If you’ve started to get invites and emails to holiday drinks and events then you might be wondering how your liver will cope this festive season.
The copious amounts of elf ales and prancer prosecco is likely to leave you feeling a little bit hungover, but one expert claims there is a simple solution that can fix your sore head.
The NHS says that men and women should be having no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.
To put that into perspective, one unit is a small glass of wine, while a pint of low-strength beer is two units.
If you’ve been boozing it’s likely you’ll wake craving junk food, but one expert says this is the last thing you should be reaching for.
Registered nutritionist and founder of Re:Nourish Nicci Clarke said instead of loading up on junk from fast food outlets to perk yourself up after a heavy night, keep it clean.
Nicci revealed exactly how to make the perfect drink to help you feel back on track.
Nicci said: “Blend together .3 liters of coconut water, handful of kale, half a celery stick, a quarter of a cucumber, handful of rocket and juice of half a lemon.”
“This is the perfect hangover cure, as it is packed with antioxidants, vitamins and hydration that the body and liver needs to get over that hangover.”
But while this drink will help if you already have a hangover, scientists have also helped develop a drink you can have before you hit the booze which is said to help prevent a hangover.
The Start up Drinks Lab worked with food scientist Sheila Kupschthe to create Inside Out, which can can help protect your body before a night out and reduce your hangover the day after.
The experts spent 12 months developing the drink which is packed with antioxidants and pure extracts – which have been scientifically tested to support a healthy liver and detoxify your body naturally.
Another way to prepare your body for festive drinking is to make sure you eat a balanced diet, Nicci said.
She said you should try and reduce the intake of foods that might also be harming your liver.
“Don’t just eat foods which turbocharge your liver health, cut the unhealthy out of your life”, Nicci said.
She advised trimming back on fatty foods such as takeaways as well as cakes and sweet and foods high in salt such as bacon.
Of course, she also advised cutting down on booze and starchy food such as pasta and white bread.
Protect your liver
Nicci explained that there other ways that you can protect your liver this festive season and that it’s all about ‘everything in moderation’.
She said: “Whilst the best advice would be to totally cut out refined carbs like chocolate and alcohol over the festive season, Christmas is not the time to make that change.
“Instead, limit the amount of these foods you are consuming. Christmas equals chaos, and comfort eating is inevitable with the stress of buying presents and in laws come to stay! Make the most of the Christmas spirit, just don’t stuff your face too much.”
Nicci added that while it’s easy to lounge around when you’re feeling rough, you should always try and get out and about for a bit of exercise.
“It’s tempting to be lazy when the festivities start, but get moving. Around 150 minutes of exercise per week is absolutely the secret to maintaining a healthy liver.
“Pick an exercise that you love, it doesn’t matter what it is. You could even keep this in mind over the Christmas period as well – get the whole family outside for an active game… the loser washes up after the Christmas Dinner! “
This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission.