Holiday season can wreak havoc on your digestive system, not to mention your liver, and sometimes we’re left paying the price weeks after Christmas and New Year’s has passed.
The festive season is the one time of year everyone is licenced to let their hair down and go a little bit crazy, which for many means sipping a few more beverages than we normally would.
With delicious platters of food at our immediate disposal at just about all hours of the day, it can be difficult not going overboard on salty snacks, fatty meats and carb-heavy casseroles.
There are some measures you can adapt to not only prepare your stomach ahead of “silly season” but also cause the least amount of damage throughout.
- Eat your vegetables
While tucking into ham and turkey will be a first priority for many people, try preceding these with fresh or roasted vegetables which will offer a big healthy dose of fibre and nutrients. Asparagus and artichoke are particularly healthy for the liver, so be as heavy handed as you like with those, particularly ahead of an event where you know you will be drinking.
- Line your stomach
To give your stomach an extra helping hand before indulging in alcoholic beverages, have a swig of aloe vera juice and either a healthy snack of nuts or a meal with slow digesting healthy fats like avocado, chia seeds or flax seeds. Having something in your stomach before it’s bombarded with the toxicity of alcohol might help to lessen its harsh impact and make for a less severe hangover the next day.
- Choose your beverages wisely
Too much alcohol over an extended period can really take a toll on your quality of life and trigger heartburn, stomach pain and diarrhea. If you do plan to drink throughout the festive period, opt for beverages with the least amount of added sugars like dry wine, vodka, gin, or low sugar whiskey, and always make sure to drink lots of water during and after. People with a sensitive stomach should steer clear of all kinds of liqueur, beer and super sweet wines including Moscato, Riesling and Rosé.
- Hydration is key
Staying hydrated is always important, and especially when we’re maybe going to drink more alcohol and eat more salty food, which can be dehydrating. Drinking about eight glasses of water a day can aid in both digestion and keeping us healthy in the hot summer months, when we’re more susceptible to becoming dehydrated. Water will help you flush out toxins, which are likely more prominent within the body during the silly season.