Holiday Health

Redlands Daily Facts Health Section
Staff Writer

Q: During the Holidays I always get sick. How can I prevent that? How should I treat a hangover? I want to party and drink, but I've heard that drinking can hurt your skin. Is that true?

Mimi: Alcohol is a poison that can hurt every organ of your body. Your skin is the largest organ, and it's the organ that you can see the damage on. Here are a few suggestions. I have been in the Health and Beauty field for 50 years, but I am not a doctor. Please check with your physician before taking supplements.

To stay well, start limiting sugar. White blood cells eat bad bacteria so you don't get sick. However, white blood cells prefer to eat sugar. If they have sugar to eat, they won’t eat the bad bacteria and you get sick.

Start taking extra doses of vitamin C and Zinc along with your daily multi-vitamins. If you start to feel crummy, like you caught a bug, take Echinacea, Golden Seal, and Vitamin D also.

Start eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking LOTS of water and very little soda.

When you plan to party, figure out what time you need to get up to get to work. Count backward 9 hours. That is the time that you must be home from the party. Day-after-crummies are exacerbated by lack of sleep.

When you party, eat BEFORE the party. Eat protein with fat. The fat will decrease the absorption of the alcohol. Good fats include nuts and avocados. But nothing beats a steak for some people.

Select drinks with mixer and with lots of ice instead of straight shots. You will drink these more slowly and you can play with the ice thus slowing down the number of drinks you have. For every alcoholic drink that you have, drink a full glass of water in between. This will spread out the drinking so you drink less alcohol plus it hydrates your body. The main reason for a hangover is dehydration.

After partying, before you go to bed eat something. Take a B complex vitamin and 2 Milk Thistle capsules with 2 big glasses of water. Your body will thank you. Take off your make-up and slather on a Hydrating Mask that contains Aloe Vera, and wear it to bed. In the morning, splash water on your face and apply more mask. Leave it on as long as you can to re-hydrate your skin.

Morning after Hangover relief: In the morning drink lots of water and take a B complex, a multi-vitamin, 600 mg vitamin C, and 2 Milk Thistle capsules. Milk Thistle purifies the liver. Pomegranate Supplements will help fight the dastardly deeds done by free radicals. (And you from the 70s thought that free radicals were people like Abby Hoffman who were not in jail). The potent antioxidants in these supplements are necessary for anyone who drinks, smokes, goes in the sun, exercises, is exposed to pollutants, or lives in Southern California smog.

Alcohol is a diuretic, and you are dehydrated! Drink water and lots of it. Add a squeeze and slice of fresh lemon for flavor and vitamin C boost. As tempting as it might be, don't head for the nearest Starbucks for a cup of joe; you would just be trading one diuretic (alcohol) for another (caffeine) and exacerbating your symptoms. And even though chances are good that your head is pounding, stay away from aspirin or acetaminophen. Aspirin aggravates your stomach lining and acetaminophen and alcohol are a nasty combination for your liver. If you can stomach it, eat lightly. Fruit, such as a banana or a bowl of berries is easily digested and adds helpful vitamins and antioxidants. Try a steaming bowl of healing chicken soup for lunch or dinner.

Start your day with a warm bath and add a handful of sea salts, a cup of milk (or 1/4 cup of dry milk), and 3 drops each of grapefruit and lemon essential oils. Buy oils at your Spa or a health food store BEFORE the dreadful day. The sea salts will help to remineralize your body and the essential oils will help your body flush out the toxins. Grapefruit-lemon blend is uplifting and the milk will help to re-hydrate and nourish your skin. If you are feeling queasy, sip ginger tea, or chamomile and mint tea to soothe your tummy. For headaches, apply a cold lavender and peppermint compress. Take a basin of cold water and add ice cubes, one drop of peppermint, and one drop of lavender essential oils. Lay a face cloth across the water and wring out, lie down, and apply the compress for 15 minutes. This is especially soothing and will help to relieve the discomfort.

The following is by Kimberly Wilson, founder of Tranquil Space, and the author of Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life on and off the Yoga Mat. If you enjoy yoga, refresh in restorative poses coupled with gentle twisting. This helps to remove toxins while flooding the internal organs with blood and nutrients.

1. Begin on your knees, bring your feet together, and lower your hips to your heels. Place a bolster between your knees to support your torso and head in child’s pose. Soften your arms and breathe here for 2 to 5 minutes.

2. Slide onto your back, bend your knees, and cross your right knee over your left for a reclined twist. Lower your knees over to the left and turn your head to the right. Take 10 deep breaths and repeat on the other side.

3. Bring your bum to a wall; extend your legs up the wall as the torso relaxes on the floor. Stay here for 5 minutes. Bonus: add an eye pillow.

Shopping list BEFORE you need it:
Multi-vitamin
B Complex
Zinc
Vitamin C
Echinacea
Vitamin D
Golden Seal
Chicken Soup
Ginger tea, mint tea, or chamomiletea
Dead Sea Salts, Epsom Salts, or Sea Salt.
Grapefruit, Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon, essential oils.

Mimi Barre is the owner of International Day Spa, 325 Cajon St., Redlands. Send your skin care questions to her at MimiB@INTLdayspa.com. She and her estheticians are available for personal consultations, (909) 793-9080.