Oh, we know. Jeans feeling a bit snug? The sugar lethargy is settling in. The thought of another piece of fruit cake makes you cringe. It's time, Chicks. Our friend Talia Chai, Holistic Nutritionist and Natural Foods Chef, is back to share some post-holiday detox advice.
 
We had a bit too much holiday cheer last night and woke up with a gnarly hangover. What should we do?

Prevention is key. Hangovers are actually easy to avoid. The key is to stay hydrated before, during and after a night of drinking. That means drinking at least two large glasses of water before heading out to party and alternating one alcoholic drink with one glass of water. Keep in mind it takes the liver approximately one hour to process one drink, so pace yourself!

If you do wake up hungover, the pain you're feeling is your body complaining from being severely dehydrated and deficient in nutrients including electrolytes. Rehydrating with all natural coconut water (no sugar added) is a great way to replenish electrolytes. Focus on eating nutrient and water-rich fruits and vegetables. If you're feeling nauseous, take some fresh ginger root and simmer it in a pot of water to make fresh ginger tea. Lastly, but most importantly, rest up. Let your body heal itself. Couch and movie time, ladies.

What's the best DIY detox to combat a bloated and sluggish state?

An easy and gentle way to detox is to eliminate highly refined and/or allergenic foods and add in nutrient-rich fruits and veggies. Commit to one week of detoxing: Eliminate all refined sugar, dairy, gluten and alcohol from your diet. Add in lots of water (at least eight glasses each day), lots of leafy greens like kale, chard, romaine, arugula and fresh detoxifying herbs like parsley and cilantro. Including a wide variety of other fresh or steamed veggies will also do wonders for your system. This will reset your body and will feel so good that you'll want to keep on going

Walk us through a typical day of eating like a saint.

Wake up -  Drink 1-2 glasses of water with juice of 1/2 squeezed lemon.
Breakfast - Green smoothie
Lunch - Large leafy salad with seasonal veggies, avocado and a dressing of sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. If you like it creamy, add a bit of tahini sauce.
Dinner - Grain bowl—you can use any gluten-free grain such as quinoa, brown rice, millet or 100% buckwheat noodles. Add steamed sweet potato, kale, sliced radish and sesame seeds. Make a dressing using fresh ginger, miso, toasted sesame oil and tamari.
Snacks options - Green juice, veggies and hummus, a cup of protein rich vegetable soup (i.e. lentil), gluten-free crackers or rice cakes with almond butter, dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa content) and herbal teas.

What's your take on supplements: necessary or overrated?

Fruits and vegetables do not have the same nutritional quality they used to due to the soil being depleted of nutrients. Likewise, farmed fish do not have the same quality Omega 3 Fatty Acids that wild fish do. As such, I believe that good quality supplements are a great addition to a healthy, nutrient-rich diet filled with whole foods. But they aren't meant to replace eating fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and good quality protein. Think of them as a booster. If you're a vegan or strict vegetarian, look into supplementing with vitamin B12 as that often comes from animal food sources.

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Website: www.cheftalia.com