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Party Smartly Nutrition News Party Smartly By Janet Little CN Henry’s Farmers Market Nutritionist Henry’s Nutritionist, Janet Little, shares tips on how to enjoy a party while avoiding the “morning-after blues.” Engage in activities that takes the focus away from non-stop drinking. Start the party by enjoying non-alcoholic beverages. Eat high-protein snacks to slow down alcohol absorption. If you’re the host, 90 minutes before the party ends, take away the alcohol and serve coffee and desserts. The holiday season is a wonderful time to share in celebrations with family and friends, but non-stop parties will surely take its toll on your health, weight and well-being if you do not keep indulgences in moderation. A few small, painless changes will help you celebrate the season without destroying all your health and fitness goals. Adopt three or more of the following strategies and avoid the trap of mindless eating this holiday season. Use the appetizer plate for dinner. Put only two items on your plate during any given trip to the table. Return as many times as you like, but only take two items each time. Use the volume approach to make yourself feel full. Chow down on the big healthy stuff (like broccoli and carrots) and then see if you have room for the rest. When think you will be distracted by an important (or fun) conversation, set the food down and give it your full attention. Remember, the more you're distracted by people or, say, the television, the more you will tend to eat unknowingly. And if you are really worried about overeating at a cocktail party or buffet-style meal, arrive late or leave early. If you show up late, most of the good stuff will be gone. Leave early and you will make it easier to avoid a second (or third) helping of dessert. These strategies should help you avoid weight gain during the next few months. They might even bring extra enjoyment to the holidays by helping you focus more on friends, family and fun — and less on calories. Before you head out to your next party, consider one of these holistic remedies: Artichoke leaf protects live cells against damage and stabilizes insulin so you won’t get so many peaks and valleys from the carbohydrates in alcohol, it really makes a big difference in awful you feel after drinking. Milk thistle has been believed to be a good liver tonic. After the party Puffy gray skin is a sure sign after a night of celebration. Alcohol sucks water out of the skin making lines and wrinkles more prominent, and causes inflammation, which can give you rosy cheeks – and not the beautiful sun-kissed kind you want! The best way to prevent that red skin is to make sure you wash your face before you stumble into bed and drink plenty of water before hitting the sack. To help avoid those puffy eyes, set lukewarm teabags over each eye. The tannins in tea will help tighten up the area around the eyes.