7 Festive Season Health Hacks for Your Gut, Mood & Energy

Christmas Food & Your Health

We've all come to appreciate how precious our health is, and there are many ways to support yourself during the holiday season while still relishing delicious meals. The key is balance—enjoy the festive flavours without tipping into overwhelm.

Holiday foods often include high-GI ingredients like white flour, potatoes, and sugary desserts, which can spike blood sugar levels. Alcohol also varies in its glycemic impact. Here are some simple tips to help you enjoy without the usual blood sugar rollercoaster.

Stress, Emotions & Digestion

Holidays can stir up stress and emotional tension—old family dynamics, expectations, and unresolved issues—all of which affect digestion and immunity. Increased cortisol and adrenaline can contribute to belly fat, comfort eating, heartburn, and digestive distress.

My advice: pause. Breathe deeply, count to 10, step away if needed, limit alcohol, and choose to respond with intention rather than react impulsively.

My Top 7 Festive Season Health Hacks

Here are seven simple, practical ways I use, both personally and with clients, to enjoy the season while keeping health on track.

1. Combine Low & High GI Foods

Celebrate by planning just a few days—two for Christmas and two for New Year—to indulge. This focused approach lets you enjoy without a month-long struggle. Pair high-GI foods with lower-GI protein and fats to balance blood sugar and limit energy crashes.

For example, if you love roasted white potatoes, enjoy them alongside organic turkey, salmon, or a nut roast. Craving Christmas pudding? Nibble on some nuts alongside for added protein to soften the blood sugar spike. Swap crisps or canapés for olives, nuts, hummus, and fresh veggies.

2. Use the Rejuv Party Pack as Gentle Support

I enjoy good food, wine, and treats too, and my Rejuv Party Pack provides digestive, lymphatic, detox, and immune support to help me stay balanced. It's a subtle, natural backup, not a magic fix, helping me to navigate festive indulgences without overloading.

The Party Pack includes:

• Liver Support Capsules to assist detox pathways (2 before lunch or dinner; up to 3–4 before parties)
• Digestive Support Capsules to aid digestion of heavier meals (2–3 before rich foods)
• Blood Sugar Support Capsules to help maintain stable sugar levels (2–3 before treating yourself)
• Immune Restore Capsules for immune resilience against toxins from food and alcohol (2 each morning with your green juice or wellness water)

If stress is high, adding Adrenal Complex Capsules helps your body manage it through adaptogenic herbs. For metabolism support, consider Thermo Metabolic Support or Green Coffee Burn Capsules. This lets me enjoy festivities without worrying about weight gain.

Explore the Party Pack online for convenience and savings compared to individual products.

3. Stay Well Hydrated

Overindulging at parties often leads to dehydration, so I make a habit of drinking two to three litres of water or herbal teas daily. I especially love my Rejuv Wellness Water, designed to replenish nutrients and maintain optimal hydration. Ample hydration helps your liver flush out toxins and naturally ease cravings.

4. Embrace Gentle Intermittent Fasting

To counterbalance festive indulgences at brunch, lunch, and dinner, I start my day with 500ml of Rejuv Wellness Water and swap out breakfast for a nutrient-packed green juice.

One of my favourite green juice blends is celery, cucumber, romaine lettuce, lemon, lime, and water, mixed with a couple of teaspoons of Super Greens powder, such as Rejuv or The WelleCo Super Elixir. This keeps my calorie intake low while nourishing cells and allowing a mini morning detox before the day's rich foods.

Try fasting for at least 12 hours between your last meal and your first meal the next day. If you expect a late lunch, a protein smoothie made with our vegan Rejuv or WelleCo protein powders and unsweetened plant milk can help curb snacking. Adding a few Blood Sugar Support Capsules can enhance this effect.

5. Keep Moving

Motion is medicine, especially when enjoying festive foods. A brisk walk, home workouts, trampoline bouncing, or even a dance like no one's watching can keep your digestion and mood buoyant. I like to ride my exercise bike or take walks most mornings to keep my system primed and digestion smooth.

Elle Macpherson, my dear friend and WelleCo partner, inspired me with her daily movement habit years ago—and truthfully, if it works for 'The Body', it works for me!

6. Breathe Through Stress

Holidays can trigger difficult emotions linked to family or internal self-talk. When overwhelmed by triggering thoughts like 'holidays are always disappointing' or 'I'm stuck in the same place,' try breaking the habit loop with conscious breathing.

Two Simple Steps to Reset

1. Physically move, step away or excuse yourself to a quiet spot to remove yourself from the triggering environment.
2. Practice box breathing: inhale for four counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, repeating 5 times or as needed.

7. Plan Your Alcohol Intake

Balance is key with alcohol to avoid regret or depleted energy. Choose lower-GI drinks like dry red, rosé, champagne, sparkling wine, or spirits mixed with soda water. I often enjoy spritzers with half wine and half sparkling water, adding berries or citrus to lighten the alcohol impact.

Limit your alcohol if you expect emotional triggers; alcohol can lower your ability to respond thoughtfully. Here's my go-to strategy:

• Before drinking: Take 3 Liver Support and 3 Immune Restore Capsules with food.
• Before bed: Take 2 of each with a pint of water.
• The next morning: Repeat 3 Liver Support and 3 Immune Restore Capsules with breakfast.

Following these helps your body clear extra toxins and reduces the risk of hangovers.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas and New Year, I look forward to supporting you on your wellness journey in 2026!

References

1. Smith SM, et al. "The impact of chronic stress on digestive health." Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2020;135:110142. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32199780/

2. Johnston CS, Buller AJ. "Effect of intermittent fasting on health markers in adults." Nutrition Reviews, 2021;79(6):593-605. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33920443/

3. Cani PD. "Gut microbiota and immune system interactions." Nature Reviews Immunology, 2018;18(11):690-706. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30182379/

4. Wolever TM, et al. "Glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk markers for chronic disease." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015;101(4):712-722. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25733668/

5. Pace TW, et al. "Meditation and respiratory sinus arrhythmia." Psychosomatic Medicine, 2009;71(3):273-7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19349332/

6. Lieber CS. "Alcohol and the liver." Clinical Liver Disease, 2015;6(1):1-12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26004103/

7. Byrne H, et al. "Exercise-induced modulation of gut health." Gut Microbes, 2020;11(1):105-115. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31745320/