the diva detox

Tinsel. Champagne. Mistletoe. Yes, it’s that time again when kisses are stolen, champagne is popped and your reputation and immune system can both take a yuletide battering.

My take on surviving parties – especially the corporate kind is simple. Keep away from the photocopying machine, and don’t slob over or treat your CEO like a new best friend after too many warm wines. Be warned: it can make all that career ladder climbing this year immediately redundant.

A kill joy I may sound, but recognising it is the season for jolly ho-ho nights, I’ve turned to nutritionist Anita Ellis for her savvy wellbeing insights. This means you can enjoy the festive celebrations night after night without placing too much trauma on your liver. Read. Take note. And thrive!

• Drink plenty of water to limit dehydration of body cells on the day you’re your partying. Alternate one alcoholic drink with one glass of water, and drink one pint of water before going to bed. Keep the loo door open!
• Increase antioxidant levels, especially vitamin C and E during the party season to fight free radical damage from alcohol.
• Forget builder’s tea and drink green tea. It has large and strong quantities of flavonoids, antioxidants which help protect the liver.
• Take the Chinese herb Kudzu (available from health shops). This stops cravings for alcohol and has been proven in trials to break addiction to alcohol. For the morning after a heavy night before, drink two cups of the ‘sobering up tea’ made from the Kudzu vine Xing-jiu-ling.
• Start taking Milk Thistle supplement now. It’s a potent antioxidant which speeds up the removal of bile, strengthens the liver and promotes the regeneration of new healthy liver cells.
• To sweat out a hangover and heal the stomach, upon rising drink a glass of boiling water that has been allowed to cool, along with a squeeze of half a fresh lemon and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.

• Take Vitabiotics Wellwoman Inner Cleanse, £8.95 for a month’s supply – buy now and it will party proof you well into the New Year. It’s formulated to help cleanse and purify your body (if not your soul!) whilst helping to maintain the immune system.