We just bid farewell to Diwali this year. New year is around the corner too and soon its going to be raining parties again. While you may be checking on your diet to fit into that tiny black dress and party hard, you certainly would not want the night to turn out to be the “spoiler” of all the efforts you have made so far.

Find below few tips that you may follow to eat right at a party and ensure that you do not spend the next day only repenting or curing the hangover. In short, here’s how you can have the cake and eat it too!

1. Eat at home before you leave- In my line of work, I often see my clients skipping their lunch for an impending evening party. Not only should you avoid skipping your meals during the day, but also ensure you eat before leaving. Eating a small snack of nuts, cheese toast or a wholesome meal of dal rice, roti sabzi at home beforehand will mean you’re arriving at the party satisfied already, not starving. The buffet usually has so many food and drink options that if you go in hungry, you’re doomed.

2. Drinking wise- Eat good fats like cheese, paneer, peanuts, olives etc. or fried starters along with your drinks. Having food in the stomach will help slow the processing of alcohol and will also help to form a thin lining in the stomach to digest the alcohol easily and prevent you from having a bad hangover the next day.

3. Stay hydrated and take it slow- To pace yourself, have no more than one standard drink per hour, with water as “drink spacers” between your alcoholic drinks. Note that for every person, no matter his size, it takes about 1 hour for the liver to completely digest one standard drink. Sipping on your drink slow and staying well hydrated, keeps the liver from being overloaded; it enables a person to maintain a safe blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and achieve the social relaxation effect that most people desire.

4. Eat before you sleep- Make sure you do eat your dinner and not hit the sack empty stomach. Pick any two items for your main meal from the laid on spread. Stay away from dips, sauces, chips, munchies etc and choose more wholesome options like biryani raita, roti-paneer sabzi, pulao-curd etc. Eat dessert, if you wish, 45 mins to 1 hour after your main meal.

5. Be mindful- Concentrate on your meal while you are eating it. Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the taste, aroma and texture of each item. Research shows that multitasking during mealtime (whether at home or at a party) can make you pop mindless calories into your mouth. Of course, dinner-party conversation is only natural and important too, but it will be a good idea to set your food down until you are finished chatting so you are more aware of what you are taking in.

6. Starting right the next day- Start your day with glass of water boiled with 1-2 strands of saffron (kesar). Drink it on an empty stomach while still warm. Follow it with a banana and a teaspoon of gulkand (rose petal jam) This will help cleanse or detox your system, and prevent or cure headaches or hangovers if any.

 

7. Up your fluid intake- Since alcohol consumption causes dehydration, one tends to get dry mouth, tiredness, headache, dizziness, light headedness etc. the next day. Do consume fluids like sugarcane juice, coconut water, kokum sherbet liberally throughout the next day to ensure you are rehydrated well.

Stay happy and healthy.

Happy Partying!

Unsure about the right diet for you? Are you torn between what you’d love to eat and what you hear is unhealthy for you? Sign up for a one-on-one nutrition & diet consultation with leading Mumbai dietitian Munmun Ganeriwal

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Mumbai may not be Delhi yet, but the rising smog and air pollution is taking a toll on the health of city folks. Here’s few simple tips you may follow to bolster up your immunity and stay safe and healthy-

FOOD

1. Jaggery and Ghee – One of the richest sources of iron, JAGGERY helps in increasing the haemoglobin of the body. More RBCs (haemoglobin) = increased oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This in turn, will help in increasing your lung capacity and ability to fight against the harmful effects of air pollution.

GHEE works as an anti inflammatory agent and will keep you away from allergies (like burning sensation in eyes, dry throat etc.)

HOW TO HAVE– Dip a small piece of jaggery in ghee and have it post meals.

2. Turmeric– Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It supports liver detoxification and due to its anti-microbial properties, it’s use is beneficial to fight against harmful bacteria.

HOW TO HAVE– Grandmom recommended and now approved by the
West, sip on the haldi doodh before you go to bed.

 

3. Tulsi– The combo of honey, ginger and tulsi works as a decongestant. The antibiotic, anti-bacterial and detox properties of tulsi also enhances hair health and help soothe your flared up & itchy, irritated skin.

HOW TO HAVE– Make a kadha or herbal decoction from a mix of tulsi, ginger, honey, cardamom and crushed pepper in boiling hot water. Excellent for cough, cold and flu.

– Apply Tulsi paste on skin

– Mix Tulsi powder with coconut oil and apply to scalp

 

4. Amla– One of the richest sources of Vit C, it equips your body to fight infections and improves the body’s immune response. It also helps in digestion by stimulating the secretion of gastric and digestive juices. Healthier gut= Better immunity

HOW TO HAVE– You can make a chutney out of it and have it along with
your meals or have the probiotic-rich Amla murabba as any of your
mid- meals.

5. SAFFRON– The most expensive spice in the world, Kesar is rich in antioxidants like carotenoids, which in turn, helps prevent free radical damage and is beneficial in boosting resistance against infections.

HOW TO HAVE– Take 4-5 strands of kesar and soak it in water overnight or for 2-3 hours. Have it first thing in the morning along with its water in the morning.

 

EXERCISE

1. Surya namaskar (sun salutation) and poses that open the chest, throat, and sinuses help eliminate mucus and remove congestion in the respiratory organs.

2. Few simple poses or asanas that one can practise are the fish (matsyasana), boat (paripurna navasana), bow (dhanurasana), locust (salabhasana), and camel (ustrasana) poses, along with inversions like shoulderstand (sarvangasana) and the headstand (shirshasana).

These simple yoga poses will help get the blood flowing to increase immunity and build your health & vitality.

 

ADDITIONAL POINTERS

1. Steam inhalation with lemon grass– Lemongrass has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help you cope with cough, flu and cold. Loaded with Vitamin C, it also boosts the immune system of the body to fight the infection. For sinusitis, cold, and bronchitis a steam inhalation is very helpful. Boil a handful of lemon grass leaves in water & inhale.

2. Rub ghee inside your nostrils– Just before you step out of the house, apply a thin layer of ghee with your little finger to the insides of your nostrils. This helps get rid of the acute effects of pollution and prevents allergies, rhinitis etc.

Keep yourself happy by keeping yourself healthy. Let well-known Mumbai dietitian and fitness expert Munmun Ganeriwal design a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle transformation program that elevates your overall sense of well-being. Contact us now for an in-depth consultation.