Over indulge in culinary delights? These foods and health tips will have you feeling back to normal in no time!

As much as we strive to maintain healthy eating habits and exercise all the time, there are days when we give in to our cravings and definitely over indulge (special occassions in the year are especially difficult to resist)! We've all been there before: too much to drink, served too much ham and roast on our plates, couldn't resist round two of dinner helpings, just had to try a bit of every dessert on the buffet table, neglected exercise... Need I say more?

As enjoyable as these occassions are, sometimes the aftermath is less so! Here are a few tips from nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos (often featured on Steven & Chris):

Had a little too much to drink? You're probably not feeling your best and this is usually caused by dehydration and loss of precious minerals. Peggy K's first suggestion? Coconut Water! Coconut water is full of electrolytes, so while you are rehydrating, you are also restoring nutrients vital to your wellbeing. Chlorella is another natural and helpul source of phyonutrients that can help your body detoxify and function in tip top shape!

If you've gone back for one too many servings, you may find yourself feeling a little... bloated. Maybe you didn't over eat during your main meal, but maybe you didn't realize how much of the salty appetizers and finger foods you nibbled on. You may be surprised at Peggy's simple solution: celery! Instead of reaching for salty foods, grab some celery because this calorie negative veggie can help get rid of the water retension!

Did all the activity get you feeling stressed? Peggy K suggests adding some maca to your diet! Maca is a peruvian root vegetable that has been shown to help increase your body's resistance to stress! How? Maca is full of nutrients and vitamins including B-vitamins, vitamin C and amino acids and protein (to name a few). "One of my favourite ways to take maca is in chocolate! Chocolate improves your mood and it has magnesium so it's perfect!" said Peggy to Steven Sabados (on the Steven & Chris show). Sounds like a tasty way to take in some nutrients! Another mood boosting snack is the omega-3 and tryptophan-rich Savi Seeds (fruit from the sacha inchi plant common to Peru)! Plus it's full of fibre!

Last but certainly not the least, she suggests bananas. If you're feeling low in energy, bananas are also a tasty source of B-vitamins and tryptophan as well as potassium!

Hope these tips help you feel fabulous and healthy! Don't forget to get your daily fibre!

Image sources: discoverybeachhouse.com, redorbit.com, wikinoticia.com, thehealthyherbivore.com, getridofmommytummy.com

PGX wants you to live life to the fullest!

Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen! -Baz Luhrmann

Have you ever seen the video for Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann? It may be addressed to graduating students of the class of 1999 but its messages can hit home for anyone who lives and experiences the ups and downs of life. This Motivation Monday, take five minutes for yourself; listen or watch this video and you will feel inspired to live your life to the fullest!

Stay healthy and take care everyone! Have a fabulous week!

Feeling thirsty PGX'ers? Drink water!

Skip the sugary drinks!

When you are really thirsty, what better drink to quench that thirst but water? As delicious as juices and sodas can be, they are almost always loaded with sugar. Check out this visual comparison! From left to right: soda, fruit nectar, sports drinks, orange drinks, juice punch, and water!

Muscles cramping after your workout? Drink more water?

Just the other day, my dad mentioned to me how he woke up in the middle of the night with a severe leg cramp. It didn't sound like a lovely way to wake up and roll over for a new comfortable spot on the pillow, that's for sure! Why did this happen? Well, here's a little back story to the midnight muscle cramp episode...

My dad exercises regularly and like any good workout, it leads to a healthy sweat. Post workout, he, like anyone else who exercises, feels thirsty; that need to replenish the water and electrolytes the body looses. He would satisfy that thirst with water and cue end of workout session. So what went wrong? Why did that severe muscle cramp happen? I suggested to him that he was short on electrolytes in his system due to his vigorous exercise routine and needed to replenish them. As excellent as it is for you, water just isn't enough when you need electrolytes.

What can you do to get more electrolytes? There is the usual option of sports drinks such as Gatorade. But these drinks, as our visual diagram shows, are full of sugar. If you want to replenish your electrolytes without all the excess sugar of sports drinks, try to get them through nutrition! Make sure you are getting enough potassium (banana's anyone?), calcium and magnesium by eating the right foods.

For potassium, try eating bananas. Potassium is an excellent mineral, promoting a healthier metabolism, balanced blood pressure and better nerve health! Since my father increased his potassium intake by adding more bananas to his diet, he has been able to avoid episode two of severe muscle cramps without affecting his exercise routine! Did you know that baked potatoes can be a good source of potassium as well?

Calcium and magnesium-rich foods are also useful in restoring your electrolytes and can be included in your diet by drinking milk and by eating more leafy green vegetables, cheese, kale, broccoli, nuts, and avocados (just a few examples).

Want to learn more about restoring your electrolytes the natural, less sugar-laden way? Check out LIVESTRONG's article, How to Restore Electrolytes in My Body Naturally.

Image found on Tumblr. Original source unknown.

Stuck at desk all day? Here's a simple desk exercise!

Relieve the tension in your legs with this easy desk exercise we've found for you!

Do you sit at your desk all day, staring at your computer, hunching and tense all over without even realizing it?  Work can be a really busy place that doesn't always allow you the luxury of a midday stroll. We've done some internet sleuthing and found how you can loosen up stiff leg muscles without leaving your desk or disrupting your productivity!

Wellness Matters and BC Living have come together to share this easy exercise to relieve the tension in your legs.

It's always best to get up from your desk, stretch and take a short walk around to keep your muscles limber, but when short on time, try this desk exercise!

Image source: BC Living

Want to make your skin glow? We've found an easy homemade mask you can try.

Steven and Chris and Peggy Kotsopoulos share an easy, skin rejuvenating recipe for a homemade face mask.

Happy Monday afternoon folks! With the change of weather and the stress of work or school, our skin takes a pretty good beating now and then. I've found a super easy recipe for a homemade face mask that will help your skin feel fresh and rejuvenated again. There's no artificial colours or ingredients that you can't pronounce the name of in this mask! Just open your refrigerator and you've got a spa treatment waiting to be made!

Here's a recipe that will make you as happy as this young lady and her avocado, and as green as the Wicked Witch of the West (in a good way though)!

Check out this video to see how it's made.

Skin Rejuvenating Face Mask Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 banana

1/2 avocado 1 kiwi, peeled

1/4 cup buttermilk

Mix in your blender and apply to the face. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse.

Beauty bonus: Follow up the mask by moisturizing with extra-virgin olive oil.

Image sources: Healtinlife and  The Guide to Living Naturally