If you are like most, you will eat and drink in excess of what you
normally do over the Christmas period. As a Naturopath I can tell you to
limit alcohol, drink 3 litres of water a day and eat only healthy
treats. But lets get real, it’s Christmas! So I recommend eating well,
drinking as much water as you do alcohol and balancing any food and wine
overindulgence with fresh air, herbs and extra bedroom
activities.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU EAT AND DRINK MORE THAN NORMAL:
Exercise: DON’T beat yourself up about it.
DO rug up and get outside for some extra long walks or jump on a
treadmill. Most definitely take advantage of not having to get up for work
by indulging in more boudoir activity. Sex is the perfect way to burn
extra calories and sweat out booze. It also gives a buzzy release of the
endorphins that we require in higher amounts at a stressful time of year.
Give some loving to the Christmas Grinch, dare I say it – grind the
Grinch!
B VITAMINS:
DO get hold of a B complex vitamin to help liver detoxification and energy
metabolism. My favourite over the counter products is biocare B complex,
this can be bought online from
www.revital.co.uk. DON’T buy the
cheapest supermarket available B complex. They are full of nasty bulkers
and preservatives and the nutrient form will be cheap with little
bioavailability, meaning that it can’t be absorbed very well. Reputable
health food stores and practitioner only products are the way to go.
WET YOUR WHISTLE, THEN TAKE YOUR THISTLE:
St Marys Thistle (SMT) is my top recommendation over the Christmas period.
SMT is the ultimate preventative health herb. It not only protects the
liver from excess food and wine but this western herbal medicine is a
hepatorestorative meaning it rebuilds the liver cells. Taking SMT before
and after a night out or a heavy meal reduce hangovers and increase bile
production to help digestion. There have been over 12,000 studies
conducted in the last decade on the beneficial effects of flavonolignans
found in SMT. Preventative health is taking measures to balance your
naughty, bad and ugly lifestyle choices before they manifests into
illness. Viridian is my favourite over the counter SMT for preventative
health. For treatment of any diagnosed liver or digestive complaints
professional grade products are indicated and a Naturopathic consultation
is necessary.
RANDOM FACT: Brits eat twice the amount of food Christmas
day than they do on normal days. Approximately 6000 calories, enjoy your
lunch but don’t be a wasteful booze hound. Instead take leftovers and
share some mulled wine with someone who is living on the streets or take
it down to the nearest homeless shelter. This is undeniably my favourite
part of Christmas day. Giving is receiving.
TRAVEL BUGS AND THE TRUTH ABOUT ANTIBACTERIAL GEL SANITIZERS
When on the move we are exposed to hundreds of new strains of bacteria.
Not only do we ingest pathogens via the oral cavity, through what we eat
and who we kiss under the mistletoe. But we also contract viruses through
other mucous membranes. Contracting an infection can be as simple as
touching a railing with your hand on the underground and then wiping your
eye with the same hand later on during the day.
Solution: DO wash your hands regularly and avoid touching
yourself in public, ew!
DON’T use Anti-bacterial hand gels! Anti bacterial gels contain chemicals
that are toxic carcinogens, namely triclosan and dioxin. These are known
potent endocrine disruptors. They disrupt hormone function and have been
linked to infertility. In March 2010, the European Union banned the
triclosan from all products that come in contact with food. Antibacterial
hand gels have received some heat from the FDA too. Sandra Kweder, deputy
director in the FDA’s drug center as quoted to say “we don’t have any
evidence that anti-bacterial soaps have any benefit really over simple
soap and water.” So choose natural soaps and essential oils this Christmas
to avoid possible ED (flat willy) and venereal diseases! If you choose to
stick with chemical products for then consider protecting your health with
an annual juice cleanses and lots of time in nature. Incase you missed my
blog on juicing, here it is –
www.essentialibiza.com/blog/raw-juice-episode-1/
ANTIBACTERIAL ESSENTIAL OILS FOR ON THE GO
(Look for the Latin botanical name on the bottle to know that it’s not a
dud)
Frankincense (boswelia carterri) is all the rage at the
moment for its proven anticancer properties, also great for social
anxiety. It’s a woody and spicy essence and will get you into the
Christmas spirit.
Petitgrain (citrus aurantium) is the base of many
aftershaves, so smells like man, a woody-orange kind of musky smelling
man.
Melissa (lemon vebena), a beautiful aroma with calming
properties for the psychotic Christmas shopper. Smells divine, with a
fresh lemony aroma.
Peppermint (metha piperita) good for hangover headaches,
pain relief. Smells minty-zesty fresh.
Lavender (lavendula angustifolia), strongly antibacterial and
no.1 chill out for the nervous system. One of the only oils that you can
use neat on the skin. Smells a bit like Grandma, floral and lovely.
Oregano (oreganum vulgare), a strong antifungal and
antioxidant, Smells earthy, this one is hardcore herbie, not for the faint
hearted but great for funky feet!
Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) a congnitive enhancer
and circulation stimulant, good for cold extremeties! Smells earthy with a
wiff of mint.
HOW TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS
For daily protection and defence, burn a few drops in a vaporizer or get
sensual and blend 4 drops in 25ml (just under 2 tablespoons) of almond oil
and massage into the souls of your feet. A couple of drops on a scarf or
on a tissue to breathe in busy places is nice too. This can offer a little
immune protection but mainly it will provide a nice aroma amidst pollution
and other city stinkers. A study assessing antibacterial activity of
essential oils used in flu (Haemophilus influenza), strep (Streptococcus
pneumonia) and Staph (Staphylococcus aureus) infections found that the
antibacterial action of essential oils was most effective when at high
vapour concentration for a short time. Using the 4 drops of oil in a
vaporizer for an hour a day or having a good wiff for a few minutes when
on the move will prove to be most effective.
So to survive this boozy Christmas period, shack up, sniff your oils and
take your pills! Merry Christmas from the gorgeous Ibiza.
By Chloé Silverman B.H.Sc Naturopath, Wellness expert.
For more info please visit
www.chloesilverman.com
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References:
Lan, Z., Hyung Kim, T., Shun Bi, K., Hui Chen, X. and Sik Kim, H.
(2015), Triclosan exhibits a tendency to accumulate in the epididymis
and shows sperm toxicity in male sprague-dawley rats. Environ. Toxicol.,
30: 83–91.
Shigeharu Inouye, Toshio Takizawa, and Hideyo Yamaguchi
Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents
against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact
J. Antimicrob. Chemother. (2001) 47 (5): 565-573
Post-White, Janice, Elena J. Ladas, and Kara M. Kelly. “Advances in the
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