We all know it would be good to exercise for an hour, four times a week, to live on fruit, fresh vegetables and pulses, sleep seven hours a night, and stay out of the sun forever. But it's almost December, and the beach, braais and parties await. Now what?
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Unless you've spent the last few years watching Jerry Springer, you'll have a pretty good idea of the measures you need to take to live healthily. But when you're young and economically active, you often spend 11 months of the year working hard and playing hard. And eating a bowl of All-Bran flakes every morning has limited value when you're at your desk or in the car 16 hours a day, then knocking back six beers a night and a pizza for supper.
So here are a few ways to help survive the stupid season.
You don't smoke, but…
You've met this cute Danish tour guide who's vowed to give up smoking on January 1. That's the deal. Until then you'll be getting a passive Marlboro or two a day.
What you can do: You could communicate electronically until then, but she's much nicer in the flesh, and her cute orgy-borgy accent doesn't translate well to SMS. So load up on vitamin C each day. Fresh tomato or orange juice, plus a pile of citrus fruit will help, but back it up with some chewable vitamin C tablets. Drink plenty of water to help your body get rid of oxidants, and eat plenty of apples, which are rich in things that are good for your lungs.
You know about the hazards of sunlight, but …
The cute Danish girl you've met is compensating for years of sun deprivation and seasonal affective disorder (called SAD, appropriately enough) and she happens to look good in a bikini. So, off to Grotto Beach in Hermanus you go. Problem is, it’s 35 degrees in the shade and you hate sunscreen. It gets into your clothes and makes the sand stick to you.
What you can do: Adjourn to a big beach umbrella in the heat of the day. Take healthy doses of multivitamins and drink some green tea each day. Research indicates that green tea is rich in antioxidants which may help ward off skin cancer. This doesn't negate the dangers to you and your Nordic friend, who’s especially at risk because of her fair skin, but it's a start.
You only eat red meat in moderation, but…
Your sister's new boyfriend (Splendid bloke, very generous), is a butcher, and he's brought all manner of dead animals along to the beach house, to help woo the family. It's likely to work, too, if you don't all die of heart disease by New Year.
What you can do: We'd like to say "moderation" but that would fly in the face of the holiday spirit. So stick to eating game, which is much leaner than other meat. Steer clear of sausages, which usually contains heaps of fat. Fill up with salads, without the dressing. Eat garlic and onions (not the crumbed, deep-fried variety).
You always get sick
Some people find that going on holiday seems to tell signal their bodies that it's okay to implode. Having spent all year functioning on adrenaline, they pick up a nasty dose of flu or a bad cold as soon as they have some time off.
What you can do: Boost your immune system by taking echinacea before and during you holiday. Get some vigorous exercise, which helps fight holiday flab and is a powerful stimulant for the immune system. When you're working with food or are in contact with plenty of people, washing regularly with soap will help. It's just as effective as the stuff that's reputed to be used in hospitals.
You always get hurt
You trust Miss Stockholm not to break your heart, but every time you go on holiday you end up with a fish hook in your finger, broken glass in your foot, or blue bottle stings somewhere else.
What you can do: Carry a small but comprehensive first aid kit. Know how to use it and store the local emergency numbers in your cellphone. Learn a bit of bushcraft too: on most beaches you’ll find a succulent plant with fleshy leaves (They're triangular and juicy when you cut them open) called thunburgii. It provides instant relief for stings, insect bites, poison ivy and contact allergies. Any cut or scratch sustained at the beach or in the sea is likely to fester, so apply tea tree and lavender oils to any graze several times a day. If the neighbours play Robbie Wessels or Boney M's Christmas Album, you might need earplugs. Take some along.
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