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Thank you for visiting! Walking the Walk is meant to be a source to assist you in your quest for a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Through my own lifestyle, I hope to give you creative ideas that make adopting a healthier, more holistic lifestyle as enjoyable and easy for you as possible!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

T'is the season....


It's almost Christmas and everyone is pretty jolly.  99% of the time, this "jolly" is alcohol induced, so I felt it appropriate to mention some natural ways to deal with the perils of overindulging in mulled wine and spiked eggnog over the Christmas break.

***Please remember that this blog is informative only and is not meant to diagnose medical conditions.  Please contact your holistic health care provider if you would like to try some of the suggested supplements so that they can guide you on their correct dosing and whether the product is right for you***  

How to Naturally Avoid a Hang-over


I didn't have Nux Vomica on hand for a photo op, so Arnica has to do...

1. Take a homeopathic remedy. The homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica is an excellent way to ward off a hangover.  To do this, take a dose of 30CH  Nux vomica after the big Christmas party, right before bed.  You may need to re-dose in the morning, or you may not.  I find the most effective way to take a homeopathic is to either dissolve the tablets in about a tablespoon of filtered water in a glass shot glass, or to put the tablets directly under your tongue from the container, taking care not to touch them with your hands.  Give it a try and see if it works for you.

2. Detox your liver. C'mon, you know you're going to be drinking and I know you're going to be drinking.  You may as well be proactive and begin helping your liver a few days before the Christmas party.  A great product for this is the Livdetox from Douglas Labs (click here for the complete product info).  This product can be taken a few days before the party and also the day after in order to stave off the hangover by supporting your liver's ability to clear the alcohol from your system.  Douglas Labs is a professional line that is not normally sold in regular health food stores, so you may need to consult with your Naturopathic Doctor to get your hands on some of this.

3. Focus on bitters instead of sweet alcohols.  It's unavoidable that you are going to drink during this time of year, so why not try to make it the healthiest choice possible?  Instead of choosing a suger-filled, calorie-laden beverage, try opting for the more bitter drinks.  Gin and Campari are both bitters and can help with digestion.  Mix either with some Perrier and you have a lovely, refreshing drink that will help your body by being somewhat medicinal as well as lower in calories.  Kind of like a homemade tincture...also, red wine is always a great choice, since it has so many health benefits!

I hope some of these suggestions will work for you.  I rarely drink alcohol and felt for the longest time that I was missing out on the fantastic health properties that red wine in particular had to offer-most importantly the Resveratrol, a plant phenol that is a fantastic anti-inflammatory and touted to be responsible for "The French Paradox".   Recently, I found a fantastic product from Pure Encapsulations that provides this phenol in an easy to take form; Resveratrol Extra (pictured below) has been suggested by my colleague to be taken everyday, along with omega-3 fish oils, as a preventative to discourage inflammation in your body.  Since inflammation is responsible for nearly all diseases, I'd say this is some pretty sound advice.

The superhero for fighting inflammation.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy the time with your family and friends and be sure to let them know just how important they are to you.

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