End to hangovers
How to deal with all the parties
’Tis the season to be merry and indulge, but how can you limit some of the festive damage? Maria Lally asks the experts.
December. The month of too many office parties, late nights and Quality Street chocolates. A recent study found the average person consumes 25,104kJ on Christmas Day alone, and an extra 16,736kJ in alcohol between now and New Year’s Eve.
But rather than succumbing to festive excess, why not try “healthy hedonism”? “You can have a really fun December while limiting some of the damage with a few simple tweaks,” says Rosemary Ferguson, a supermodel turned nutritionist.
“First, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you spend December in a cycle of indulgence and guilt, you’ll get a double whammy of unhealthy food and alcohol, plus the stress hormone cortisol. You can be a healthy hedonist and enjoy the month, while protecting yourself from the excess.”
Here’s how... Be a better drinker
“You don’t have to avoid alcohol altogether, but you can drink smarter and cleaner,” says personal trainer Lee Mullins.
“I tell my clients to choose alcohol with the fewest toxins to improve their hangovers and overall health. Go for high-quality vodka or tequila, with fresh lime and soda water. Steer clear of sweetened mixers like cola, which just up the sugar content further (remember, alcohol is incredibly high in sugar). And choose better quality wine, with fewer chemicals.”
“Clean wine” is causing something of a buzz this party season. Simply, it’s wine without (or with fewer) chemicals and additives that can exacerbate hangovers. Look for wines labelled “organic”, containing fewer or no sulphates, or “spontaneously fermented”, which means no added yeasts and a more natural fermentation process.
Recover well
“The morning before a big night out, make a jug of sparkling water, add some mint and lemon and put it in the fridge,” says Ferguson. “When you wake up hung-over, you often crave a cold, fizzy drink that tastes slightly sugary. But, rather than a cola, which is packed with sugar and leads to an energy slump 20 minutes later, this will perk you up.
“Repair some of the damage with a breakfast full of protein and healthy fat, like poached or scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, or a big bowl of porridge.”
Mullins recommends taking an activated charcoal supplement and having an Epsom salt bath the next day to “absorb some of the toxins”.
Avoid a stress hangover
“Forget food and alcohol, stress can be the unhealthiest thing about the festive season,” says chef and food writer Melissa Hemsley. “I avoid tiredness crutches like coffee, which can make my anxiety worse. Instead, I take a big saucepan, chop some ginger and let it bubble away for an hour or so. I then put it in the fridge, with some lemon and lime wedges, and the next day fill a water bottle with it before leaving the house.
“The other thing I’ve started doing is going to parties early and leaving early: you make better choices at the start of the night, you can make your way around a room and then head off feeling like you’ve chatted to everybody, but protecting yourself from a hangover and poor sleep.”
And if you’re hosting? “Make it easy for yourself,” advises Hemsley. “I have a huge chopping board, which I top with lots of little deli-bought things like olives, good quality hummus, breads and truffle honey, all displayed beautifully. Then I put the booze out, a massive jug of water, and let everybody get on with it.
“Fiddly festive hosting can be overwhelming and the stress hangover – where you come down from the adrenalin high of rushing around – can cause you to crave alcohol and sugar. Take the pressure off and the cravings will disperse.”
Support your gut
Eating and drinking more than usual can put a strain on your digestive system, so it is important to support your gut bacteria. “This helps reduce bloating and research shows a healthy gut bacteria can influence whether your body uses food as fuel, or stores it as fat,” says nutritionist Henrietta Norton. Boost your gut health by cutting down on sugar, refined foods and alcohol.
“A good chromium supplement reduces sugar cravings and slightly lower your fruit intake, while upping your vegetable one,” she says.
“Also, eat fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi (spicy fermented vegetables), which are naturally rich in beneficial bacteria and enzymes.”
Ban blowouts
“I tell clients to pick their poison,” says Lee Mullins. “So what’s it going to be at the office lunch? Will you drink a little more than usual? Or relax your sugar rules? Or indulge in the cheese plate? Just pick one thing.”
Exercise right
“If you’re hung-over or tired, your body is chronically inflamed,” says Mullins, so don’t go spinning, or running the morning after to ‘sweat off’ the night before.
Mullins also suggests a walk after your Christmas lunch: “A study has shown a 10-minute walk after a rich meal can lower your blood sugar levels and improve your body’s insulin sensitivity.”
Lastly, don’t lose hope: “There’s always January to get back on track.”