6 Nutrition tips for a healthy Christmas
Christmas can be a time for excess when all our healthy habits go out the window, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways we can be a little more gentle with our bodies so we don’t start January 2017 feeling worse for wear. With this in mind here are some top tips for staying healthy this Christmas.
1. Support your liver
Alcohol tends to be a focal point during the festive season but it’s important to remember that alcohol is absorbed through the walls of the intestine and travels straight to the bloodstream causing damage to our organs, including the brain and liver. Alcohol causes dehydration and weakens our cells. If you’re drinking over Christmas think about extra liver support. You can do this with liver supporting foods and herbs like garlic, onions, cruciferous vegetables (Brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, broccoli), dandelion root, artichoke leaf, burdock root, milk thistle and extra B vitamins. Here are 3 Food-Grown formulas to help us celebrate the season well:
Food-Grown Total Cleanse Complex
Food-Grown B Complex
Food-Grown Antioxidant Boost
2. Watch the sugar
It’s tempting to reach for the chocolates or the mince pies but remember all that extra sugar is going to play havoc with your hormones and leave you moody with a poor complexion by the time January comes. Of course, we want treats over Christmas, but try to eat more protein and vegetables at dinner so you feel less need for a large portion of dessert. You will feel so much better for it.
3. Water, water, water
Don’t forget to keep drinking filtered water. It’s so easy to forget when we are not in our usual routine but dehydration will make you feel sluggish physically and mentally, give you dry skin, headaches and may lead to eating even more!
4. Your festive smoothie
Even if the rest of the day is a bit naughty, why not start with our Green smoothie. This will give you a dose of wonderful fats, antioxidants and protein. Alternatively, you might prefer our Green and Gracious Smoothie or Beetroot zinger juice.
5. Consume consciously
Thinking about your carbon footprint at Christmas is a challenge but we can try to be conscious of our impact by reducing how much we consume, buying presents with limited packaging, reusing wrapping paper and recycling as much as possible. We can also buy our food from local farmers who pasture raise their animals and grow their produce either organically or using natural fertilisers. This is not only healthier for you and the animals, but better for the planet.
6. Get your blood flowing
Don’t forget to exercise over Christmas whether it’s a brisk winter walk, cycling, some yoga or any way you prefer to increase your heart rate…...Merry Christmas everyone!
