Body and Brain
How to Survive the Christmas Party Season, or any Party Season for that Matter.
Avoid the Hangover
'Tis the season and with it comes lots of running around, parties, late nights, hosting, banquets, curating joy for the world and his wife and sometimes, sometimes... a dreaded hangover! When it's over, you're often left feeling run down, bad about the nutrition decisions you have made and consequently, in a low mood.
We are firm believers that you should never have to miss out just because you’re trying to be “healthy.” It’s easy to fall into bad habits of over-indulgence, but with a little self-awareness and planning, it’s possible to form new good ones, so that you can enjoy yourself, guiltlessly, without doing untold harm to your body and setting yourself back on your journey to good health. What is life without being able to celebrate and socialise with your friends and family every now and again?
So, it's time to say goodbye to the food and beer fear, to take control and still have an absolute blast.
Here are some of our favourite biohacks to help you thrive rather than survive a Christmas, or any holiday season for that matter.
The Day of the Party:
Keep your calm whilst the chaos ensues. No doubt, you will have a million plates to spin, family and friends to charm, supermarket sweeps to win, menus to plan, parties to attend, all whilst pulling off your best Santa impersonation. You don't have to juggle this alone and Calm, a vital amino acid, may well become your new best friend, keeping you cool and collected, and enabling you to manage the bonkers.
Calm is also great when you're trying to log as much sleep as possible or nap before going out, helping you to mitigate the effects of lost sleep later on. Sleep is integral to our overall sense of health and well-being, so priortise it and make sure you clock up the zzz. This is where your healing takes place, when your energy replenishes and where your brain does all its important uploading. Our L-Theanine supplement will support your brain to calm itself, making pre party naps easier to induce.
Hydrate Whilst You Dehydrate
If you plan to spend the party season with your favourite boozy tipple in your hand, or you just need a little Dutch courage to help you survive the onslaught, it's important to stay in control of your hydration. Staying ahead of the hangover with ElectroTide could be the reason why you make it to end of the season relatively unscathed. Drink before and after the party or family gathering as a bare minimum, but you might also think about pimping your drink of choice with an ElectroTide sachet, giving it that sweet watermelon flavour and creating a detoxifying and massively hydrating cocktail. ElectroTide Cosmo, anyone?
Beat the stress that a party can have on your body with a HIIT or strength training workout. Exercise can improve your glycaemic response to carb-laden food and drink, as well as increase antioxidant activity to reduce alcohol and naughty food-induced liver damage. Our ElectroTide powder, mixed in water, will give you the boost you need to exercise and dance all night long, whilst protecting you from the dehydration alcohol can incur.
If you don't have any ElectroTide to hand, you can always make your own electrolyte drink - it may not be as yummy, but it will still help you to hydrate and flush out the toxins. Simply add a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt to a glass of water and a squeeze of lemon. In addition, Dandelion leaf and Horsetail tea will support you further in flushing out those toxins.
Avoid Bad Fats
Limit vegetable oils and omega 6s: high amounts of Omega 6s can worsen liver damage in response to alcohol. Instead load up on Omega 3s from fatty fish or add a tablespoon of our MCT Oil or MCT Powder to your daily cup of tea or coffee to protect your liver from harm.
Our MCT Oil makes the most delicious salad dressing; the perfect accompaniment for your salad starters, or simply chug down a fatty coffee before you head on out.
A Double Defence System for Your Liver
Before you head out, chow down on some eggs or a serving of pate: your liver will be burning through its choline stores to counteract the damage from drinking; therefore, loading up on choline rich foods will support your liver and its recovery.
If eggs and pate don't float your boat, our Rise & Shine supplement will support your liver health and help you avoid the hungover feeling that comes with food and alcohol indulgence. It takes the liver approximately 5 days to process any amount of alcohol, but fear not, with Rise & Shine in your back pocket, you can still indulge a little and love your liver at the same time. Simply take 3 before you head out or greet your guests and 3 the morning after. It's time to say "see ya" to your bog standard milk thistle tablets and "hello" to WillPowders answer to liver loving. Packed with N Acetyl Cysteine, a powerful amino acid that supports the synthesis of glutathione, an antioxidant that helps to fight the good fight against free radicals.
Defend your liver further by doubling up with our Insulin Support supplement. Insulin Support will aid those blood sugar spikes that are bound to occur with all that festive fare at your fingertips. With its high quality ingredients, such as Berberine, which is effective in supporting those insulin spikes, you're sure to help your body and liver process whatever comes its way.
Think of it as a double defence system for your liver. Check our Love Your Liver blog to learn why taking care of your liver is the key to feeling your best.
Make a Plan and Set Good Intentions
Setting yourself some ground rules before the any event can increase your chances of staying in control. Plan to not overindulge and you won’t. Pre-book yourself a cab for a specific time, plan an early-morning workout or brunch with a friend for the following day to give yourself an out and a target to meet. When we commit ourselves to something, you’re more likely to remain on guard and aware of what you are submitting your body to.
An Hour Before its Go Time
Eat a light meal: having a light meal before the party will stop you from overindulging once you’re there. It will also slow the absorption of alcohol, preventing it from flooding your body with too much ethanol which causes a sharp inflammatory response. Go for a light salad topped with fatty fish, eggs, nuts and other polyphenol-rich plants. Have some berries and a bit of dark chocolate as a desert to increase your antioxidant capacity.
If you're looking for something on the go, our Protein Powder is a delicious substitute; packed full of amino acid magic, you will find yourself able to say no to the pre-dinner bread basket whilst protecting your gut from the effects of the merlot.
Rev Up with Some Amino Magic
Throw back some collagen: mix some Collagen Peptides and juice from one lemon into a drink of your choice. The glycine in collagen reduces antioxidant depletion in the liver and alleviates the damage that the Christmas/ party fare can wreak on your gut.
At the Party
Be mindful: bring your attention to the here and now and enjoy the moment. Being mindful can prevent you from getting over-excited and overindulging. Eat your food and drink slowly, really savour every bite and sip. If you are aware of when you feel satisfied, you are less likely to keep consuming unnecessarily.
Eat protein: opt for protein over carbs and sugar. If you can’t resist the carbs and cake, eat the protein on your plate first; this will reduce the dreaded blood-glucose spike and the likelihood of you reaching for more and feeling dreadful the next day. Save the pud until your body has recognised that it’s already been fed - this way, you might end up opting out. However, if you don’t, don’t give yourself a hard time; enjoy the cake, you’re only human.
Choose quality over quantity: opt for clear drinks and try to drink only the highest-quality alcohol available. Avoid cocktails, high-fructose corn syrup and added sugars. Find an alcoholic drink that you really like and don’t be afraid to spend a little more on a gorgeous, biodynamic white wine that you can really savour. Vodka or gin mixed with sparkling water, a hint of lemon or a splash of juice are also better options. If you fancy a fruity option, add an ElectroTide sachet to support your 'morning after' self. Stay clear of the shots because you will kiss any kind of self restraint goodbye!
Hydrate
Drink water: keep hydrated throughout the night. A dose of ElectroTide will ensure that your body continues to get all the essential salts and nutrients it needs whilst you’re drinking. Our handy sachets are the perfect addition to your ‘out out’ handbag.
Before Bed
Hydrate: before bedtime, dissolve another ElectroTide in water to hydrate and replenish lost minerals.
Repair your liver: take our Rise & Shine supplement with its added NADH and Molybdenum, which will protect your liver from the effects of indulgence, to help you to avoid that sluggish morning after feeling and aid your recovery. They are the hangover tablets you've been looking for all your life!
Take magnesium glycinate: alcohol can really mess with your sleep; however, taking some magnesium can help you get a restful night’s kip, avoiding that dreaded early morning awakening.
The Day After
Eat a hearty breakfast: a greasy fry up might be hard to resist, but we would recommend some eggs, avocado or omega 3 rich fatty fish to help your body recover. These good fats will ensure that you don’t spend the day grazing and on the hunt for nutritionless foods.
Go for a walk: move your body, get some fresh air and sunlight on your face to balance out your circadian rhythm and make you feel more awake. The sun’s energy will boost yours and make it less likely that you submit yourself to a sofa day whilst drowning in beer fear and self pity.
Now, whilst we don’t endorse getting drunk or overindulging as a matter of habit, we also know that every once in a while, it can feel so good to let your hair down and to paint the town red with your family and friends. This is why we have developed a range of products and researched a number of hacks to help you thrive and not just survive a party and life in general. Long term negative behaviours won’t resolve themselves overnight, but small changes and mindful behaviour can have a profound long-term, positive impact on the rest of your life.
Disclaimer
Our blogs are written with love in the hope that they go some way in helping you feel like the rockstar you are, and whilst we do our due diligence, research like maniacs and fact check our stuff, we know everyone’s journey is different. They are intended to educate and empower you, not usurp medical advice. We would never advise you to stop, adjust, or modify any prescription medication without the direct supervision of your healthcare practitioner, but don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about your new found knowledge, brought to you by the marvels of nature because they don't know everything! Blogs are always informed by Davinia but often written by a member of the team. Not all blogs reflect Davinia's experiences and sometimes provide alternative perspectives
