Eat, drink and be merry
But forget the full English breakfast and traditional caffeine-laden pick-me-ups for a healthier lead into the New Year
How anyone can face the full egg-and-bacon works with a hangover has always defeated me, but the logic is that when you line your stomach with grease, however late in the day, it prevents more alcohol from reaching the bloodstream. There are more sensible ways to start the day, though, and to be kind to your poor beleaguered liver at the same time.
Take lecithin for instance: not tops for tickling the tastebuds but in a league of its own for liver support. Its main active constituent is phosphatidyl choline, part of the phospholipid family: these are the chemicals that facilitate the movement of fats in and out of the cells – just what you need with rich festive fare. Take two teaspoons of lecithin – available from supermarkets and healthstores – daily for breakfast, either with cereal or live local yoghurt and a spoonful of honey.
Vitamin B is always a casualty of alcoholic over-indulgence; replace some elements of the complex with a breakfast banana and wholemeal toast and Marmite. Smoking, active and passive, kills Vitamin C so upping your intake with breakfast is imperative if you’ve been out on the razzle. All citrus fruits are a good source and look for fruit juices fortified with extra C. Better still, make your own juices from fresh; if you can face a ‘green drink’ in the morning, believe it or not raw broccoli, Brussels sprouts and green peppers make a delicious VitC-rich juice combination. Don’t overload your system with caffeine: it only makes the liver problem worse.
“Take more water with it!” is often the laughing comment for those who over-imbibe to the point of falling over, but water is hugely important. Most of us fail to drink our two daily litres in the winter because cold water isn’t appetising when the temperatures drop. Amazingly, hot water – as in the temperature you like your tea – is quite palatable; do try it, you may be surprised! Or a try a cleansing green tea, like Clipper brand with aloe vera.
A brand-new product just caught my attention: Bion*3. It was launched in Nicosia recently and appears to be an excellent supplement, put together by manufacturers Merck in an innovative way to preserve the potency of its ingredients – essentially vitamins, minerals and probiotics in one capsule. Probiotics replace the essential ‘good bacteria’ – killed by alcohol – which your gastric tract needs for proper metabolism of dietary nutrients. Food manufacturers have jumped on the gut-health bandwagon and produced drinks they claim replace good bacteria in the gut but they are sugary and basically a waste of time. Bion*3 is unique: it protects the probiotic layer of the pill within an enteric coating which means the good guys can resist the stomach’s acids and make it through into the intestines.
The product also has the full Recommended Daily Dose (RDA) of Vitamins A, B, C and D. I don’t believe the RDA is actually accurate any more, but it’s the only standard we have and Bion*3 fulfils the criteria well: find the product in local pharmacies. This festive season I shall be taking it last thing, to improve my Vitamin B and C levels overnight and get those miracle probiotics to where they’re needed – ready for the next round of merrymaking.
Your questions answered
My daughter’s family is coming from Scotland for Hogamanay. None of her three children has had the MMR jab: does this really make them vulnerable? I belong the ‘measles party’ generation but do not want to put their health at risk on holiday
Mrs JF Pissouri
Firstly, I admire your daughter for standing out against the MMR vaccination for childhood diseases. Perhaps it’s irresponsible but I’m also for the pre-MMR ‘measles party’ theory: ‘one child gets spotty; put ’em all together, let them catch it and get it over with’.
There are supplements you can have to hand ‘just in case’ and precautions you can take. There’s been much research into the use of Vitamin A – as in Cod Liver Oil – with exanthema, as childhood diseases are collectively known. Certainly one study it was proved that the severity and long-term consequences of measles was reduced by 82 per cent with large occasional doses of Vitamin A. I recommend a quality, low-dosage Cod Liver Oil capsule or syrup (like Seven Seas, available in local pharmacies) daily over the winter to raise immune function. Do ensure the children are getting adequate calcium from cheese, yoghurt and broccoli; Swedish research suggests Vitamin A might be responsible for the non-absorption of calcium in some people.
Invest in GermaClenz – the best anti-viral/bacterial spray I know. Use it for sterilising hands, bathrooms and air-space in planes, cars and rooms. It can be sprayed directly into the mouth to prevent contracting bugs from infectious folk. Stock up with the Kid e Kare range of sprays and oils; great for sore throats, wheezy coughs etc. Naturopath Jennifer Harper recommended them just last month in The Sunday Times. Visit www.oliveleaf.co.uk for more information and order on line or by phone from Tigon UK: 0044 116 235 5020. Do tell them you read about it in Cyprus ‘seven’!
Nikki’s column appears every four weeks. Please address your questions to [email protected] PO Box 21144, Nicosia. Tel: 22 818585
