Our Instagram feed has been full of things we 'need' to look/feel/be glamorous on the last night of 2016. And sometimes it works - finding myself in a late night Amazon spree happens more often than I would like. Which is why I turned to Well + Away friend and talented mindfulness instructor/content create/soon-to-be maker of beautiful meditation pillows Nkechi Njaka. She has a beautiful perspective on the real way to own your glamour this NYE. I'll let her tell you in her own words:
Have you thought about what you're doing to feel extra glamorous tonight?
So many of my maker and blogger friends are sharing and stressing over the perfect favorite party number to inspire a perfect NYE look, which is honestly one of my favorite parts of my end of year rituals. While I know that my evening will require sparkles, bubbles, and dancing, I also always keep in mind a bit of mindfulness around consumption (shopping, boozing, eating, etc) to ensure I'm feeling as great as I know I'll look.
Eating the right foods are going to be the difference between ringing in 2017 with brightness and glow, or ducking deep beneath the duvet to recover on New Years Day.
Hangover symptoms are not glamorous. They happen when the body is suffering from dehydration, mineral loss and low blood sugar, as well as the presence of toxic metabolites of alcohol. I prefer to avoid this by being aware of what I'm consuming.
For dinner on NYE, I go straight for protein rich foods like quinoa, nuts, seeds and tofu to line the stomach and digest slowly. These as well as healthy fats slow down alcohol absorption, keeping you light and bright all night long. I also make sure to include foods that support liver function (leafy greens, cruciferous) as they protect against free radicals and replenish the nutrients lost somewhere between that second and third glass of bubbles.
And on the topic of boozy fun, moderation is golden. My stomach also prefers it when I don't mix tons of different types of alcohol. So I pick my poison and stick to it all night - and then alternate that with water throughout the night. To me, being responsible is more far more glamorous than being sick or blacked out.