Surviving the Silly Season
Christmas is not far away and I am starting to think about what I need to do to keep up with the party season. Below are some ideas of how you can not only survive the silly season but come out the other end with your health and well being intact!
Supplement with Magnesium and B vitamins. These nutrients are vital for energy production in your body, and are easily depleted through stress, poor diet, caffeine and alcohol consumption. Low levels of these nutrients can leave you feeling lack lustre, tense and anxious, so it’s important to keep these nutrients up to enjoy the party season.
Meditate for a quick energy boost and to clear your mind, particularly if you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Burning the candle at both ends can leave you feeling a bit frazzled, so 10-20 minutes of mindful meditation may help to calm things down. It’s much easier to be productive when you can think clearly. Meditation doesn’t replace sleep but it can maximise a power nap to recharge your mind and body until you can get some serious zzzz’s. There are many free mediation app’s or downloads on the net so you can experiment to find the right fit for you.
Hydrate – Aim to drink 1.5 litres of water daily to keep you hydrated and replenish moisture lost through consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Replace caffeine with herbal teas such as liquorice, chamomile, and lemon balm especially at a night to help you get a night of precious sleep. Green tea is a great antioxidant rich alternative to tea and coffee and can be enjoyed throughout the day to support a healthy liver.
Snack on protein to maintain sugar levels for energy throughout the day. Protein snacks such as raw unsalted nuts and seeds, protein and fruit smoothie, avocado on rye sourdough, boiled eggs, yoghurt, nut butter on celery sticks etc. all release fuel slowly and steadily to maintain energy and keep you satisfied. This is particularly important if you are skipping meals, at least your snacks can be nutritious!
Boost your Qi – Acupressure points can be helpful to support energy and health. Stomach point 36, ‘Leg Three Miles’ provides stability and grounding, healing the effects of too much worrying and thinking. Legend has it that the ancient Chinese would use this point every three miles into a long trek, to support energy for the next stage of the journey. If the party season is feeling a little like a marathon trek to you, you may find it useful! To find this point, measure four finger widths below the centre of the kneecap, in the depression between the shinbone and the leg muscle, just on the outside of the midline, and press with your fingernail close to the bone.
Another useful point is Colon 4. This may help if you are experiencing constipation, and feeling sluggish and bloated after over indulging. To find this point grasp the webbing between the thumb and forefinger with the thumb and forefinger of your opposite hand. Move your grasp to the spot where the muscle that joins the two appendages comes together to form a “v”. Be careful with this spot, it can often be very tender so increase the pressure slowly. Stimulate with a clockwise or pumping dispersing motion carefully.