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The ‘party season’ can be a lot of fun but can also leave us feeling tired and less than healthy. Be mindful this season as you engage in fun and celebration and you can sail through the festive time with a glow and vibrant health.
My top 5 tips this party season
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1. Stay hydrated: Water does more than quench your thirst and regulate your body’s temperature; it is also keeps the tissues in your body moist, especially the brain which is very sensitive to hydration levels. During the daytime ensure to get at least 1 litre, and have another litre for every hour of exercise you do. Consume a couple of glasses of water before a night out and add a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks. A great option for replenishing body salts after a night out is coconut water or a pinch of sea salt in a glass of water. Just a pinch and it needs to be Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt.
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2. Diet: Maintain a healthy balanced diet, with lots of greens such as kale, spinach, rocket. Choose seafood as it contains omega-3 essential fats or the ‘good fats’ which are great for your skin and protecting the liver from ‘bad fats’ such as those found in deep fried foods. Avocado is a superfood, considered a treasure trove of nutrients, fibre and potassium which we need for energy. It’s also rich in antioxidants which quench free radical damage and support a healthy liver.
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3. Tired?: The likely thing we turn to for a ‘pick me up’ is caffeine or sugary foods. Both are stimulants that instigate a dumping of sugar in your blood stream which is very short lived and can lead to further poor food choices, inevitable weight gain and ongoing fatigue. Instead of a sugar-filled muffin or caffeine boost go for a protein snack such as nuts and seeds, vegetable sticks with hummus or avocado dip. Best of all opt for nature. A walk in the nearest park or at the beach will get clean oxygen flowing through your body and energise you.
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4. Take a nap before a late night: Make it a power nap! Research suggests a 20 minute nap is optimal for restoration to the body both physically and mentally. A nap will improve alertness, increase productivity, stress relief and control appetite. If you have ever woken from a nap feeling groggy and more sleepy this is called ‘sleep inertia’ and is best avoided by maintaining the 20 minutes.
5. Limit sugar and alcohol: these substances will lead to weight gain. The amount of sugar found in a couple of pieces of fruit plus a teaspoon of refined sugar or honey daily is as much as the body can generally cope with. Any excess will usually be stored as fat. Sugars are in many processed foods so read ingredient labels often. Enjoy 1-2 standard alcoholic drinks daily but try to have at least 3 alcohol free days per week for healthy liver function. Drink less if you are trying to lose weight.
What are your top tips for staying well during the party season? Let us know in the comments below!
Article by Shannon McNeil, Wellness Manager and Senior Naturopath at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat. Find out more about special Christmas offers at Gwinganna here!
Be well,
xoxo
I’m about the laziest vegetarian you’ll ever meet and am actually a pretty unhealthy one too! But during Christmas & New Years I make an effort to have one meal of just fruit and/or vegetables from about Christmas Eve to New Years Day. That way if it ends up being full of days where we’re living off leftovers or cheese & dips then I’ll know that I’ve had at least SOME of the required fruit & veg 🙂
My top tips would be to limit not only alcohol, but sweet drinks too. Water is the drink of choice. Add some lemon or lime juice for flavour.
Also, keep active. That way if you do over-indulge you can counter balance it with exercise.
When entertaining, serve lots of vegies, fruits, seafood, etc. Avoid processed cheeses, meats, etc as they are high in salt and fat.
I love all these tips – they’re so easy to follow and keep up 😉
One of the things I started to do last month is up my intake of veggies and fruit through juicing – I’ll report back in January if this helped me survive the month – for now, I’m enjoying glowing skin, which I’ll take happily!
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I agree with limiting alcohol and sugar during the holidays. Easing up on the alcohol actually helps you get a better sleep too.
Eating a lot less sugar (no sugary drinks at all and only a few sweet nibbles here and there) have reduced my stress levels a lot, especially if you have to do last minute Christmas shopping! You don’t want to go near the shops with any stress at all.
My last great tip is to take time out. Simply sit somewhere peaceful, either in your own home or outside somewhere and just relax for a few minutes.