Top Tips for a healthy Christmas!

A healthy Christmas survival guide!

So Christmas is just around the corner! Are you full of festive cheer? Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Wrapped your gifts and placed them underneath the Christmas tree and now eagerly awaiting the holiday to arrive along with precious time to spend with family and friends? Maybe you haven’t even started yet and it’s all going to be a little last minute with you burning the candle at both ends and then when Christmas Eve finally arrives – you collapse in a heap, start to relax into the festivities and wham (and I don’t George Michael singing last Christmas!) you’re suddenly hit with the sniffles that develop into a cold or even worse, the dreaded flu and Christmas is spent feeling under the weather, or, you miss out completely and spend it in bed!

Do you think about keeping healthy over Christmas and take steps to keep yourself fighting fit? Or is it a time where you throw caution to the wind, party hard, eat whatever you want and yep you guessed it drink whatever you want and then worry about the consequences in the new year?

Well here’s a few tips that may just keep you in the festive spirit and carry you through to the new year without a cough, sniffle or a sneeze in sight! Or a huge hangover and a belly as big as Santa Claus himself!

 Support your immunity

 A weakened immune system is susceptible to not only colds, flu & infections but also to more serious health conditions. Strengthening your immune system through good nutrition and supplementation are ways in which you can support your overall health. Research has highlighted the central role vitamin D3 plays in immune health. The anti microbial proteins that fight viruses and bacteria are dependent on adequate levels of vitamin D whilst the minerals selenium, copper & zinc and vitaminc also contribute to the normal function of the immune system. 

Olive leaf has been traditionally used for centuries in many cultures for medicinal purposes and is constantly recommended to boost the immune system, particularly for those who suffer from recurrent infections. Common conditions where olive leaf has been effective in boosting the immune system include colds & flu, ear infections, warts, cold sores, urinary tract infections, yeast issues and many more.It is thought to work by supporting your body’s innate immunity through interaction with white blood cells known as macrophages.By improving the function of macrophages, our first line of defence is increased and our ability to repel harmful microorganisms enhanced. 

AllicinMax, a stabilised, patented Allicin extract from garlic has many anti fungal and anti viral applications. It is particularly beneficial during the winter months as a preventative – research confirming a 60% reduction in the likelihood of developing a cold and should you be unlucky and fall prey to colds & flu, then it has also been shown to reduce symptom duration and reduce the chances of re-infection.

Should you succumb to a nasty cough then a traditional cough remedy containing black elderberry, manuka honey and thyme may provide significant relief helping to coat and soothe irritated and inflamed respiratory membranes whilst working as an expectorant helping to expel mucus from the lungs.

Diet – you are what you eat! 

Christmas seems to be the season where we take leave of our senses a little, the supermarket shelves are crammed with seasonal delights and then there’s the Christmas TV adverts, one after another ,enticing us in with an array of treats, puddings, fantastic deals on alcohol and chocolates galore! The choice is astounding and we give ourselves free reign to eat, drink and be merry until we’re ready to burst. Everyone deserves a treat every now and again and I’m no party pooper. However, there are lots of ways to make sure you are getting the balance right at Christmas, and by introducing healthier alternatives into the mix you might just save yourself from the discomfort of over indulging: bloating, indigestion, wind, nausea, headaches and the dreaded hangover! 

At Christmas there’s a fantastic array of fruit & vegetables on offer. Try and cut down on your portion sizes of meat and roast potatoes and go for extra vegetables, especially greens such as broccoli & kale which are packed with essential nutrients and love them or hate them, Brussel sprouts are packed with Vitamin C!

Love your roasties? Well, as an alternative to potatoes try a healthier option of sweet potatoes, roast beetroot, celeriac and parsnip. Seasonal fruits such as cranberries, satsumas, dates and figs are also in abundance at this time of year and are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. 

Buy organic where possible, eat smaller amounts of food, but more often to keep your blood sugars stable and to keep those hunger pangs at bay! Cut back on the salt too or use Pink Himalayan salt a much healthier alternative. You can find this at your local health store.

Have a selection of nuts at hand – although higher in calories they are packed full of nutrients. Brazils, walnuts and almonds are ideal and contain the minerals selenium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc & potassium. A handful a day is ideal, but make sure they are unsalted.

KEEP HYDRATED! It’s party time – cheers! Certainly enjoy yourselves, but make sure you get to drink plenty of water during the day and in between those glasses of wine, beer or whatever your favourite tipple might be. Start your day with a pint of warm water with a slice of lemon – and always have a pint of water before you go to bed. Alcohol will dehydrate you so by ensuring you stay hydrated you will hopefully keep the hangovers at bay!

Seasonal over indulgence

Ok, so what if you do get a bout of indigestion, wind and bloating or find you succumb to a hangover? Well, there are a few natural remedies that would make great store cupboard essentials for over the Christmas period. Extracts of bitter herbs such as centaurium and yarrow are traditionally recommended for those suffering from acid reflux, acid indigestion and heartburn whilst herbs such as dandelion and artichoke are traditionally used for supporting the liver. If you get general indigestion rather than reflux, feel full and uncomfortable in your abdomen after eating and find rich fatty foods are productive of slight nausea then liver supportive herbs could be helpful. Milk thistle is the herb most commonly associated with the liver due to its ability to protect the liver from alcohol and medications which might do it harm. However, always remember, if you are already taking prescribed medication or have a medical condition always seek the advice of your GP prior to taking these remedies. A course of friendly bacteria in supplement form may also ease symptoms of bloating whilst offering immune system protection. Taking digestive enzymes with meals will help to break down your food so that it can be easily digested and better absorbed by the body. And one very important tip for helping digestion – always chew your food thoroughly!

Get some exercise! 

Why not enjoy a walk with family or friends after your Christmas meal? Exercise has significant benefits, not only will it take you away from all the food and drink, it means you are less likely to help yourself to seconds or over indulgence on your return. It will also support your digestion and metabolism and help to lower your blood sugar levels.

And finally....... try and minimise your stress levels!

Relax and engage in activities over the Christmas period that make you happy. Laugh lots! Laughter is the best medicine! Get plenty of rest and good quality sleep and don’t forget to breathe when it all gets too much. Find a little bit of peace & tranquility among the pre Christmas chaos. Treat yourself to a massage, light some candles, add a few drops of lavender oil to a warm bath and simply let your cares melt away.

Have a great Christmas everyone!

Competition time: 

to win our A.Vogel cold & flu survival kit (see below) simply answer the following question and email your answers to mel@barehealth.co.uk 
by 31/01/2015

Which herb is most commonly associated with the liver due to its ability to protect the liver from alcohol and medications which might do it harm?

The information in this article is intended for information purposes only. Always remember to seek the advice of your GP or healthcare professional if taking prescribed medication or undergoing treatment for any medical condition.

For more information please call into Bare Health, Congleton’s award winning, independent health store.