vitamin C in your system before and after drinking may reduce the severity of hangovers by speeding up the metabolism of alcohol by the liver. Vitamin C helps block the conversion of alcohol into aldehyde, the most hangover-causing metabolite that also causes fast ageing and wrinkles.

Terranova B Complex – 2 capsules a day with food. B’s may be your BFF. Alcohol depletes B vitamins and one study even showed that supplementing with B6 before, during, and after drinking could help reduce hangover symptoms.

Terranova Milk thistle – 3 capsules a day with food. Several studies suggest that substances in milk thistle (especially a flavonoid called silymarin) protect the liver from toxins. Milk thistle also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

And don’t forget to eat, this is essential for the party season! Having a full meal, with good quality protein and healthy fats, before you start drinking helps slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.

So 1 glass turned into 2, turned into 5 then before you know it you were tucking into the stash of mince pies you were saving for Christmas day! We know, it happens but life is about balance and if you enjoy yourself you have nothing to feel guilty about. Waking up hung-over is definitely painful but rather than wallowing in the discomfort peppermint oil might just be the little saviour you are looking for! This ultra-cooling essential oil is the perfect bedside remedy when you wake up with a pounding headache and sore stomach. Start by placing 5 drops in a glass of cold water and drink it down to aid the digestive process and soothe the stomach. Then place two drops on your palms, rub them together, and breathe in extra deep allowing the cooling sensation to travel, deep inside your body. Finish off by rubbing several drops on your temples and sink back into bed as the cooling effects of the peppermint oil erase the head hurt and stomach troubles as best they can.

Upon rising and as tempting as it may be don’t make your hangover worse by eating crap and drinking loads of coffee. What your body needs is nourishment and hydration so try these simple tips to kick-start your recovery:

• Drink a large glass of lemon water to help rehydrate and replenish vitamin C. It also helps to aid digestion and kick-start the detoxification process.
• If you are craving carbs try oats with fresh berries, a swirl of almond butter and a small drizzle of maple syrup. This will help balance your blood sugar and give you slow-release energy throughout the morning (or afternoon!) whilst satisfying your sweet craving.
• If it’s protein you want then have eggs with smashed avocado, lemon and chilli on sourdough toast. Your liver will be working in overdrive to neutralize the toxin acetaldehyde using an amino acid called l-cysteine, so give your liver a hand by having eggs for breakfast, which are a source of l-cysteine. You’ve heard that avocados are chock full of benefits thanks to their healthy fat content, but did you know that a study has shown that those who eat more avocados are less likely to endure liver damage? Avocados have twice as much potassium as a banana, contain anti-inflammatory properties and your body burns their fats for sustainable energy!
• Chlorella, a microscopic fresh water plant is one of the most nutritionally dense foods found in nature. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins and essential fatty acids. And you guessed it, it is great to help cleanse and detoxify the body.
• Drink something green! By juicing a variety of raw vegetables, you can easily get the 4-5 servings of fresh, organic vegetables you need to help your liver do its job. Juicing vegetables has the added benefit of making the vegetables easy to digest, and more readily available for absorption. Vegetables ideal to help the liver cleanse include cabbage, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. While that combination may not sound very appealing, you can add other vegetables and herbs that you enjoy to the mix like carrots, cucumber, beetroot, greens, lemon, lime, mint and ginger. And on that note, ginger root helps to soothe the digestive tract, relieve nausea, reduce intestinal gas, and has strong anti-inflammatory compounds.
• Instead of coffee, which can shut down your liver, have a cup of energy-boosting and antioxidant-rich matcha green tea.
• Drink dandelion tea. Dandelion root is packed with vitamins and minerals and has a natural diuretic effect, allowing your liver to more quickly eliminate toxins. It also helps to strengthen the immune system, balance blood sugar levels, relieve heartburn, and soothe digestive upset.
• Take a bath with Epsom Mix 2 mugs of Epsom salts into a warm bath and lie back and relax! Epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral compound of magnesium and sulphate, both essential to the human body. Magnesium regulates over 300 different enzymes in the body and reduces inflammation while sulphate helps the body absorb nutrients while drawing out toxins and soothing aches and pains. Add in your favourite essential oil to relax and distress your body, mind and soul. For this try Doterra’s lemon, grapefruit, rosemary or lavender oil.
• And lastly, avoid painkillers especially paracetamol, which is also metabolized by the liver, and ibuprofen, which can damage an already fragile intestinal lining. The combination of alcohol and paracetamol can be devastating to the liver, and accidentally taking too much paracetamol can even be deadly.

So all that’s left for you to do now is relax, enjoy, saviour, sip, notice and soar your way through the holiday party season. Merry Christmas, Love Bex <3

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