Each year the festive season arrives bearing good food, good company and good times. Christmas is quickly followed by the New Year and most of us see the turning point as an opportunity to consolidate and recharge for the coming months, and the season becomes an outlet and the one time during the year that each of us can overindulge and "let-loose" because, it's Christmas after all".

In the aftermath of this time of frivolity, when the guilt starts to set in about eating too much, drinking too much, and spending too much time in the sun, there are certain things we can do to help us counter the bingeing of the past few weeks.

Food

The festive season almost always sees a lapse in dietary habits. Solutions to overdoing it at Christmas centre on prevention and are usually forgotten in the pace of the celebration. The process of digestion involves much more than the delivery of chewed food via a hollow tube, the oesophagus, to the stomach. The process is the mixing of foods with secretions, which break it down and allow it to be absorbed by the body. Bitter foods signal to the stomach that food is on its way, and stimulate the release of secretions including bile, which helps to break up fats. Therefore, using a formulation such as Blackmore's Digestive Bitters prior to a meal will stimulate digestion. Blackmore's Digestive Aid can assist incomplete digestion.

Drink plenty of water - in fact every second drink should be water. Water is also the best way to depress appetite and prevent constipation. Load up with carbohydrates before partying, since these are converted to glycogen, the body's primary energy source, and since the body can only store a limited amount of glycogen at any one time, the appetite is suppressed. Grazing throughout the day is a better alternative to gorging, which apart from placing strain on the gastronomic system will stimulate appetite after the subsequent rapid drop in blood sugar levels. Avoid eating a large meal at night, and minimize the intake of fatty and sweet foods. Undertake regular exercise. Twenty to forty minutes of moderate exercise three or four times a week maintains fitness and a healthy weight. Try a daily multivitamin high in B group vitamins and vitamin C, such as Blackmore's Naturetime B plus C. this was originally designed as an overindulgence remedy.

For those who suffer from indigestion, using an antacid such as Mylanta, Mucaine or De Gas may treat the initial effects of overindulgence. Acid reflux and heartburn can also be naturally relieved with slippery elm bark, which coats and protects the lining of the stomach against acid. Blackmore's Acid Eze contains slippery elm bark plus peppermint oil to relieve gas. If the system becomes constipated Metamucil, Fibrogel with a large glass of water provides good relief. Blackmore's Colon Care is a gentle herbal laxative, which eliminates waste and relieves constipation.

Top Back to Top

ALCOHOL

The festive season always brings "a few drinks" which easily becomes "one too many". Alcohol contains a large amount of carbohydrates which depletes the body of B complex vitamins, particularly B1 and B6, as well as zinc and magnesium. A hangover results when the breakdown product of alcohol accumulates in the body, and acts as a poison, causing fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Women should remember that they could only handle alcohol at about half the rate of male, so they shouldn't try to keep up. If the stomach is upset after a night of drinking alcohol an antacid such as Mylanta or Gaviscon may help relieve symptoms. Drinking one glass of water per alcoholic drink may help reduce the symptoms of a hangover. Since alcohol has a diuretic effect (stimulates urination) it is important to replace some of the fluids which have been lost. A sport drink may do this more effectively that water alone. Pain relieving medicine such as paracetamol or paracetamol plus codeine may help to reduce headache symptoms.

It is advisable to eat a meal prior to drinking alcohol. This slows the absorption of the alcohol and alleviates the severity of some of the symptoms of a hangover. As always, the diet should be rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, fibre and high in complex carbohydrates. Avoid fatty foods, since it is the liver which converts alcohol onto waste products and this organ is also responsible for the production of bile acids which serve to break down fatty substances, so consuming these only while drinking place extra demands on the liver. Zinc and vitamin B5 are important in the activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase, the enzyme responsible for converting the toxic product of alcohol into a harmless byproduct. Vitamin B3 interferes with the production of this waste product and therefore supplementation with B3 will reduce its concentration in the body. Antioxidants (Vitamins A, C and W) and St Mary's thistle, a herb, protect the liver from toxin damage and may be of benefit in improving detoxification of alcohol and repairing damage already caused.

Cold packs applied to a thudding headache while feet are immersed in a bucket of hot water can help redirect the flow of blood to the feet and also relax tense scalp muscles.

Drinker

Top Back to Top

SUN

Any beautician will tell you that "the sun is your skin's worst enemy". Overexposure to the sun can make skin dry, wrinkled and less elastic. It causes the skin to age prematurely, become freckled and leathery. Excessive sun exposure is the primary cause of skin cancer, which is the most common form of cancer in the world. Australia boasts on of the highest incidences of skin cancer due to the ferocity of our blazing sun. A suntan is not a sign of good health; it is a sign that the skin has received enough UV radiation to be damaged. Once burnt severely, the skin never forgets. Prevention is always better than cure.

Ultraviolet rays damaging the skin cause sunburn. It is still possible to suffer from sunburn on cloudy days, and sunburn is increased in areas of high altitude. The sun reflects sand; water and snow thus projecting increased UV radiation on the skin. To protect from sunburn, the Australian cancer Society recommends that a 30+ sunscreen be used and be applied 20 minutes before going out into the sun for around 30 minutes in the water. Statisticians have estimated that regular use of SPF 30+ sun filter creams during the first 189 years of life will reduce the incidents f skin cancer by 78%. Avoid exposure between the hours of 10am and 3pm since this is the hottest time of the day. Protective clothing such as long sleeved shirt and a broad rimmed hat should also be worn since applying sunscreen does not guarantee freedom from sunburn. UV filter sunglasses prevent damage to the eyes by the UV rays, which cause cataract formation and pterygia.

If sunburn does occur, apply a cool compress can help relieve the pain (ice should not be directly applied since it can cause further burning). Plenty of fluids should be consumed to prevent dehydration. To relive pain a local anaesthetic spray can be used, which if kept in the fridge will further cool the skin on application. An aloe vera hydrogel may also be of benefit in smoothing and healing. If the core body temperature is elevated, paracetamol can be used to lower it and relive pain. Taking vitamin C and zinc tablets may be of benefit in promoting skin healing.

Remember the number one rule: enjoy yourself! ....... But not at the expense of healthy living!