From bloggers and influencers to YouTubers and even internet-famous dogs, everyone seems to be cheering you on for a healthier, happier year ahead. It’s the ultimate pep rally for self-care – because if a pug in yoga pants believes in you, why wouldn’t you?

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.” With each January comes an invitation to start fresh, to turn fears into courage, and to embrace the unknown. As one wise voice reminds us, “This year, whatever it is you’re scared of doing, do it.“

Each new year, we pause to reflect on the one gone by, philosophising about what went right, what went wrong, and where we could’ve done things differently. We make grand plans for 2025, often in list form, though let’s be honest, those lists rarely see the light of day again come December.

In between, we spend time with family, loved ones, and maybe a few moments questioning why we didn’t take that yoga class in January. It’s the annual cycle of reflection, resolution, and the inevitable return to our comfy habits.

Of course, the bottles of bubbles, beers, wine, and spirit to push us through to midnight when we all celebrate the turning of the year which can sometimes bite back.

For some, that may mean hangovers which feels like you have a second heartbeat in your head, a churning stomach, eyes which look like one big vein and the four cups of coffee, litre of water and glass of orange juice which haven’t worked to make you feel human again.

When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines. This blood passes through the liver first before circulating around the rest of the body.

Liver cells contain enzymes which process alcohol. The enzymes break down alcohol into other chemicals which in turn are then broken down into water and carbon dioxide. These are then passed out in the urine and from the lungs.

Liver cells can process only a certain amount of alcohol per hour. If you drink alcohol faster than your liver can deal with it, the level of alcohol in your bloodstream rises.

The herb milk thistle contains active compounds called silymarin which protect the liver from increased alcohol consumption by stimulating glutathione production and excretion of alcohol from the liver. 

Bupleurum is an herb used to treat the liver in cases of overindulgence and initially appeared in the literature of ancient China as one of China’s so called “harmony” herbs.

The Chinese “harmony” herbs are a class of plants believed to be involved in maintaining the internal energies within the body of a person and aiding in the maintenance of a balance among all the different organs inside the body including the liver.

Of course, a glass of water between alcoholic drinks, eating prior to and during your festive celebrations, having a good boogie on the dance floor may all help limit any potential hangover.

The best way, of course, to prevent a vicious hangover is to forgo booze entirely. Botanical cocktails are all the rage with sherberts, shrubs and syrups all steeped in history and making a resurgence as more and more people explore alternative beverages for both daily use and celebrations.

Happy New Year!