What sort of tips do you have to help keep us going through the party season?
Try and eat as healthily as possible – lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as good quality proteins. When we’re tired and rundown, we might be craving sugar and refined carbs but it’s protein not sugar that we need to stay awake and focused.
Herbs such as Rhodeola rosea and Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginsing) can help to reduce feelings of fatigue. Chamomile, dandelion and nettle can help to improve digestion and help keep your bowel regular. Digestive complaints have been linked to low mood, poor skin, and reduced energy.
What's your view on detoxing? Do you think it's beneficial? If yes, what sort of detox should we go for?
I don’t think it’s necessary to go to extremes in terms of weird and wonderful diets or body wrapping in clingfilm etc - our bodies have a remarkable capacity to cope with the demands we place on them and the liver is able to detoxify virtually everything we throw at it.
However, symptoms such as fatigue, low mood, poor concentration and a foggy head are all signs that the body is not functioning at its optimal level and in these situations I would advise my patients to have a break from substances such as alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, sugar and refined foods.
I advise them to increase the amount of vegetables in their diet (particularly green veg) - as discussed above, juicing or smoothies are a great way to get vitamins and minerals into the body. It is particularly important that the vegetables are raw, as raw vegetables contain lots of enzymes that are needed for all sorts of processes in the body including digestion, and cooking breaks these enzymes down.
I also suggest increasing good quality proteins in the diet such as lean meat, fish of any kind and eggs. Amino acids (which are what proteins are made of) are the key regulators of energy balance in the body and help maintain blood sugar levels. Chlorella and spirulina are forms of algae which contain lots of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals which have been shown to boost the immune system and act as antioxidants, so it can be useful to supplement these too.
Finally I recommend exercise – our bodies are made to move, not to sit around all day slumped in our chair. Exercise increases motivation, improves sleep, gives us energy and keeps us healthy, it shouldn’t just be thought of as a weight-loss tool!
Taryn Davies
Tagged in Health Hangover cures