Surrey Homes | SH26 | December 2016 | Interiors supplement inside

Health
Beat the bloat
Hang up the Christmas hangover and combat the uncomfortable
bloat with a few simple, natural tips from Helen Barton
We all know that feeling. the post-dinner, one glass too
many sluggishness that inevitably follows the festive
overindulgence. it’s not just Christmas day that has
this effect. it’s the accumulation of the office party, drinks at the
neighbours’, an extra mince pie at the school’s Christmas carols.
Before you know it, you’re slumped on the sofa, headache setting
in, not wanting to move until next year.
Let me tell you, however, that you don’t need to feel like this.
there are a few really simple ways of naturally alleviating this
feeling, without an added cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs.
the H2O hero - Upping your liquid intake is vital (wine
definitely doesn’t count I’m afraid). You should aim to drink
around two litres, if not more, per day. This is even more
important if you’re drinking alcohol. Try to have a glass of
water in-between cocktails to prevent the thundering headache
the next morning, and keep drinking plenty the following day.
Getting water through your system will aid in flushing out those
toxins from your body leaving you feeling fresh as a daisy.
Let food be thy medicine - If you know you’ll be partying this
evening, eat a proper dinner. Alcohol on an empty stomach is
a recipe for disaster. A healthy, wholesome meal will not only
do your body good, it will mean you’ll be the last one standing
on the dance floor. Eat plenty of veg, raw if possible, to get
maximum nutrition in, and top quality protein and fat.
Wonder root - If you are feeling queasy, then a cup of ginger tea
will settle an upset stomach. Peel a thumb-sized piece of ginger
and chop it up, squeeze some lemon into your favourite mug and
add the ginger with hot water. Take this with some milk thistle -
a great natural supplement that helps to cleanse the liver, as it’ll
be working overtime. Tuck yourself back in bed and remember
the reasons why you don’t drink that much anymore…
An apple a day - Consuming lots of rich foods can make our
bodies into an acidic environment, causing acid reflux, heartburn
and indigestion. A simple way of dealing with this, is to
up your intake of apple cider vinegar. Despite being an acid,
it has an alkaline effect on the body and can reduce those
unpleasant after-dinner symptoms. Take a tablespoon of organic
apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before or after a meal.
Work it out - I’m sure the last thing you’ll want to do after an
indulgent few days is move too much, but some exercise can work
absolute wonders. Your mind and body will definitely thank you
for it. You don’t have to slog away on the cross trainer or fling bars
around. A gentle walk will do. The fresh air in your lungs and newly
oxygenated blood pumping round will make you feel brand new.
Green Goddess Smoothie
To release the post-party hangover goddess
from within, try this super green smoothie
for a nutritional alkaline boost.
Ingredients:
• 1 handful of fresh baby spinach
• juice and zest from half a lime
• coconut water
• a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
• half an apple
• a few sprigs of parsley
• a chunk of cucumber
• half an avocado
You can alter the quantities of each
ingredient, according to your taste. Pop all
the ingredients in a blender and add a good
amount of coconut water to get the smoothie
to a consistency you like. Blend until smooth,
enjoy, and proceed to feeling fabulous.
Freeimages.com/FlorinBleiceanu / Adem KAYA / Satendra Mhatre
109 wealdentimes.co.uk