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Preparing Your Body and Mind For The Holiday Party Season

November 30, 2018

The Holiday party season is upon us and everyone wants to have a good time with seeing friends and family and all those parties in between providing an abundance of food and drink!

With the season being so busy no one wants a hangover, feel bloated or catch a cold. So to help avoid all that, Isabel Butler, Company Nutritionist at Spoon Guru, has compiled tips to help prepare for a busy festive season.

Avoid A Cold

Stay well this winter season by eating and drinking plenty of nutritious foods and fluids with vitamin D and C, especially as there is less sun to soak up. Dairy products are a good source and for vegans, soy milk is a good alternative. Also, drink plenty of orange juice.

Salmon is a good source of vitamin D but for anyone following a vegan diet, oatmeal is a good breakfast choice while mushrooms are great for lunch or dinner. Other foods and drinks for preventing colds include blueberries, tomatoes, oranges, ginger, and Ginseng tea. And of course, keeping your body hydrated with water.

Prepping Your Body For An Evening Of Drinking

Preparation starts in the day. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated all day as alcohol will dehydrate you causing you to not feel so good the next day. So best not to start your evening that way! Before heading out it is best to eat a meal! It is always best not to drink on an empty stomach as the alcohol will go straight to your head.

Pasta dishes are a great idea and add in plenty of veggies to pack in your vitamins and minerals. If you’re in a bit of a rush, avocado on toast is great as this is high in good fats to help slow down food digestion. The key is to slow down your digestion so the alcohol doesn’t immediately affect you.

If you don’t want to feel bloated when out, try avoiding fizzy drinks and yes that means champagne and prosecco, so try a wine instead! Also, avoid drinking a lot of fizzy drinks during the day so not to feel bloated before you head out the door. Peppermint or ginger tea can help settle your stomach and some people recommend milk thistle supplements too.

Remember when out drinking at holiday parties there is no harm in enjoying a drink but try mixing it up with a non-alcoholic beverage too! Either have a glass of water or a cocktail. After a gin and tonic have a Seedlip instead which is a non-alcohol version! If you’re a beer drinker, mix it up by having a non-alcoholic beer every other drink.

Prepping Before Going For A Big Meal

Whether it’s a company dinner or friends and family inviting you around for a holiday meal, prepare ahead of time. Don’t overeat, instead eat light meals beforehand. Start with a bowl of oats/porridge with a banana (great for fiber and potassium). At lunch, try having a portion of sweet potato wedges (high in vitamin C and A) or a medium portion of cous cous (high in selenium which helps the immune system work properly).

Don’t feel guilty for joining and enjoying the food. Listen to your body and when you feel full that’s the time to stop as no one wants to feel sick. When choosing food make sure to include plenty of vegetables or salads on your plate to help balance out a meal.

Snack-wise before heading out for a meal, try avoiding chips and sweets to fill you up. Opt for carrot sticks or celery with hummus. Nuts and olives are great too as they are packed full of good fats.

Keep Your Brain Healthy Too During The Holiday Season

Brain health is just as important as body health during the holiday season. Isabel Butler, Company Nutritionist, Spoon Guru says:

“Brain health is vital to our wellbeing and is often overlooked. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid and found in oily fish, nuts and grains. Salmon with vine tomatoes and rice is a tasty dinner and has omega-3 and antioxidants which help support a healthy brain. Eggs are high in B vitamins, which have been linked with reducing the risk of stroke. So why not make an omelette, as they are simple to make and can be filled with cheese, tomato or ham. Two other easy ways to improve brain health are by doing simple mental exercises or physical exercise. Be sure to go for brisk walks every day.”