It’s that time of year again, and holiday parties may leave us feeling less than a sense of merriment and joy the next morning. Yet missing out on the fun of the pervious night may not want to be avoided. Unfortunately though, what goes up must come down. Alcohol, consuming unhealthy foods, and overeating can take it’s toll on our health and sense of well-being; therefore, how does one deal with the downside of merry making? Here are some simple suggestions:

1) Start Your Day with a Mini Detox.

Warm lemon water has been shown to provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals that help detoxify the digestive organs and liver. As soon as you wake, warm some water, but not too hot. Squeeze an organic lemon into the water and enjoy. Don’t eat breakfast until ½ an hour after, to ensure its effects. Not only will you rehydrate, but you’ll also flush those party toxins right out of your body.

2) Continue to Stay Hydrated.

This is a given, but how many of us continue hydrating ourselves after the initial glass in the morning? Considering that thirst is the last sign of dehydration, it’s important to optimize your hydration with this simple rule of thumb; drink half your body weight in ounces a day. For example, a 130lb woman would need 35 ounces, which is approximately 8 glasses a day. More is required, when we consume additional dehydrators such as alcohol, sugar, energy drinks, teas, chocolate, and packaged and processed foods (surprise, these foods take a lot of energy in the form of water to process). Try the urine test to ensure this is working for you. The darker your urine the more dehydrated you are. A hydrated body has a very light yellow tint to it.

3) Eat Optimally.

Festive merriment can create nasty free radical damage to our bodies and leave us feeling like we’ve just been put through the ringer. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E, and selenium help clean up your insides. B vitamins are important as they process alcohol from our blood, provide stress support, and improve our energy. So how do we get all these wonderful nutrients into our bodies? Through a healthy diet of fresh, organic vegetables. Green leafy veggies are loaded with antioxidants, B-vitamins, and fiber to boot. Protein can be helpful, however, too much can leave you depleted. You may want to avoid too many fruits as the sugar content can create more havoc with the body. Needless to say, it’s a good idea to stay away from refined sugar and junk food as these foods create excess load on a body trying to recover. Additionally, don’t forget your multivitamin and supplementing with additional Vitamin C and Complex B Vitamin 50 can supercharge the detox process.

4) Move.

Did you know movement creates mini electrical charges in your body that leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated? I’m not suggesting a high intensity boot camp workout, as that can cause more damage than help. Gentle yoga, walking, swimming, Tai Chi, body weight training such as squats and split squats, all can help move the toxins out while energizing the body.

It’s challenging this time of year to not fall into the trap of over consuming, yet here’s one last tip to keep you feeling better the next day. Stay mindful. I wonder how much we’d consume if we became aware of what we put in our mouths? Maybe taking a moment or two to taste the food and properly digest it would go a long way in avoiding the post party blues. Happy Holidays!