{"id":98438,"date":"2024-12-18T03:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T03:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/?p=98438"},"modified":"2024-12-17T07:58:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T07:58:44","slug":"how-to-avoid-a-food-coma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/how-to-avoid-a-food-coma\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid a Food Coma this Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each year, my mother and I plan our Christmas lunch menu. It usually starts off with her saying that she doesn\u2019t feel like ‘going all out’, but come Christmas, we\u2019ll have a medieval feast with a turkey leg in one hand and a lamb shank in the other. Then, the trifle<\/a> makes an appearance, at which point \u2018the itis\u2019 ensues. Sure, it\u2019s not every day that we get the chance to sit around the table and feast with friends and family, but having the meat sweats and a bubbly hangover before 3pm isn\u2019t ideal. If you\u2019re looking forward to Christmas lunch but want to avoid the ‘food coma’ that usually follows, these tips might offer you some respite.<\/p>\n

\"how<\/p>\n

What is a Food Coma?<\/strong>
\nIf you have never experienced a food coma, consider yourself lucky. Food comas, or what\u2019s scientifically referred to as \u2018postprandial somnolence\u2019, are a common occurrence and are usually caused by overeating or gorging large portions of carbohydrate-rich meals which induces sleepiness, fatigue and bloating.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

1. Drink Water<\/h4>\n

\"\"
\nMeat sweats are a thing, and the best way to avoid perspiring like a hog is to drink water. If your Christmas menu is meat-heavy, it\u2019s always a good idea to drink water. Meat contains quite a bit of sodium, causing your fingers and other extremities to swell up. Drinking enough water throughout the day will help flush out excess sodium and alleviate bloating.<\/p>\n

\n

2. Don\u2019t Drink (Too Much) Alcohol<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nContrary to belief, one more drink might hurt. Just like it\u2019s not recommended to drink alcohol on an empty stomach, drinking alcohol after consuming more than your regular intake can worsen things, especially if you have a lower alcohol tolerance. It can also induce daytime fatigue AKA a \u2018food coma\u2019, coupled with dehydration and feeling sluggish.<\/p>\n

\n

3. Don\u2019t Starve Till Lunch<\/h4>\n

\"\"
\nEating on Christmas Day is like doing grocery shopping while hungry \u2013 you tend to ‘eat with your eyes’. It\u2019s common for people to skip breakfast on Christmas Day in preparation for the feast, but this approach is counterintuitive. If you\u2019ve ever attended a buffet, you\u2019ll know that it\u2019s actually better to eat something in the morning to stabilise your appetite.<\/p>\n

Also, if you skip breakfast, you could feel particularly voracious, which could lead to eating too much too quickly and result in a food coma. Try to regulate your blood sugar. Eating plain yoghurt or a high-energy snack like a banana might help.<\/p>\n

\n

4. Smaller Portions, Second Helpings<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nChristmas only comes around once a year, and it\u2019s not every day that you get to have lunch with your whole family. Don\u2019t be too hard on yourself if you end up eating a little more than you planned. But, it is always better to start off small instead of literally biting off more than you can chew. Try not to overload your plate, you could always go back for seconds.<\/p>\n

\n

5. Drink a Cup of Tea<\/h4>\n

\"different<\/a>
\nTea is always a good idea, especially if you want to avoid a food coma. Herbal teas like mint and green tea could help soothe the stomach after overindulging. If you have a spastic colon<\/a>, it\u2019s best to give yourself some time after your meal, it\u2019s also better to drink lukewarm tea, as ripping hot tea might make it more difficult for you to digest your food.<\/p>\n

Explore different types of tea and their benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

6. Go for a Walk<\/h4>\n

\"\"
\nNow, we\u2019re not opposed to taking a legendary Christmas nap, but itis-induced naps can be so effective that you might wake up in the new year. You might also struggle to fall asleep at night if you nap for too long. Going for a walk could make you feel less sluggish; it’s also a lovely way to end Christmas lunch and bond with your family.<\/p>\n

Feeling overwhelmed this holiday? Follow these tips for a less stressful Christmas<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each year, my mother and I plan our Christmas lunch menu. It usually starts off with her saying that she doesn\u2019t feel like ‘going all out’, but come Christmas, we\u2019ll have a medieval feast with a turkey leg in one hand and a lamb shank in the other. Then, the trifle makes an appearance, at which point \u2018the itis\u2019 ensues. Sure, it\u2019s not every day that we get the chance to sit around the table and feast with friends and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4098],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"acf":[],"brand_slug":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98438"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117887,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98438\/revisions\/117887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}