Use these 5 ancient yogi secrets for mindful eating during the holidays so you can fully enjoy your night out without regrets or after-effects.

Celebrating is a wonderful thing.

Feeling terrible afterwards is not so wonderful…

Ayurvedic wisdom has these great simple things you can do to mitigate the after-effects of eating too much, staying up late and imbibing…

Add a few key essential oils to these practices and you’ll enjoy going out and waking up the next day, within reason of course!

Tap into the video or read about it below!

5 Yogi Secrets for...

Mindful Eating During the Holidays

1. Pamper Your Skin

When you get ready for the big event start not with the party dress but with your skin.

Our skin is our largest organ and while this can be a challenge if you are using toxic chemicals on your skin, it’s your blessing when it comes to calming nerves and preparing your first line of defence against picking up that holiday cold.

Give yourself a self-massage, anointing your skin with essential oils to boost your confidence, release toxins (a good practise the day after too!) and settle your nerves.

The carrier oil you use for your massage also strengthens your skin’s natural barrier to germs and toxins around you.

Here is my favourite recipe for massage oil during the holiday season or for special occasions.

Gifts of the Magi - Oil Massage Recipe

In a 60 ml glass pump bottle add:

• 15 drops Frankincense – Oil of Truth, creates a trusting and loving center.
• 5 drops Myrrh – Oil of Clarity and Vision, move past your limiting beliefs and open to creativity. Plus supports your hormones.
• 10 drops Geranium – Oil of Self Love, and great for your skin.
• 10 drops Tangerine – Oil of Spontaneity. Lifts your mood, releases toxins and supports your liver. Substitute with Green Mandarin in hot sunny climates or during the summer season to avoid the risk of photosensitivity.

Fill remainder of the bottle with:

• ¼ Sesame Oil
• ¾ Avocado Oil

Sound amazingly indulgent? Order these Essential Oils here at wholesale pricing.

After massaging your skin with oils, indulge in an Epsom Salt Bath to release the stress of the day. This can be done the night before if you are hosting. Epsom Salts help to cleanse away the stress of the day leaving us ready to be open to receive the joy of the moment.

Finally, drape yourself in gorgeous and easily fitting clothes.

2. Digestive Bitters and Digestive Essential Oils

Prepare your belly by drinking bitters or sparkling water with a digestive essential oil like fennel, ginger or peppermint before eating heavy and unfamiliar foods. How you prepare for a feast will greatly impact how you feel after the feast!

Bitters help to prepare your stomach to digest by stimulating receptors on the tongue and throughout the digestive system. This tells your body to start producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and absorb nutrients.

Digestive Essential Oils can be either warming to aid the body in breaking down food or cooling to reduce inflammation caused by the foods we love but don’t love us back…

Favourite “party” oils to add to sparkling water:

• Smart and Sassy Blend (reduces food cravings)
• Zendocrine Blend (detoxification blend – since there will be wine later….)
• Peppermint (energizing and soothing for the digestive system)
• Citrus Oils (cleansing and de-toxifying)

Feasts and parties often have us eating foods we don’t normally indulge in. Or we combine many more flavours than our typical meal. Support your body to handle the extra work and it will help you enjoy instead of regret your in-the-moment choices.

3. Enjoy Good Company

All of these preparations help you be in a space where you can be pleasant and present.

See the good in the people around you, listen deeply, and indulge in meaningful conversation.

Coming from a place of relaxed, grounded and yet stimulated energy will allow you to be present in a very different way than you might be used to. Use your heightened senses to really “see” the person you are talking to. Allow the conversation to flow deeper to what’s truly important for each of you.

When you allow yourself to be present and connect deeper and you’ll also be less likely to over-indulge in other areas as your mind and body will have fulfilment and the false cravings of food and drink will slip away.

4. Mindful Eating During The Holidays

Be aware of the lag between feeling full and being full, eat slowly enjoying each bite to feel better later.

Appreciate the effort and skill of those who grew the food, prepared the food and served you. This generous heart will infuse your food with love and help your body to fully appreciate and absorb the nutrients on a deeper level.

Have you ever eaten when upset or angry and the food just sits in your belly like a rock? Do the opposite. Feel relaxed and connected to the people around you and to where the food originated.

Savour and enjoy each bite and your body will absorb the love and richness of your feast experience.

When full, sit back and enjoy the conversation.

5. Enjoy Your Wine

A little sparks interesting conversation (and helps digestion). Drink too much and you numb your awareness and are no longer an asset to the party. Blunt but true…

Be mindful and savour the taste. Appreciating a fine wine can be an exercise in mindful awareness instead of numbing relief.

Sip water throughout the evening to stay hydrated. Often the after-effects we feel the morning after are a result of dehydration. Keep your body hydrated and your mind clear with the simple nourishment of water.

There’s more to the party than just making the hors d’oeuvres and dressing up. Use these tactics to prepare for a feast and fully enjoy your festive experience.