| This season brings lots of activities and fun bank | | | | Support your poor overworked liver! Before you |
| holiday weekends, but with it there are the usual late | | | | punish it with too much alcohol and food, make sure it |
| nights, a little bit too much alcohol and the | | | | is operating properly. Milk thistle is a great herb which |
| over-indulgence of food. So, what's the best way to | | | | protects the liver and it also speeds up the clearance |
| get through this month without feeling like a mess? We | | | | of alcohol from the body. You may want to splurge on |
| asked CNM Naturopath, Debbie Cotton to help out... . | | | | taking milk thistle for the month! |
| The first tip is to drink plenty of water. This may seem | | | | Make sure that during the week you are eating lots of |
| obvious, but it's the best way to avoid a hangover as | | | | food with fibre in to keep you bowels regular so that |
| alcohol dehydrates the body. For every alcoholic | | | | the liver has the room to dump any toxins from the |
| beverage you drink, try to have a glass of water. That | | | | weekend into the intestine without getting reabsorbed. |
| should just about even things up. If you're going to a | | | | Eating lots of fresh fruit and veggies should do the |
| BBQ another tip is to bring a plate of food that is | | | | trick. |
| yummy and nutritious with you. This means that you | | | | So you ended up with a hangover? Oh well, it's too |
| will at least be able to snack and indulge, but you have | | | | late to do any holistic approaches now, but there are |
| some nutritious goodies to balance it out. A great idea | | | | some great supplements you can take! A good |
| is a tasting plate full of vegetable crudites, nuts, seeds | | | | B-Complex vitamin will get you feeling a bit more perky |
| rice or spelt crackers with humous or avocado as a | | | | in no time, and a dose of a magnesium supplement will |
| dip. Your host will also appreciate the fact that you've | | | | limit the DT's. Lots of water and a good afternoon nap |
| helped out. | | | | should do the trick as well! Also go for a nice good |
| Find an alcohol that is low in preservatives, especially if | | | | quality protein meal and if you are craving fat, make it |
| you are an allergy or hayfever sufferer. The sulphur | | | | good quality omega-3 containing versions such as |
| that is used to preserve wine often causes a flare of | | | | avocado, nuts, seeds and fish. |
| allergy symptoms and can also cause headaches. | | | | Well, if you survive May with all the socialising, this |
| Splurge an extra pound or two for the organic version | | | | should leave you in good shape to really enjoy your |
| of alcohol to limit any nasty reactions the next day. | | | | summer as well. Good luck! |