Written by Chantel – resident Naturopath at Choice pharmacy
Navigating around the Christmas period can be quite tricky, with all the Christmas parties, social events, food and alcohol. It can leave us feeling tired, sluggish and bloated, not to mention those few extra kilos most of us tend to put on.
So, I thought I would share some tips that may be helpful in getting around the holiday season.
First things first…our liver. This wonderful organ can really be under the pump at this time of year. Our liver is a filtration organ, so everything we ingest or put on our skin, gets processed through our liver. All the extra carbs, sugar and alcohol we are having at this time can put a bit of an extra burden on the liver. This can lead to symptoms such as; bloating, indigestion, fatigue, brain fog, acne, difficulty losing weight, hormonal issues, and bad body odour.
Taking a liver supplement can be of benefit. Supplements that contain Milk thistle, Schisandra, Globe Artichoke can assist the liver in removing toxins from the body. These herbs help with detoxification, increasing the flow of bile (which helps in the breakdown of fats) and repairing damaged liver cells. If you are on medication, please check with your doctor before taking any new supplements. Do not take whilst pregnant or breastfeeding.
Here are some other tips that you may find of benefit:
- Alcohol: If you are drinking during the festive season try and avoid cocktails or drinks with soft drinks as mixers. These are high in sugar and just add empty calories. Try switching to spirits such as vodka or gin, then you can add soda water and a wedge of lemon or lime, even mint if you like. This can help with reducing the calorie content and amount of sugar you are having.
- Food: It’s easy to not eat so well over the holiday period. Here are a few tips to help us stay on track: Try and fill up your plate with vegies and salad, and then a bit of everything else. If you do want more, wait 20 minutes. If you are still hungry then go for a second helping.
- Christmas parties: Are always such a great part of the year! But Christmas parties always mean overindulgence. If you have 2 or 3 Christmas parties, pick one where you can indulge, then try and keep it cleaner at the others. Instead of having 4 or 5 drinks have 1 or 2 and follow the above food and alcohol suggestions as a guideline.
- Drink plenty of water: this will help to flush out toxins, especially if you are drinking. Alcohol is also very dehydrating.
Christmas is a time to enjoy food and drinks with family and friends, just remember life is all about balance!
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