It’s no secret that the season of overindulgence is upon us. Even the most disciplined of health nuts can slip up once the holiday season begins with all the wonderful goodies and sinful libations on offer.
If you find yourself with a post-party tummy ache, a blasted bloated feeling, or an awful head-banging hangover during the next few weeks, try to forgive yourself for the debauchery. It’s probably not the first or the last time, and feeling guilty about it isn’t going to solve anything.
Instead, here are some better ideas to help you resist and if necessary recover from the upcoming host of seasonal temptations.
First, plan ahead and commit to limits. It goes without saying that if you intend to partake in any intoxicating substances you need to arrange for a safe ride to and from the event. Next, to avoid overindulging in party fare, don’t arrive starving. Eat a healthy meal beforehand and you’ll be amazed at your restraint. Ditto for drinks: arrive well-hydrated (but not drunk!) and drink water and other replenishing liquids throughout the evening. A one-to-one cocktail to a full glass of water ratio is a good rule of thumb.
If you’re prone to hangovers, steer clear of heavy sugary drinks, red wine and malt liquors. Clear or lighter coloured drinks usually have fewer impurities and are easier to process by your body.
If you do wake up the next day feeling low or headache-y, don’t hide under the covers. Take charge of your recovery immediately. Move your body and take deep breaths, preferably in the fresh, open air. Next, hydrate with a sports drink or fruit juice and eat lightly – a light broth soup is good – to help restore your system’s electrolytes.
If you need to reset an upset tummy after an extravagant night at a holiday buffet, think “break and bland.” Let your stomach rest for a few hours, then try tea and toast to soothe and satiate. If you can’t stomach that, sip on ginger ale, ginger tea or candied ginger first, to help settle things.
As alcohol is a diuretic, many hangover headaches are triggered by dehydration, so drink lots of water before going to bed as a preventative, and if you wake feeling awful in morning, try hydrating with more liquids. And while a dose of alcohol – a drink or “hair of the dog” – might make you feel a little better at brunch on the morning after, the effect is usually quite temporary and not recommended. Try more water, instead.
