Think of this as your Christmas Survival Pack. Start following these 12 tips now to support digestion, stress management, relaxation, sleep, detox, and energy, so you’ll feel merry and bright, even during a season that has a knack for departing from the comfort and joy it’s famous for.
How to support digestion throughout the Christmas season
1. Start taking an all-in-one digestive.
If the thought of a table laden with a Chrismtas feast makes you wince because of the pain from bloating and poor digestion you know it’ll cause, here’s your solution...
We love GI Nutra, so much so, we were all relieved when it came back in stock after 6 months missing from our shelves. It’s the exact digestive support you need at Christmastime.
It’s a fast-acting powder that contains glutamine to soothe and heal the gut lining, enzymes to aid digestion, and probiotics to reduce bloating.
Take one full scoop mixed in water before your biggest meal of the day, and definitely before all Christmas feasting.
2. Have a backup plan in case wind (still) gets the best of you.
Say you forgot to take your GI Nutra, or bloating and flatulence take you by surprise anyway… you don’t have to let it ruin your holiday cheer.
Wind Away is pure activated charcoal that does just what it says on the label. We’ve found taking 2 capsules after a meal that leaves you a little windy is enough to sort you out.
Charcoal also happens to be a powerful detoxifier for the body. During a season known for its excess, Wind Away can be a good friend to have for the morning after.
How to manage stress throughout the Christmas season
3. Tap into the calming power of adaptogens.
In a survey, 77% of adults said ‘they have a very hard time relaxing during the holidays, and usually end up feeling more stressed and worn down than ever.’
Sound familiar?
So much planning, shopping, cooking, hosting, decorating, gift-giving… we’re pressured to pack a lot in.
So it’s no surprise that cortisol - which is the body’s stress hormone - is heightened during this season. When cortisol is heightened for a prolonged period, it starts doing funny things, like messing with sleep, appetite, and metabolism, increasing blood pressure, and making you behave like the Grinch.
Adaptogens to the rescue!
Adaptogens are herbal ingredients that help reduce cortisol and alleviate stress.
During particularly hectic periods, our staff take an Enhanced Rhodiola Complex, which contains a blend of adaptogens, including Siberian ginseng, ashwagandha, and rhodiola, known to relieve stress and calm the mind and body.
This is such a good blend of adaptogens to add to your stress management survival pack this season. Start taking one or two capsules per day now, and enjoy more tranquility throughout the season.
4. Boost stress management with B vitamins.
If stress management is already an issue for you, the Christmas season won’t make it any easier, especially if you’re deficient in B vitamins.
When your body isn’t getting enough B vitamins, it becomes so much harder not only to deal with stress, but also to get a good night’s sleep, to think clearly, and to feel your best.
To prevent stress and fatigue from stealing your holiday joy, consider boosting your B levels with a supplement.
Supplementing with all the B vitamins in one go couldn’t be easier, thanks to Terranova’s Vitamin B-Complex with Vitamin C (which we love!). This complex also contains adaptogens, superfoods, and magnesium that make it such a strong formula for supporting your wellbeing this time of year.
How to stay well rested throughout the Christmas season
5. Take back your right to good quality sleep.
It’s not a favourable reflection on our society that relaxation and sleep have turned into luxuries, because the truth is, both are absolute essentials for a happy and healthy life.
“Sleep is not a disposable luxury—it’s a non-negotiable biological necessity,” says sleep scientist Matthew Walker, author of the book, Why We Sleep. “The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life. Short sleep predicts all-cause mortality.”
So what better gift to give yourself this season than nourishing sleep? (And yes, you so deserve this!)
But the problem is, quality sleep isn’t something you can just turn on and off like a lamp. Because years of poor sleep habits are hard to reverse.
Magnesium helps the body relax and prepare for sleep, and it regulates the hormone melatonin which oversees the functioning of the body’s sleep-wake cycle.
During stressful periods, you’ll find all of us here mixing two teaspoons of MAG365 into a glass of water or juice to help us through.
And to go that extra mile in the quest for good sleep? End your day with a magnesium bath. Once the magnesium is absorbed by tired and aching muscles, it soothes them, and helps the body melt into a state of ultimate relaxation.
6. Speaking of baths, make yours even more relaxing.
Working in the kitchen all day?
Wading through thick crowds in the shops?
Lifting heavy boxes of decorations and contorting yourself to place lights and garland in hard-to-reach spots?
The strains of all this seasonal activity take a toll on your muscles. And Christmas is not a time when you want to be dealing with a new set of aches and pains.
Arnica is a small plant that springs back up after it’s stepped on. It can do the same for you, helping to rally you on those days you feel flattened.
And in case you’re thinking there’s no way you can find the time for a magnesium and arnica bath, try a foot soak instead. It deeply relaxes weary feet without requiring as much of a commitment as a full bath.
7. Help your mind let go of obsessive planning and over-thinking.
You know those nights when you lie wide awake because your to-do list is racing incessantly through your head?
Yeah, those nights aren’t great for sleep. Unfortunately, they seem to multiply at Christmastime.
And there’s nothing more deflating than facing a long to-do list when you’re underslept.
Here’s how to keep that from happening to you this year…
Add Melissa Dream to your Christmas Survival Pack. It’s a natural sleep aid that helps your mind to quiet down so your body can drift off to sleep.
The tablets contain relaxing chamomile, lemon balm, as well as magnesium and B vitamins, a combination that soothes the nervous system and encourages healthy sleep.
Pro tip: You can also take Melissa Dream during the day if you experience mild anxiety.
How to enhance natural detox throughout the Christmas season
8. Show extra love to your liver.
Most of us really don’t show enough appreciation for our liver. It’s quite the little worker, because everything that we ingest - food, alcohol, medicine, chemicals, pollutants - is filtered through the liver. The liver is wise enough to recognize toxins from nutrients, eliminating the former and either storing or depositing the latter into the blood.
The liver also regulates the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, and it produces bile that’s essential for digestion. Basically, if your liver isn’t happy, your digestive system isn’t either.
Over Christmas, there may come a moment amongst all the delicious mulled wine, mince pies, and brandy butter when you realise your liver has a little more work on its plate than it’s used to.
Milk Thistle is a trusted traditional herbal remedy that’s taken to protect the liver and support its detoxification function. It's just the thing to keep nearby during a season of indulgence.
Hannah loves to take this Milk Thistle, which is made in Ireland, along with activated charcoal to help enhance detoxification so a sluggish liver doesn’t slow her down.
9. Don’t forget your kidneys deserve some love too.
Just like the liver, the kidneys play an important role in detoxification, in this case by secreting toxins into the urine so they don’t stick around in the body.
Unfortunately, most of us don’t think of supporting our kidneys… until they start to act up.
But trust us, there’s nothing like a kidney infection to ruin your seasonal fun. We know, because of the number of people who come into the shop looking for remedies, that kidney issues are prevalent, and the pain they induce is no joke.
If you’re currently suffering through a kidney problem, or you want to take preventative action to stymie one from popping up, look to Golden Rod & Knotgrass Tea, which we’ve dubbed “kidney tea” because it’s so effective.
The tea is a blend of cleansing herbs that work as an astringent and diuretic. We recommend making a pot in the morning so you can sip on the tea throughout the day.
By the way, this tea isn’t just good to your kidneys, it also helps with urinary tract and bladder issues.
How to sustain your energy throughout the Christmas season
10. Set yourself up for a naturally energised day.
If the most wonderful time of the year is threatening to become the most wearying time of the year, there are actions you can take to boost your energy levels - and they don’t involve drowning your fatigue in caffeine, which will only make it harder for you to sleep, and will end up wearing you down even more.
First of all, the tips above to do with stress management and sleep will help you rest better, which in turn will increase your energy.
Then, to take energy support a step further, consider topping up the amount of CoQ10 in your body (CoQ10 naturally occurs in the body but decreases with age).
CoQ10 is essential to energy because it’s stored in the mitochondria, which are the part of the cell responsible for energy production. CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant and protects cells from oxidative stress.
Revive Active, made in Ireland, is a supplement rich in CoQ10 as well as other natural ingredients that help increase and sustain energy, improve sleep, and enhance focus, memory, and concentration - now, who wouldn’t like more of that this time of year?
Simply take one sachet a day, preferably in the morning before breakfast, and the Christmas prep ahead of you will feel much more manageable.
11. Don’t let an empty bottle deplete your energy.
This might be one of the simplest but most ignored health tips around: keep yourself hydrated.
Dehydration can present itself as low energy, fatigue, and foggy thinking. Without adequate hydration, the muscles slow down, and the cells are unable to convert the food you eat into energy.
But at this time of year, the festive drinks calling our name (think rich hot chocolate and celebratory bubbles) aren’t necessarily the most hydrating. That’s why we’ve gotten into the habit of keeping a reusable water bottle with us, everywhere we go.
We aim to refill it a few times throughout the day so there’s no chance of an energy slump from a lack of water.
How to capture that Christmas feeling throughout the season
12. Infuse the room with Christmas spirit.
Yes, this season is a busy one, but all the planning and prep is pointless if we just let this time rush by us - as Chrismtas has a tendency to do.
We’re always looking for little ways to remind ourselves to slow down, to take a moment, so we can really notice - and find pleasure in - the time we’re in now.
Aromatherapy has a wonderful way of focussing your attention and improving your mood. And we can tell you from experience, entering a room infused with the best scents of the season is likely to become one of your favourite traditions.
You’ll easily invite a little Christmas spirit into your home with Seasonal Joy and (Irish-made) Winter Magic, two gorgeous essential oil diffuser blends perfect for inspiring yuletide bliss.
The oils give off the sweet, warm, spicy, and citrusy notes that are simultaneously uplifting and comforting.
Just by pouring a few drops into a diffuser, you’ll instantly transform the ambience of your home into a tranquil Christmas getaway.
Bonus tip: How to fire up your immune system throughout the Christmas season
Add to all the Christmas busy-ness the onset of winter chills and sniffles, and you’ve got the perfect combination for a rundown immune system, aka an open invite for a pesky cold or flu.
We know from experience, coming down with a cold over Christmas is 100% guaranteed to dampen the holiday spirit. So here’s how we’re making that less likely to happen this year…
Fire Tonic: a beneficial blend of horseradish, turmeric, ginger, garlic, onion, black pepper, cayenne pepper, raw apple cider vinegar, and raw honey… made in Ireland, right in Cobh.
A daily shot of this tonic will invigorate you!
We’ve noticed it’s given us a huge energy boost and helped us from succumbing to the usual seasonal colds and flues.
Hannah says, 'I'm taking Fire Tonic every morning these days. I love taking it before I go for a run, and if I feel any hint of unwellness, I take it again in the evening. So far so good!'
Putting together your Christmas Survival Pack
Depending on how demanding this time of year is for you, you may want to adopt every single one of these tips as a new seasonal wellness tradition, or you may want to focus on the specific areas that tend to throw up the biggest challenges.
Whatever you decide, we hope these tips help you feel more grounded, rested, and healthy this Christmas.
If you have any questions about these tips or products, get in touch ([email protected]) and we’ll be happy to answer them.
Here’s wishing you and your family a calm, joyful, and well-rested season.
