We all know that feeling. The post-dinner, one glass too many sluggishness that inevitably follows the festive overindulgence. It’s not just Christmas Day that has this effect. It’s the accumulation of the office party, drinks at the neighbours’, an extra mince pie at the school’s Christmas carols. Before you know it, you’re slumped on the sofa, headache setting in, not wanting to move until next year.

Let me tell you, however, that you don’t need to feel like this. There are a few really simple ways of naturally alleviating this feeling, without an added cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs.

The H2O hero – Upping your liquid intake is vital (wine definitely doesn’t count I’m afraid). You should aim to drink around two litres, if not more, per day. This is even more important if you’re drinking alcohol. Try to have a glass of water in-between cocktails to prevent the thundering headache the next morning, and keep drinking plenty the following day. Getting water through your system will aid in flushing out those toxins from your body leaving you feeling fresh as a daisy.

Let food be thy medicine – If you know you’ll be partying this evening, eat a proper dinner. Alcohol on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. A healthy, wholesome meal will not only do your body good, it will mean you’ll be the last one standing on the dance floor. Eat plenty of veg, raw if possible, to get maximum nutrition in, and top quality protein and fat.

Wonder root – If you are feeling queasy, then a cup of ginger tea will settle an upset stomach. Peel a thumb-sized piece of ginger and chop it up, squeeze some lemon into your favourite mug and add the ginger with hot water. Take this with some milk thistle – a great natural supplement that helps to cleanse the liver, as it’ll be working overtime. Tuck yourself back in bed and remember the reasons why you don’t drink that much anymore…

An apple a day – Consuming lots of rich foods can make our bodies into an acidic environment, causing acid reflux, heart-burn and indigestion. A simple way of dealing with this, is to up your intake of apple cider vinegar. Despite being an acid, it has an alkaline effect on the body and can reduce those unpleasant after-dinner symptoms. Take a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before or after a meal.

Work it out – I’m sure the last thing you’ll want to do after an indulgent few days is move too much, but some exercise can work absolute wonders. Your mind and body will definitely thank you for it. You don’t have to slog away on the cross trainer or fling bars around. A gentle walk will do. The fresh air in your lungs and newly oxygenated blood pumping round will make you feel brand new.