Diwali is a time for eating, drinking, staying up late, and generally having a blast. But our bodies are not always equipped to handle the copious amounts of “fun” we have over the course of one week. Treating our bodies well and finding the time to be a little healthier than usual is important if we don’t want to feel horrible post all the partying. Here’s how.
Soothe your stomach and cure your hangover with lemon water
The most basic, but effective, cure for a lot of things in life is a glass of warm water with lemon juice. It helps accelerate bowel movements, detoxify skin exposed to pollution, and neutralise the alcohol in your system with its acidity. Make it a constant in your life.
Try a pick-me-up for your skin
Diwali means a lot of exposure to toxins and particulate pollution thanks to firecrackers, and a lot of unhealthy food and drink consumption. To counter this, your skin needs to be drenched in anti-oxidants and skin-clearing ingredients. A simple way to do this is is to use a sheet mask, depending on your skin concern. We recommend an anti-pollution mask to buff and clarify skin while hydrating it.
Go easy on your digestive system with light food, but don’t starve yourself
The biggest mistake you can make is to not eat, just because you stuffed your face a few days ago. Eat light, don’t go hungry for more than two hours at a stretch, and have healthy snacks. This doesn’t mean eating a salad and nothing else. Let your mother have her way and give in to the lauki, tori, and parwal; wholesome, home-cooked food is good for you.
Stay away from too much sugar
We up our consumption of carb-laden fried food and sweets during Diwali, but they are genuinely bad for our health. Curtail your intake of these items for at least a few days after Diwali. Sweets are not an essential nutrient you cannot live without, so treat them as such.
Cliched as it might be, don’t skip water
Every health and beauty column is always talking about how important water intake is, so take their advice and keep sipping on some through the day; having two litres in one go is not the way to go about it. If you’re not a fan of plain water, consume flavoured water (watch out for the sugar though) or herbal tea to stay hydrated.
Stock up on buttermilk and curd
A glass of cool buttermilk, with or without masala, will calm your stomach and your overloaded liver. Similarly, some curd-rice, or a bowl of curd with a spoon of honey, can go a long way in aiding digestion. Honey contains digestive enzymes, and will satisfy your sugar cravings without damaging your body as much as white sugar or syrup-drenched mithais.
