Photo: Lin Pernille ♥ Photography

You know I had to go there. We all need a little reminder now and again about how to take care of ourselves during this jolly, giving season which is truly about…consuming as much alcohol, sugar, and refined goodies as possible. Ow, my pancreas hurts just thinking about it.

Don’t worry, I’ll make this short and sweet so that you can head off to your Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/Pagan rum-laced and fruitcake-filled party. Hey, HEY – wait! At least take this probiotic before you head out the door, and maybe a shot of some liver-protecting herbs, like Herb Pharm Healthy Liver Tonic,a personal fav. Don’t forget to take some more (most people put it in water, I’m a straight out of the bottle kinda gal) before you go to bed.

If you are still listening, here are some other health tips so that January 1 doesn’t feel like a toilet seat imprint on your cheek from sleeping on it ’til six in the morning.

Six Tips

1. ACV, baby. Apple Cider Vinegar,that’s right. Pour about a tablespoon in some warm water, first thing in the morning. Delicious goodness for the ‘ole liver and digestive system, and helps to clear out some of the excesses of the previous night’s festivities. Bam! Easy.

2. Emergen-C. Yeah, I used to not be the biggest fan of these – thought they were a bit overdone, too much sugar, too big of claims. But man, they are easy. And you can get no-sugar ones.I pop one of the suckers into some water the SECOND I feel a tickle in my throat. Haven’t had a cold in a couple of years. As an immune booster, it’s even more helpful if you are all up in arms around that piggie flu.

3. Days of normal eating. I know this one is really hard during the month of December, since really, most of us could be at a party every single day between work, friends, acquaintances, and mistresses – oh sorry, that last one is just if you are Tiger (yeah…had to do it). But it really is important to give your system a break and throw some digestive chillaxation in the mix. Just eat as you would on any given day where lots of veggies, and few fried foods, are involved.

More wine, please

4. Sleep. Ah yes, I’m sure you get your 8-9 hours a night on a regular basis, don’t you? Alright, most people struggle to fit in 6 hours most of the year, I realize this. But I completely believe that our over-caffeinated, under-slept society is a BIG reason that heart disease and cancer are first-world diseases. The holidays usually zap more sleep so that we can fit in everything we need to do, plus those drinks before bedtime make getting zzz’s more fitful. Try and make it a priority.

5. Vitamin D. By now, most of you have probably heard how gosh darn important this little vitamin is, and how many of us lack it. In case you haven’t, Health News has a good overview. Wintertime depletes our Vitamin D stores because, well, we aren’t really getting any (and don’t fall for those Vitamin D fortified foods; as Dr. Frank Lipman notes in his article, Vitamin D: What You Need To Know, you would need to “eat at least 5 servings of salmon a day or drink 20 cups of fortified milk” to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D from foods). Supplementin the winter, end of discussion.

6. Probiotics. Did I mention probiotics? Doesn’t really matter what time of the year it is, but especially when over-consuming foods, sugar, and alcohol, this one’s a keeper. All of these tasty indulgences wreck havoc on our balance of good and bad bacteria in our colon, and really, you want to keep those suckers in balance (anyone with diarrhea or constipation issues knows this well). My absolute favorite probiotics are Designs for Health’s Probiotic Synergy™ BIO-tract Probiospheres, but you’ve got to order them through a registered health professional. Nutritionist Sylvie Nalezny suggests Culturelle,which is carried at most health food stores. For me, probiotics keep down inflammation in my body. See what they will do for you.

Now, off to your party! I’m staring at the six inches of snow in my backyard, but may have a little Hot Toddy to celebrate the season…