Dr. Simone Laubscher PhD, formulator of The Super Elixir™ and Founder of Rejuv Nutrition, shares her top tips to help you stay well this Festive Season.
With the Festive Season on its way, now is the best time to implement a holiday survival plan so you can have fun and enjoy some treats without undoing your health routine.
This year we won’t be having any grand parties but we will still be connecting with close friends and family and enjoying some holiday treats. This has been an unusual year and now, more than ever, we have learnt to give thanks for all we have and to hold our loved ones close. We have also learnt the huge value of our health. So, this festive season there are lots of way we can indulge in yummy Christmas delicacies and still support your health.
When we indulge in treats our blood sugar levels spike. Foods high in sugar, white flour or white potatoes have a higher glycemic index (GI) and these tend to be the main ingredients of fun holiday foods. Alcohol also has varying GI ratings so we have compiled some top tips on how you can literally have your cake and eat it (or drink it) too.
Stress and emotional toxins can also greatly reduce our digestion and immune systems. This can lead to increased cortisol and adrenaline levels, binge eating and drinking, linked to increased belly fat, heart burn and other digestive problems. So be mindful, take a breath, count to 10, remove yourself from a stressful situation and decide, just for today, I will choose to respond and not react.
Here are my top 5 tips on how to enjoy this season and maintain your health and not have all the ‘wheels fall off your trolly’.
1. Combine low & high GI
This is a wonderful time to celebrate with friends and family. Instead of trying to limit yourself all the time, give yourself 2 days off for Christmas and 2 days off for New Year for fun holiday treats. Let your hair down and enjoy! By planning your diary in this way you will have 4 days of fun instead of an accidental 4 week landslide.
To combat blood sugar surges and keep yourself more balanced, it’s best to combine high GI with lower GI foods and drinks. For example, if you want to have roasted white potatoes have this with organic turkey, salmon or a nut loaf. If you fancy a Christmas pudding, then have a handful of nuts on the side for the added protein. This will level you out and reduce the ‘carb coma’ feeling after a sugary treat. What you nibble on can make or break how your body responds so choose olives, nuts, hummus & crudités in addition to the crisps or canapés.
When it comes to booze, white wine, beer and sugary cocktails are high GI so dry red wine, rosé wine, dry champagne/sparkling wine and spirits are better. Keep in mind however the spirits are harder on the liver so moderation is always ideal.
2. Add intermittent fasting
With overindulging more likely for brunches, lunches and dinners, start your day with 500ml of water, lemon and ginger and swap out breakfast each day with a green juice. An example of a green juice we love is 300ml of celery, cucumber, romaine lettuce, lemon, lime, 200ml water and 2 teaspoons of WelleCo’s The Super Elixir™. Try to leave at least 12 hours in-between your last meal at night and your next meal the next day to get the best result.
Your green juice and water with lemon will not break your fast as they are less than 40 calories, giving your system the opportunity to do a mini cleanse each morning and bombard your cells with extra nutrition. This is the perfect detox before you re-tox with rich food and drinks during the day, allowing you to move through the holiday season with minimal damage to your system. Holidays are here to be enjoyed so have fun, maintain and then embrace your detox in January.
If your lunch will be very late and you will be tempted to eat too many rich nibbles, opt for a vegan protein smoothie like our WelleCo Nourishing Protein powder mixed with 350ml of unsweetened plant milk so you can feel full and be less likely to overindulge before the main event.
3. Hydrate
Overeating and over-drinking will make you dehydrated so do yourself a favour and have 2-3L of water and/or herbal teas per day. Your liver and 50 trillion cells will LOVE you for it. Drinking enough water will not only flush out toxins but also help reduce appetite and cravings.
4. Move your body
Stagnation will make us feel worse if we overindulge, so whether it is a brisk walk, a session at the gym, a bounce on your home trampoline or a great dance around the house (as if no one is watching), just choose to move. Not after a big meal of course! The key is to prepare your body before the onslaught of holiday delicacies. I choose to move my body each morning even for just 20 minutes on my home exercise bike or online fitness class. This really does set you up for success and keeps constipation at bay. My dear friend and WelleCo business partner Elle Macpherson told me years ago she moves her body each day and I have embraced this habit which has changed my life… if it is good enough for ‘The Body’ it is good enough for me!
5. Support your 11 systems
To fast track your way through the holidays and make sure you have the perfect detox & re-tox plan you can use our WelleCo line to hoover up any toxins as you go. If you tend on eating some rich food add in our The Super Booster Gut Health each day to support digestion and keep the belly bloat at bay. If you choose alcohol and/or rich foods, add in The Super Booster Detoxifying Liver Tonic to keep your detox pathways moving, reducing the likelihood of food or wine hangovers. Our immune systems can also be impaired with extra rich food and alcohol, especially in the current climate. Add in The Super Booster Immune System Support which works synergistically with The Super Elixir™ to support all your 11 systems so you can move through the holiday season looking and feeling great.
Wishing you all a blessed Christmas & New Year!
