9 Hacks to support your body during Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Christmas gatherings, family visits, New Year’s Eve parties... A period of mutual gratitude, but also loads of festive food and toasts to good health. This is why many people associate this time of the year with stress, fear of gaining weight, or headache.
The following article offers you a few tips and tricks to enjoy the party period in peace and minimise the potential negative consequences of attending so many parties. I’ve made a point of approaching this topic lightly and briefly, so that instead of reading, you can maximise the time spent with your loved ones (and try these tricks in practice!). Let’s get started!
Before the party
[ Sleep on it ]
Lack of sleep causes more than just a bad mood. It can upset your hormone levels, increase your appetite, and also influence your food preferences, making you crave foods rich in sugars and other carbohydrates.
Why?
Sleep deprivation increases the levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger and stimulates appetite. At the same time, it also suppresses the hormone leptin, which sends the body a signal that we are full. As a result, you can experience sensations of insatiable hunger even though there is certainly no shortage of food.
It is remarkable that lack of sleep can also affect your food preferences. Foods rich in carbohydrates, such as Christmas cake or biscuits, can suddenly seem even more tempting. This is because our brain perceives them as the fastest sources of energy. However, if consuming these foods becomes your daily bread, replacing a balanced diet, the result may be weight gain and metabolic dysfunction (1).
Are you planning to attend plenty of parties or even just a few family gatherings? Treat yourself to some beauty sleep. With quality sleep you increase the chances that your hormones will be on your side and your metabolism will work the way it should.
[ Physical activity ]
If you’re about to attend a feast, want to enjoy a full plate, but also minimise the negative consequences of your actions, start your day with physical activity!
Why?
This study showed that 45 minutes of high-intensity training increased metabolic rate for up to 14 hours after the training (2). Not only will you boost your mood, but you will also offer your body better conditions to deal with a generous helping of potato salad.
In addition, exercising can also improve the glycemic response (your blood sugar response) to food and drinks high in carbohydrates. In other words, your body will be more efficient at digesting the festive treats that you munch on throughout the day.
[ A balanced first meal of the day is the secret of success ]
Whether you eat breakfast at 8 a.m. or 1 p.m. (I’m thinking about you, my dear practitioners of intermittent fasting), pay attention to what your first meal of the day consists of. This is important because the first meal has a significant effect (not only) on our feelings of hunger and fullness for the rest of the day.
Although a slice of stollen or cake might seem like an ideal festive breakfast, our blood sugar levels might disagree.
Your glucose levels naturally rise and fall throughout the day and the food we eat has a significant effect on this process. In this way, our choice of food can influence the fluctuation of our blood sugar levels to a certain extent.
Whenever possible, don’t start your day with foods that are rich in carbohydrates (watch out, besides the obvious croissant and toast, this also includes sugary granola or fruit juices). For stable blood glucose levels, treat yourself to a breakfast that contains fibre, proteins, and fat (3). Just to give you an idea, this can be eggs, vegetables (such as tomatoes or mushrooms), or a bowl of high-quality fatty yoghurt with some healthy treats on top.
Why should you avoid fast sugars for breakfast?
If you eat foods rich in fast sugars (like that croissant), it can cause a rapid rise followed by a rapid fall in blood sugar (4). In other words, its levels resemble a roller coaster - up and down. Wait a second… a rollercoaster sounds fun, so why would we want to avoid it?
Unstable blood sugar levels can have a number of consequences which include increased inflammation in the body, wrinkles, feelings of tiredness and fatigue, and an ever-present hunger. If you also suffer from cravings, especially for sweets, and you blame yourself for a lack of self-discipline, you might find a connection there as well. It can be a direct consequence of the dramatic fluctuations of your blood sugar levels.
A balanced first meal of the day is the key to success for stable blood glucose levels throughout the day, and a small safeguard against sweet tooth.
[ Refresh yourself with apple cider vinegar ]
Before hitting the party with an abundance of festive treats, add a spoonful of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water. This small trick performed about half an hour before eating can reduce unwanted blood sugar fluctuation by up to 30%.
Why?
This small trick works because the acetic acid from vinegar deactivates alpha-amylase, an enzyme in the saliva that begins to break down starch into glucose. In addition, acetic acid slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, giving the body more time to deal with glucose in the bloodstream. At the same time, vinegar accelerates the process in which your muscles absorb the sugar that enters your bloodstream after eating a meal (5, 6).
At a party:
[ Mindfulness with a fork in the hand ]
I have two definitive reasons for slow, epicurean musing with every mouthful.
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Reduced risk of overeating
The brain is a bit slow on the uptake. It takes approximately 15-20 minutes before our brain realises that the stomach is being fed. Do you remember I mentioned the hormone leptin in the paragraph on sleep? It is precisely this hormone that acts as a messenger that delivers the message: “It’s OK now, no more food needed, I AM FULL!” It takes a while before the information that you have had enough reaches you.
It can then happen that when enjoying delicious foods during an interesting conversation, you may not even realise that the sandwich in your hand is already the fifth within the same number of minutes. Unpleasant feelings of overeating and a strain on our body inevitably follow.
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Reduced risk of a swallowed bone
You minimise the risk of having to rush to the emergency room due to a swallowed bone from a carp fillet.
Slow and deliberate chewing improves the triggering of signalling cascades for the production of digestive enzymes and mechanical contractions of the stomach. Your stomach as well as your tomorrow self will thank you.
[ 1 + 1 (alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks) ]
If you treat yourself to an alcoholic beverage at a party, automatically grab a glass of water with your other hand. Adopt the 1+1 habit.
Why?
Alcohol acts as a toxin in our body. In order for this toxin to be cleared, the body needs water in the process of breaking it down. The source can be either a glass full of water in your hand, or water from your body tissues. So you don’t want to feel like a raisin in the morning and want to avoid a dry mouth and headache, combine every glass of alcohol with a glass of water. 1+1. Easy peasy.
[ 1 + 1 + C ]
The combination of 1+1 can be enhanced with a capsule of high-quality vitamin C taken with every glass.
This will reduce the process of turning alcohol into aldehyde - a metabolite that plants a hangover in our head and accelerates ageing. Vitamin C helps the body break down alcohol and reduce its toxic effects (1; the results of this study were limited by the small size of the study and absence of a control group).
Bonus: [ Glutathione ]
Glutathione - the king of antioxidants and a great helper. It will support your body in metabolising alcohol and in detoxification. Moreover, regular alcohol consumption depletes levels of glutathione naturally available in our body (7). All this can make supplementing it so much more useful. If you decide to turn to this helper, make sure you reach for a form that your body can absorb effectively. So look for liposomal glutathione.
I recommend taking liposomal glutathione both before and after alcohol drinking. This will increase the chance that you will have enough antioxidants in your body to protect the health of your brain and prevent hangover symptoms.
After a party
[ Magnesium ]
Ensure high-quality sleep by taking a magnesium supplement before bedtime.
Why?
In the body, magnesium is involved - among other things - in processes associated with muscle relaxation and proper functioning of the nervous system. If you’ve had a hectic day and would like to help your body relax and enjoy a good night’s sleep, taking a magnesium supplement can do you a great service.
[ A glass of water ]
Prevention of a morning headache after a challenging evening with family and friends? Hydration before sleep.
Why?
The reason is the same as in the paragraph [1+1] above. Alcohol dehydrates the body. The tissue surrounding your brain consists of water, and celebratory toasts can contribute to loss of water and shrinkage of this tissue (8). This can lead to an unpleasant sensation of tension in the head, headache, and unwelcome fatigue.
A glass of water before sleep will help prevent your metamorphosis to a shrivelled raisin and alleviate the consequences of alcohol consumption.
In conclusion:
Relax. Eating and drinking are intrinsic to spending time with family and friends. After all, food is viewed as more than just a means of survival. Food and food-related traditions form part of our identity and culture. The season of holidays and celebrations necessarily exposes us to alcoholic beverages and unusually large portions of food or foods that our microbiome isn’t used to. That’s why I offer you these tips on how to support your body and navigate the holidays with peace in your soul, a smile on your lips, and a cosy feeling in your belly. I think they might come in handy.
Happy holidays ♥ Terka & Systers
To sum up:
- Quality sleep
- Physical activity
- A balanced first meal of the day (protein, fat, fibre)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Mindful eating
- 1 + 1 (alcoholic + non-alcoholic) + vitamin C
- Liposomal glutathione before and after alcohol consumption
- Magnesium before sleep
- Hydration before sleep
- Relax
Bibliography:
[ 1 ] Walker, M. (2019) Dr. Matthew Walker on sleep for enhancing learning ... - youtubeMatthew, Dr. Matthew Walker on Sleep for Enhancing Learning, Creativity, Immunity, and Glymphatic System. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEbtf7uS6P8 (Accessed: December 1, 2022).
[ 2 ] Chen, M.F., Boyce, H.W. and Hsu, J.M. (1990) “Effect of ascorbic acid on plasma alcohol clearance.,” Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 9(3), pp. 185–189. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.1990.10720368.
[ 3 ] Chang, C.R., Francois, M.E. and Little, J.P. (2019) “Restricting carbohydrates at breakfast is sufficient to reduce 24-hour exposure to postprandial hyperglycemia and improve glycemic variability,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 109(5), pp. 1302–1309. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy261.
[ 4 ] Hall, H. et al. (2018) “Glucotypes reveal new patterns of glucose dysregulation,” PLOS Biology, 16(7). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2005143.
[ 5 ] Brighenti, F., Castellani, G., Benini, L., Casiraghi, M. C., Leopardi, E., Crovetti, R., & Testolin, G. (1995). Effect of neutralized and native vinegar on blood glucose and acetate responses to a mixed meal in healthy subjects. European journal of clinical nutrition, 49(4), 242–247.
[ 6 ] Liljeberg, H. and Björck, I. (1998) “Delayed gastric emptying rate may explain improved glycaemia in healthy subjects to a starchy meal with added vinegar,” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 52(5), pp. 368–371. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600572.
[ 7 ] McKillop, I.H. and Schrum, L.W. (2005) “Alcohol and liver cancer,” Alcohol, 35(3), pp. 195–203. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2005.04.004.
[ 8 ] Hobson, R.M. and Maughan, R.J. (2010) “Hydration status and the diuretic action of a small dose of alcohol,” Alcohol and Alcoholism, 45(4), pp. 366–373. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agq029.
