5 simple steps to survive a Hangover this festive season.

The Cure. We all are searching for that elusive cure to prevent the day after the night before being absolutely ruined! How many days have I spent in a stupor, glued to the couch, eating more salty snacks than is humanly possible and ruining all the good work I've done all week! I shudder to think!

But is there really a cure? Prevention is the best cure they say and in a way I have to agree. I regularly don't drink and in fact I often have as good a night out not drinking than when I do drink. I never judge someone for not drinking and support people's choice to be adults and drink if they want and don't if they don't!

I am all for having a relaxed, social time, not limiting yourself or restricting yourself, especially over the festive season. But there are lots of things you can do to ease the hangover that doesn't involve complete abstinence!

I for one can no longer drink the way I used to and so for me these preventative measures are tried and tested and get me through the next day!

All the symptoms of a hangover are either dehydration (as alcohol is a diuretic) or mild poisoning from all the sugar and alcohol. So re-hydration and detoxing is the name of the game for me. I've listed some steps here on how you can best achieve these.

1) Water Water Water!

It's not good enough to drink lots of water the next day. Start early and the day you are going to be having drinks get as much water into you as possible. This way the body will already be hydrated and can process the alcohol as it is entering your system. Trust me on this one it will make the world of difference. I usually try and drink a litre while I am getting ready.

You can read more about adequate hydration on my post HERE

2) Water Water Water!

No this isn't a typo. Number 2 is water again! That's how important it is. I find if you drink one glass of water for every one drink of alcohol throughout the night then not only will you spend less money and drink less you will feel so much better the next day! Every time you go to the bar ask for your drink and a glass of water and either drink them together or one after the other!

3) Water Water Water!

Again not a typo! Re-hydration the next morning is also key. It's all about preparation. Keep some water next to your bed for when you wake in case it is so bad that you can't leave the duvet! Do this the night before as you are getting ready to go out as let's face it 'drunk you' may not remember when you stumble in that nigh/morning!

4) Oil Pulling - Detox

Wondering why you have a fuzzy mouth when you wake up? That's those blasted toxins that your liver just couldn't handle. You need to get them out as soon as possible or you will just swallow them back down into your gut to make you feel even worse! I can honestly say I haven't had a killer hangover since I started Oil Pulling. Actually I have felt the benefits throughout my daily life, booze or no booze! This is not something to try on the morning of a hangover but something to master at least a week before. Start slow with maybe 1-2 minutes and build up each day. It is the first thing I do every morning and my skin, hair, nails, digestive system and overall health has improved so much! I go into more detail on how you do this HERE

5) Work out that Liver!

As much as moving or exercise might seem like the last thing you want to do these super detoxifying and liver boosting yoga postures will help eliminate those toxins in your system faster than you can say Cirrhosis! It should take only 10-20 minutes and it will mean you'll be able to enjoy being a couch potato so much more! You can see full pictures and descriptions HERE

So there you have it guys. 5 simple steps to ensure you don't lose a whole day of your life (if not 2!) and survive that night of merriment!

Happy Boozing my Jeanies!

Tuesday's Change Week 49 - Water, Water Everywhere!

Some of you may have seen one of my first Tuesday's Change posts (Are you taking the Piss? which you can read here) about how important Hydration is on a day to day level. You can tell how hydrated you are by looking at the colour of your urine and the post goes into more detail on this. We are all different and our bodies all operate differently and so the '8 glasses of water a day' rule is good but not suitable for all.

So as 'Silly Season' is in full swing and there will be countless nights out eating bad food and drinking more booze than needed here is a great top tip to prevent that dreaded hangover the next day. This recently saved me on my first of the Christmas parties this season that I attended. There were welcome drinks, then wine at the table and then cost price booze after at the bar. It should have been a recipe for disaster. A day spent in bed eating foods in rotation of sweet and salty and eating until I feel worse (am I the only one who does this?!).

However, I went out with the intention to have a great time, dance all night with my girls and enjoy the free booze on offer without getting 'off my face' as we say in my native Cork. And I succeeded! I felt silly and giggly and danced all night without taking off my shoes (a massive achievement for me!) just by drinking a few glasses of water in between each drink. There was water at the table during the meal and I had every second glass here, then when we got to dancing I ordered two large glasses of water from the bar and left them on our table to again sip in between each wine.

All the symptoms of a hangover are due to dehydration and toxicity so you can at least try and help along the dehydration part before it even happens. It will lessen the headache, the nausea, the furry mouth and the tiredness.

I was delighted with myself the next day. It's not often I get the balance right but this time it worked! I was feeling fresh and slightly tired but no fuzzy mouth, no headache and no feeling that I needed to wear clothes that don't touch my body because everything hurts! I was able to go and enjoy brunch with friends (unlike my dear friend Mrs L who was not feeling in the best of form. We forgive her!) and make the most of my Sunday off. I still was lazy and ate too much food but I got to enjoy doing it instead of it being a necessity due to my hangover.

So that is this week's Tuesday's Change. When boozing this festive season try alternating every second drink with a glass ofwater. You will thank me in the morning!

If you want to see some of my other tips for battling the hangover then check out my other posts here:

Oil Pulling

Smoothie to re-energise and replenish lost vitamins

Just Breathe - settle the Fear!

Fresh Air - Clear the head!

Chocolate Pancakes - have a nice but healthy breakfast

Body Brushing - get that drink outta ya!

Cold Shower - get the detoxing going

Try this drink to help nausea

So enjoy your nights out, treat yourself and have a good time with your friends, just like everything in life do it in moderation, do it the most healthy way possible and make use of the next day!

Tuesday's Change Week 24 - Stop drinking with your meals!

This might seem like a strange one but it's something I've found works really well for me. I don't just mean don't drink alcohol, I mean don't drink anything at all! No water, milk, tea, fizzy drink. Nothing. Nada, Niente!

Do not drink anything 30 minutes either side of eating.

Why would you do such a thing? Let me explain:

Drinking liquids during your meal dilutes your naturally occurring digestive enzymes and stomach acids which makes it harder to breakdown food. This can lead to 

- Bloating

- Weight gain

- Digestive diseases such as IBS, Constipation, Acid reflux, Allergies etc

- Discomfort and feeling sluggish

You shouldn't need to drink with meals if you 

- Chew your food adequately - producing enough saliva to stimulate digestion

- Eat slowly and mindfully

- Are already properly hydrated

Focus on hydrating yourself between meals vs. during meals. You’ll still be adequately hydrated throughout the day with this method and allow your food to be digested without complicating matters for your stomach and intestines. Check out my posts here and here to learn more about staying hydrated.

If you absolutely have to drink something with your meal then drink warm water and drink it sparingly. Lots of little sips. Cold water slows down the power of the digestive enzymes and thus retards the digestive system. Body temperature water is ideal as the body doesn't have to work to equilibrate the temperature and can focus on breaking down your food. 

A small glass will likely not interfere with digestion and by adding some lemon or ginger you can aid in the digestive process further. Ginger tea is common on most Asian menus and is often drunk with meals. Ginger helps to aid digestion and relieve any discomfort you might feel in the digestive tract. 

This might seem bizare at first and you might keep reaching for the glass in between mouthfuls. but give it a go for at least the 7 days. Try and wait at least 30 minutes after eating before you reach for that cup of tea! The longer the better!

Any questions just let me know.

Keeping Hydrated Top Tips! Tuesday's Change Week 1

So it's 6 days into Tuesday's Change Week 1 - Drinking more water and I hope you are all feeling the benefits! Here is the link if anyone missed it.

I have put together some top tips to help you keep going with the challenge. The plan is to stick to it for the 7 days and then it should become a habit and part of your daily routine.

1) Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Put it out beside the bed the night before.

2) Drink a glass just before you go to sleep (after you go to the toilet!)

3) Drink a glass before each meal

4) Drink while driving - the only time you are allowed drink drive! Keep a bottle in your car and sip every time you are in traffic or cruising along the motorway.

5) Sip while watching TV. Chug at every add break!

I always like to know why I'm doing something. So here are some great reasons to drink more water!:

It aids digestion which aids fat loss

It boosts your metabolism

It is good for your skin

Helps you think better

Helps you work out better

Prevents headaches

Helps aid detox

Helps all your internal organs and systems function better

Helps you sleep better

Now surely you don't need any more reasons than that?

I'd love to hear from you so send me on your top tips or things that you feel work well. Sharing knowledge is what it's all about!

Keep a look out for Week 2's change announced this evening!

#EatClean #Train Dirty #LiveEasy

Week 1. Tuesday's Change. Drink more water!

It's the first week of my 'Tuesday's Change' series and for most people this week will be based around returning to normality, routine and work. For that reason I have kept this week's change simple!

All you have to do this week is drink more water. That's it! Sound easy? Well it's all about detox this week and helping the body slowly get back into ridding all the toxins and bad food consumed over the last few weeks. 

Check out my post here entitled 'Are you taking the Piss?' where I outline the benefits of proper hydration for not only detoxifying the body but also to allow proper daily function of all your systems. 

We all need different amounts of water depending on how our body operates, what physical activity we do, how well our body is functioning and how good old genetics have decided to make us. So I can not sit here and tell you the exact amount you should drink everyday. 

The guideline of 8 glasses a day is a good one but like I always say we are all different so there is no one rule for us all.

A good marker to check your hydration is your urine. Yes it's true, you have got to start looking at your pee!

So here are 4 easy steps to help you drink more water!

Step 1: Monday - measure how much water you ordinarily consume naturally in a day. You can do this by filling a water bottle of known volume and seeing how much you drink. Note down the volume. Do not include teas or coffees or milk and juices. Just water!

Step 2: Tuesday - Make the change! Decide to slowly increase your consumption of water. Make it an extra 500ml a day (or more) to begin with until by Friday/Saturday you should be up to at least 3 litres or as much as you need so your urine is comparable to levels 1-3 on the above chart! You'll eventually begin to get really thirsty as the body starts to realise it is now being adequately hydrated and it will begin to look for more. Yes, you will have to go to the toilet more but eventually your bladder will adapt. And remember every time you go to the toilet you are ridding the body of more waste! Winning!

Step 3: Begin carrying  a reusable water bottle with you. Everywhere I go I bring one. This is a handy way to ensure you can always have water and you aren't wasting money or damaging the environment with bottled water. I got my bottle here and it was worth every penny. Try and get BPA free plastic or a glass bottle if you are concerned about chemicals leeching into the water.

Step 4: If you are finding it hard to drink just plain water then feel free to add fruit slices or herbs to the water. Just nothing with sugar! My favourite (and best for detox, health and flat belly - winning!) is pictured bellow. Make it up the night before and bring it with you for the day.

Super Valu have trays of fresh ginger at the moment for 89c. You can't get cheaper than that!

So that's it guys. More water. Simple. Stick it out for the week and I promise you'll be feeling amazing in no time. 

Running a body dehydrated is like trying to run a car with low oil. Yes it works but things start to break, creak and just don't work as well. 

I know with the current water charges in Ireland this might be the last thing you wanted me to say but remember it's your health and body. Look after it. It's worth every penny!

Keep drinking and keep looking at your pee pee!

Fly away with me...

I do a lot of travelling. I fly at least once a month, if not more. So it's a good thing then that I love airports. I find them fascinating for people watching as well as the fact that they are packed full of the excitement and anticipation of all its travelers off on their many adventures. I love wondering where each person is going or guessing their nationality. You can learn a lot by just sitting and observing people. I guess it's a good thing I enjoy it so much as I sit here on my 5 hour wait for my connecting flight! I'm just back from Oktoberfest in Germany with my Husband.

When you travel a lot you begin to realise how nearly every airport is the same. Selling overpriced, cardboard food and packed full of cheap, sugary convenience snacks and drinks. Not to mention the lack of readily available drinking water.

So here are my top tips for travelling and trying to keep healthy.

1) First rule of the scouts is 'be prepared'. Bring food with you! Rice cakes and hard boiled eggs are perfect. They are light and don't take up too much room. They can be eaten with your hands and they keep well for long periods of time at room temperature. I always throw in some full fat real butter in a little tub too. An excellent source of good fat providing it's Irish and from grass fed cows. Here you have a quick and easy meal that has your clean carbohydrates, lean protein and good fats. It takes 5 minutes to prepare and you can bring them anywhere. Not just for airports!

2) Did you know reusable water bottles can go through security? Even if they are over 100mls! I always have a quiet, smug giggle to myself watching all the girls going through security who completely forgot the 100 ml liquid rule (which btw is completely redundant now. Who do I talk to about getting this removed?! Obama?) I always feel bad seeing them squeal with horror as the security guard tries to wrestle their oversized bottle of Clinque eye make up remover from their hands as they clutch it to their chest like it's their first born child! 

Anyway providing the bottle is empty and you show it to the security guards along with your zip locked bag or minis they have no problem letting it through. (I can regularly be spotted in Cork airport guzzeling the end of my water just as I approach the X-ray scanners!). Almost every airport has a water fountain airside, typically located outside the toilets, so once you are through security checks you can refill it and drink away to your heats content.

This will save you paying €3 for 500 ml of water (seriously Ryanair? Gold is cheaper!) and also make you drink more as you can go back and refill it as often as you want. It will also save the environment as you are producing less waste in disposable bottles. 

I've had my reusable bottle for nearly 4 years now and it has been to 4 continents with me! I have only bought a disposable bottle of water maybe twice a year since I got it. That's a massive saving on finances, the environment and as it's always glued to my side it reminds me to drink more.  Win win win. Check out my post here on the importance of hydration and how much you should drink each day.

3) Be selective with your food. Wander the airport, see what alternatives there are, is there a small shop or newsagents that might sell something healthier than the restaurants or on board menus. Ryainair have now marked all their menu items with the dietary requirements. There is still only 1-2 items that are gluten free (1 is their ketchup!) but at least you can make informed decisions when you do travel. They are still miles ahead of Aer Lingus who have 1 Gluten Free item on their menu! Which is friut! Good food will make you feel better when flying. Lots of water will help you feel less tired and groggy. You just need to put in the effort!

Happy travelling my little wanderers! Keep exploring and discovering new lands

Are you taking the piss?!

Hydration is key in both a healthy body and performance with exercise. 

Water is not the only key to hydration. Hydration is all about the balance of salts and sugars in the body. We need various salts and sugars to maintain adequate function of the entire body. The body is the greatest conductor of energy and water, with the correct balance of salts and sugars, is how it is transferred and allows everything to operate. Check out this article here for more details.

We all need different amounts of water depending on how our body operates, what physical activity we do, how well our body is functioning and how good old genetics have decided to make us. So I can not sit here and tell you the exact amount you should drink everyday. 

The guideline of 8 glasses a day is a good one but like I always say we are all different so there is no one rule for us all.

A good marker to check your hydration is your urine. Yes it's true, you have got to start looking at your pee!

Check out this chart above. Compare it to your pee and see where you rank. 

(Disclaimer: Lifestyle Jeanie will not accept any loss or damages to your phone as you hold up this chart while peering into the bowl!)

If at any point throughout the day your urine goes to colours 4-8 then it is time to start downing the fluids. Water ideally. I typically drink 3.5 - 5 Litres of water a day. 5 litres on the days when I'm exercising and sweating. This does not include teas. 

As I eat clean I actually get very little salt intake from food and so add Pink Himalayan Crystal salt to my food once or twice a day. This salt has approximately 84 minerals and vitamins, key to good body function. Check out my post on this salt here. This combined with adequate water intake will hopefully lead to optimum hydration.

If you aren't used to drinking a lot of water don't drink too much too soon. Start by first of all measuring the amount you are drinking and try to increase it by 500mls at least a day. You'll eventually begin to get really thirsty as the body starts to realise it is now being adequately hydrated and it will begin to look for more. Yes, you will have to go to the toilet more but eventually your bladder will adapt.

I always carry a resuable water bottle with me. Everywhere I go. This is a handy way to ensure you can always have water and you aren't wasting money or damaging the environment with bottled water. I got my bottle here and it was worth every penny. Try and get BPA free plastic or a glass bottle if you are concerned about chemicals leeching into the water.

Keep drinking and keep looking at your pee pee!