The Christmas party season is in full swing but all those late nights can wreak havoc on your body, causing everything from tiredness and bad skin to three-day hangovers.
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To make sure your body and mind is ready for it, nutritionist Libby Limon has prepared the ultimate pretox plan that will keep the cold away, your skin glowing and metabolism running like clockwork until 2020.
What is pretoxing?
When you are coming up to a busy party period it much more important to get these systems supported and working optimally by 'pretoxing', than a so called 'detox' after the event when in actual fact most of the damage will already have been done.
These celebs know a thing or two about pretoxing before a big night:
Drink matcha green tea to reduce your hangovers
Matcha green tea contains high levels of catechin polyphenols - or healthy plant chemicals - that help stop damaging toxins from recirculating in your body. What's more, they help protect your liver cells, and encourage the body to make glutathione, a liver antioxidant. This makes it easier for your body to process all that mulled wine and reduces the chances of you getting a hangover.
How to enjoy: Add 2 teaspoons of matcha powder to pancake batter for a healthy lunchtime meal.
Eat chia seeds to prepare your stomach for all that overeating
Chia seeds are a great source of soluble fibre, which helps keep your digestive system healthy and working optimally. It helps create a healthy stool that moves at the right pace through the digestive tract, so your body works optimally under the load of all those mince pies, Christmas meals and party treats.
How to enjoy: Blend ½ a cup of chia seeds with coconut milk and maple syrup to create a scrumptious chia seed pudding.
Add avocado to your diet to keep your liver healthy
Avocado is one of nature's best sources of glutathione, which helps protect your cells and boosts liver detoxification. It's also packed with high levels of Vitamin E that perform the same function, making avocado your go-to superfood if you plan on enjoying one too many glasses of prosecco.
How to enjoy: Add a few slices of avocado to toast drizzled with olive oil for a tasty bruschetta.
Consume turmeric to help your body digest fatty Christmas foods
This ancient Indian spice is a powerhouse of strong antioxidants that help cleanse your system from all sorts of harmful toxins. This makes it an essential mealtime ingredient if you want to boost your immune system and lower the chances of getting ill. What's more, turmeric stimulates the liver and gallbladder to produce bile, which is key for digesting turkey and all that rich Christmas pudding.
Best way to enjoy: Mix 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric with milk and honey to create a delicious tea.
Eat veg like broccoli and kale to fend off the winter flu
Veg from the brassica family, including broccoli, spinach and kale, contain a group of plant chemicals - or polyphenols - called glucosinolates. These are super beneficial for the liver and enhance detoxification in your system. This in turn gives your immune system a boost and helps you fend off winter colds.
If you are not keen on kale smoothies, add kale to any winter stew for a warming dinner that's crammed with nutrients.
Snack on acai berries to keep your skin healthy
Acai berries are one of the best sources of vitamin C which helps your skin look and feel good. Their dark blue colour is a rich source of antioxidants called proanthocyanidins which have been found to protect your liver cells against over-drinking.
How to enjoy: Blend 1-2 handfuls of berries with strawberries, banana and orange for an easy breakfast treat.
Find out more about each of the ingredients and Libby's tips in the CurrysPCWorld infographic
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