New Years Eve Tips
Spend the First Day of 2017 Healthy

Maybe you’re the type that thinks a hangover’s worth the party, or maybe you’re the type that thinks the party ISN’T worth the hangover… Whatever the case, we want to help you get prepared to have the best of both worlds this New Years Eve! With these tips, you’ll be able to let loose and have a couple drinks, without the misery of a hangover.*

1. Prepare:

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Party Smart:

You may have heard of this awesome “magical” capsule before.  Or, you may have wondered if such a thing exists. Well, it does! This amazing herbal blend works wonders when it comes to preventing hangover symptoms.  Himalaya’s Party Smart capsules contain a unique blend of 6 different herbs that support the liver.  How does it work within the body? When we drink alcohol, our liver converts it into acetaldehyde. This is the main culprit behind the nasty hangover symptoms we all know and HATE such as headaches, nausea, fatigue and irritability. When Party Smart is consumed with one’s first drink it helps the liver to break down and rid of the acetaldehyde build up quicker so it doesn’t stay in our system so long!

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Hydration is Key:

Most people know as a rule of thumb, that staying hydrated is a fantastic way to ensure adequate health post-drinking.  Hydration is important to be aware of BEFORE drinking alcohol.  Regardless of how careful you’re going to be, drinking alcohol is going to dehydrate your cells.  If you’re starting from a state of proper hydration, however, you’ll be in a far better place to ensure you’re rehydrated before the night is through!  Be sure to consume lots of water throughout the day before your drinking festivities begin!

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Eat a Nourishing Meal Before Drinking:

It’s hard to say which foods specifically are going to help “prevent” hangover symptoms, but it certainly makes sense to think that nourishing your body before you consume alcohol is beneficial in many ways to ensure your system is working efficiently.   You’re about to embark on a liver destroying endeavour… consider consuming liver this evening. Eating liver is GREAT for your liver! Not down with liver? Well, it may even be correct to say that it doesn’t matter exactly WHICH foods you choose to eat prior to alcohol consumption, but rather that they are of high quality sourcing, prepared in a digestible manner and are in fact consumed BEFORE the alcohol! You’re already going to be loading your system with the alcohol bit, may as well help that digestive system out in other ways :).

2. Make Informed Drink Choices :

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Sugar is NOT Your Friend:

Not to say that alcohol in itself isn’t bad for you in excessive quantities, but perhaps the real bad guy in the world of nasty hangovers is sugar.  When you drink alcohol, your body becomes dehydrated, and your blood-sugar levels fluctuate, therefore your internal organs such as the liver, are taxed dramatically  When you throw sugar in the mix, no pun intended ;), you tax your body further by increasing dehydration of cells AND off-balancing your blood sugar levels.  Dehydration and blood sugar imbalance are definitely the perfect recipe for a disastrous hangover, making alcohol and sugar the dynamic duo to avoid!

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Have a Shot of Water Between Drinks:

As stated above, staying hydrated is a crucial piece to ensuring your “tomorrow” brings with it a hope for health.  When you consume alcohol, your body is triggered to stop absorbing as much water.  You’ve probably noticed that you have to urinate more while drinking… this is because your body needs to get rid of what you’re putting in it, and it in turn gets rid of the water with it! It is important to rehydrate throughout the evening in between drinks.

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Our Drink of Choice:

Why is this our drink of choice? Is it, like, healthy or something? As far as the umbrella of popular mixed drinks is concerned, this spin on a conventional Gin & Tonic may be one of the best options for helping you feel great in the AM. Here’s why:

• Gin is a clear alcohol, which is generally a better option due to lower concentrations of toxins.  Darker alcohols have higher amounts of mycotoxins that put more strain on the body to filter out, and can contribute to some of the nasty hangover symptoms. Victoria Gin is hand crafted locally, right where we live, and… we LOVE supporting local.
• Using a “tonic” such as Saint-Justin’s Mineral Water is far better than using plain soda water.  This is because unlike soda water, it contains natural minerals.  Saint-Justin is unique in that they source all of their water in Quebec, and it LITERALLY COMES OUT OF THE GROUND CARBONATED. How cool is that?! They also have a lemon infused option too, which pairs fabulously with Gin as well.
• Lastly, adding organic lemon wedges or a little bit of Lemon juice will help your system work toward alkalinity. There is A LOT of balancing going on in the body when we drink, and anything we can do to help is highly appreciated by our internal system.  Plus, you can’t go wrong with the lemon flavour!

Great Non-alcohol Options:

Not drinking on New Years? That’s okay… you’ll definitely feel great tomorrow ;). We want you to have some non-alcoholic healthy options too! Some of our favourites:

• Rise, GT, or Brew Dr. Kombucha
• St. Justin’s Mineral Water
• Babe’s Honey Jun
• Kevita Fermented Drinks

3. Help Your Body Recover:

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Activated Charcoal:

Used traditionally and conventionally to detox the body and help treat alcohol poisoning (which we really hope you don’t get this New Years), activated charcoal is a fantastic way to help your body rid of the toxins you’ve just put into it!! Click Here to learn more about how Activated Charcoal pulls toxins from the body! Charcoal is available in capsule form and can be consumed as directed by the label when they night is through, before you hit the hay! We promise you won’t regret this decision in the morning… It really does help. Note: You may want to set the charcoal out with a glass of water BEFORE you head out drinking for the evening. 😉

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Electrolyte Restoration:

After drinking, it’s important to restore the body’s electrolytes. Many people do this through consumption of sports drinks, but those tend to have large sugar quantities and can therefore be pretty counterintuitive.  Thankfully, there are some sugar-free options.  A really great way to restore electrolytes is with nuun tabs.  They are stevia sweetened, effervescent electrolyte tablets that dissolve in water!

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The Polar Bear Swim:

A tradition known by many in various different parts of the world, is the Polar Bear Swim of January 1st.  Some view this as craziness, others as bravery, and a select few as a “fun-time” lol. Interestingly enough, cold-shock therapy is an AMAZING way to reset your biology.

You’ll notice when you plunge into cold water, your body starts to naturally breathe a lot faster.  This is a result of the autonomic nervous system, working hard to oxygenate your cells.  This response, along with many others, is your body’s natural coping mechanism that is kicked on when we get that initial cold-shock. What we can’t see, is that in extreme cold conditions our bodies synthesize various Cold Induced Proteins (CPI’s), or cold-shock proteins that help us cope and adapt to the cold conditions. These proteins have been studied extensively in animals and humans to have a profound effect on the retention of muscle (which happens to be the “heating-engine” of the body), and the strengthening of immune function. They’ve also shown to have a profound anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

If you’re not feeling 100 percent, a total nervous system reset, anti-inflammatory response AND an immune function boost are all factors that are going to make you feel A LOT better.  It’s no question that a jump into a cold-lake mid-winter is bound to wake you up, and make you feel like a whole new person, even if you’re not hungover!

*Everyone’s body metabolizes alcohol differently and therefore, someone following all of these tips is not guaranteed a hangover free morning ;). But, you’ll certainly be helping your internal organs out regardless!