Christmas food

The Hub’s naturopathic nutritionist Rhi Hepple offers six nutritional tips to help you get through the indulgence of Christmas, from supplements to take to counteract a rich diet, to taking care of your detox organs, to suggestions for a little something to ease the system the morning after the night before…

1. Morning after the night before juice

Fuzzy head, headache, dehydration and nausea… this juice gets you back on track.

Asparagus is said to contain key enzymes that help to breakdown the residue of alcohol and ease the toxic overload on the liver. Here’s a tasty juice recipe containing not only asparagus but also alkalising lemon juice and spinach as well as nausea-soothing ginger.

  • small handful of spinach
  • 1 apple
  • 5 spears of asparagus
  • 1 tomato
  • 3-5cm piece of root ginger
  • juice of 1 lemon

 

2. A helping hand for your digestion

If your usual Christmas afternoon is slumped on the sofa feeling bloated and uncomfortable after the indulgence of the big feast then it might be worth trying digestive enzymes to support digesting rich foods and easing the pressure on your digestive system.

The Hub sells Nutri Advanced Similase (£18) which is a broad-spectrum enzyme formula containing protease to help you metabolise protein, amylase to help breakdown starch, cellulase to break down fibre, lipase to metabolise fat and phytase to support the digestion of grains and oils.

 

3. Hydration matters…

If the Christmas spirit might also be referring to what’s in your glass, don’t forget to drink water too! It’s all too easy to be sipping the fizz and enjoying the celebrations but don’t forget to drink some water too to help keep you hydrated. Make sure you still drink at least 8 glasses of water to keep your hydration levels up and help keep the kidneys flushing through – it will also stop you drinking alcohol too quickly to quench your thirst.

Why not invest in one of The Hub’s beautiful BeWater crystal-infused water bottle (£24.95 or £29.95) for a stylish way to drink water and to encourage yourself to drink your 8+ a day.

 

4. Our poor detox organs!

Liver alert! Our liver must be our most hard-working organ at this time of year – and we don’t treat it kindly. The liver is so busy dealing with the indulgence of alcohol, fat, sugar and stress that it is well worth putting in some key liver support.

Turmeric is our go-to liver supporting tonic. It’s health-gold in our opinion. Not only is it a powerful antioxidant, its anti-inflammatory benefits are amazing, making it a wonder health tonic. Use it liberally in your cooking…
  • We love turmeric roasted cauliflower and carrots.
  • Add it to rice dishes or dahls.
  • Make therapeutic golden milk: add 1tsp to milk or nut milk and heat it up in a pan, add a sprinkling of black pepper (which supports the bioavailability of the turmeric, enabling your body to use this herb better), and add a little honey to sweeten if you wish. You can also add other spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg too.
  • Try turmeric tea – Pukka herbs do a lovely turmeric, ginger and lemon tea.
If you suffer with any inflammatory conditions and really want to get the benefits then taking a supplement would be more beneficial. Choose curcumin (which is the active ingredient in turmeric that has all the nutrient benefits). It would be near-impossible to get enough of the benefits of turmeric through diet itself if using it for a health condition.

Kidneys alert ! If you’ve totally overdone it at all the Christmas parties then try activated charcoal. This supplement helps to bind with toxins to prevent the body from absorbing them and improves the function of the kidneys, eases intestinal inflammation and reduces gas and bloating. It also helps ease upset stomachs and diarrhoea. It doesn’t bind with alcohol but certainly helps to remove toxicity from the mixers.

Please note: Activated charcoal should not be taken with any other medication as it can prevent the body from absorbing that. Nor should it be taken long term and it is absolutely essential to drink at least 12-16 glasses of water when taking this supplement to prevent dehydration.

Food that’s kind to our detox organs You can help the kidneys and liver by eating plenty of foods that support their function such as beetroot, asparagus, bitter greens, cucumber, broccoli, ginger, celery, parsley, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, nettles, miso, black beans, fermented foods and drinks, kale, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and carrots.

 

5. Natural remedy for acid reflux

If heartburn spoils your Christmas Day then try this old-fashioned natural remedy: add 1tsp–1tbsp organic apple cider vinegar to a glass of water for relief – it helps to neutralise stomach acid. Make sure you choose apple cider vinegar that contains the ‘mother’ for immune support: if your vinegar is murky brown it contains this probiotic, produced naturally as the vinegar ferments.

And if you need some immune support alongside then this favoured home remedy is the perfect aid: 1tbsp of apple cider vinegar, juice of half a lemon, fresh grated ginger and hot water. You may wish to add a little manuka honey or raw local honey.

 

6. Best supplements for the Christmas period

  • Vitamin C for immune support
  • B vitamins and zinc get depleted by alcohol so supplementing with these will help to ease the balance. The Hub stocks Nutri Advanced B-Complex vegan tablets (£16.50).
  • Milk thistle, a wonderful liver tonic that helps protect damage to the liver. It works best as an accumulative supplement so if you know that the liver is going to take some strain then take a short course of milk thistle as a helpful aid.
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