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Holiday season is upon us; a time where many of us throw self-control to the wind and allow ourselves a bit of indulgence. Don’t worry, I’m not here to lecture anyone on the dangers of relaxing our standards a little. I’ll be ‘rewarding myself’ with second helpings and a few glasses of wine as much as the next person. So, how do we handle holiday excess in a way that doesn’t turn us into a Grinch?

Swap out processed, fatty foods for decadent organic treats

Let’s start here: what if I told you eating chocolate could actually be good for you? Read it again, I’ll wait. Now, what if I told you there was an entire range of luxurious, delectable chocolate that contains no sugar; no dairy; no preservatives; no additives; no emulsifiers; no wheat; no artificial colourants and no artificial flavours?

I present to you the near-miraculous Gayleen’s Decadence range, which offers you chocolates and sweet treats that are not only ‘not bad for you’, they’re actually good for you. The range is sweetened with raw honey, which does not spike blood sugar (making them ideal treats for diabetics with a sweet tooth). Raw honey also has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and aids digestive health. For the tired parents out there who’s kids are bouncing off the walls from sugar rush, raw honey is also known to actually calm nerves.

The chocolate is made from organic roasted cacao, which is packed with anti-oxidants to fight aging and tissue damaging free radicals in your body. Organic cacao also contains magnesium. Magnesium offers a long list of benefits, including increasing energy, calming nerves and anxiety, relieving muscle aches and spasms and preventing migraine headaches. If all that isn’t enough, cacao also contains theobromine, which strengthens and improves heart function, as well as tryptophan, which literally enhances your mood!

Lose weight and detox post-excess

So maybe you didn’t make it through unscathed by the dinners and the drinks; perhaps a few extra kilos have suddenly appeared. Don’t fret, there is a multitude of organic solutions to help you detox and shed weight, returning you to your pre-holiday self. We’ve had a look at some of these remedies previously, such as black cumin oil.

One of the most potent and effective weight loss aids to try is the interestingly named ‘Coleus forskohlii’. Coleus forskohlii is a type of mint that grows on the lower foothills of Sri Lanka and Nepal. It is traditionally used in Ayurvedic Medicine for weight loss, but also contains potent antihistamine properties and is known to reduce high blood pressure.

Green tea kombucha is another fantastic weapon against weight to have in your arsenal. This is a kind of fermented tea, often referred to as an elixir of good health. The tea contains bacteriophage anti-pathogens, amino acids, enzymes and unique properties for detoxifying and rejuvenating the entire body. Kombucha tea supports weight loss by speeding up the metabolism, while it also detoxes the liver, aids cell regeneration, lowers glucose levels, alleviates constipation and improves digestion.

Another potent little helper in our fight against fat is Conjugated Linolenic Acid (CLA). A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that just 3.4 grams of CLA reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue. It has also been shown to increase metabolic rate, decrease abdominal fat, lower cholesterol and lower insulin resistance.

Hangover cure

So, we’ve covered the eating part of holiday excess, it’s time to tackle the drinking. From year-end work functions to family celebrations, holidays often involve alcohol. As we start to wind down and leave the stresses of the busy year behind, many of us ramp up on the booze to help us relax. While we do of course encourage moderation, if you do drink a little over the limit during these holidays there are some effective organic hangover remedies to lessen the suffering.

The “Rescue Me” Hangover Pack, produced by The Oaklands Whey, is a package containing three hangover demolishing products; Activated Charcoal, Beet Kvass and Fire Tonic. All three of these magic potions balance pH, alkalize and detoxify the body and have proven benefits for counteracting those nasty hangover symptoms. Pick it up before you begin the festivities, your future self will thank you for it.

Another use for the aforementioned wonder, raw honey, is its use as a surprisingly simple but effective hangover cure. Thanks to its powerful antioxidant properties, raw honey is able to help your body neutralise and break down some of the toxins that are created by alcohol. It’s even been claimed that consuming honey before drinking could just help you avoid that next morning headache altogether!

There you have it, all the tips and tricks you’ll need to combat holiday excess using all natural, organic products. Now go enjoy some well-earned holiday self-care!