Tired? Irritable? Hungover? Gippy tummy? `Tis the season to be jolly - jolly over-fed, jolly tired and jolly hung over

If the seasonal spirit you enjoy is usually mixed with tonic water, then it is not surprising if you feel delicate. But with a little judicious planning you can limit the damage and get through to the other end of the festivities without feeling like you need to go to bed for a week.

Not all traditional Christmas fare is unhealthy, so making wise choices will help you sail through the season feeling great.

Banish the bloat

Instead of watching the needle on the scales swing inexorably upwards, make a few changes to feel trim, and to avoid indigestion from overeating.

• Some seasonal foods such as turkey, salmon, sprouts, dried fruit and nuts in shells (they take longer to crack so you eat less), have definite health benefits, so enjoy these and limit less healthy options like crisps, mince pies and canapes.
• Beat overeating by choosing smaller portions and wait 20 minutes before deciding whether you really want seconds. More often than not you'll no longer want to top up your plate, as the sensation of fullness will have had time to work its way up to your brain.
• At the buffet table, choose healthier options like olives, pickles, Twiglets (wholemeal and low-fat) and Chinese rice crackers in place of fatty sausage rolls and crisps.
• Sugary foods make blood sugar levels soar and crash again, which will make you want to binge more often. Concentrate on snacks and meals that feature protein, vegetables and fruits. A snack of hummus and cucumber on a rye cracker, or bacon rolled around a dried apricot will not trigger the negative effects that dipping into a monster-sized box of chocolates will have. But if you must indulge, high cocoa content chocolates (60-70 per cent) have much less impact on blood sugar than normal brands, and are much more satisfying, which means you eat less.

Eating unfamiliar seasonal foods can lead to bloating, as your digestive system is `challenged'. Plan ahead - for instance, if you have wheat sensitivity, stuff the turkey with brown rice, pine nut and herb mixture, and choose one of the excellent wheat-free Christmas puddings that are available.

• Remember to keep up water intake to ward off dehydration. Water is needed to keep the digestive system working properly and also helps moisten winter skin. Drink 1.5 litres a day. Sparkling water and other carbonated drinks make some people feel bloated and, if this is the case, stick to still water and fresh juices.
• Try some natural aids for indigestion, such as peppermint tea. Slippery elm calms a stressed digestive tract, and artichoke supplements reduce bloating and nausea which result from overindulgence.

Stay stress-free

The frenzy of Christmas - office parties, presents buying, food preparation, pleasing all the family and financial pressures - can lead to frazzled nerves and stop us enjoying what is meant to be a time of closeness with those we love. Yet, depression over the Christmas period is a real danger for many people. Some are affected by SAD (seasonal affective disorder), domestic problems are often highlighted by being at close quarters for long periods, and indulging in alcohol can be a catalyst for mood swings.

• Exercise is a terrific way to increase mood-enhancing endorphins to banish the blues. If you are feeling sluggish, tired and unmotivated, wrap up warm and go out for a brisk half-hour walk. Being outside during daylight also benefits those who feel gloomy in winter.
• Boosting levels of the calming brain chemical serotonin can be helped by eating turkey and other seasonal poultry, such as pheasant, which are particularly high in tryptophan from which serotonin is made. Other calming foods include porridge oats, milky (but not sugary) drinks and bananas.

• Alcohol severely depletes B-vitamins, thus contributing to mood swings and depression. Make a point of eating a large bowl of B-vitamin enriched breakfast cereal the morning after a boozy evening.
• Caffeine might make you feel more alert when needed, but high consumption jangles your nerves and raises adrenaline levels during stressful situations. This negatively affects the body's recovery systems. Choose decaf or, even better, one of the excellent herbal coffees around, such as dandelion coffee. A weak tea gives less of a jolt than coffee.
• Herbal helpers to calm you down include camomile or lemon verbena teas.

Hangover cures

The best way to avoid a hangover is obviously to drink less - women are advised to drink no more than one unit a day (that is one small glass of wine, one pub measure of spirit or half a pint of regular beer), and men can get away with two units - this lack of equality relates to differences in liver size. But if you are likely to over-indulge, try the following tips:

• Drink a litre of water before you go out, to ward off dehydration. Dehydration is responsible for many hangover symptoms, including headaches and a furred tongue.
• Mix spirits with tomato juice and eat protein-rich peanuts to slow down the absorption of alcohol.
• Avoid fizzy mixers as the carbon dioxide can speed up alcohol absorption.
• Avoid pre-dinner drinks and only drink alcohol with your meal - it's not good on an empty stomach.
• Avoid mixing drinks and stick to either white or red wine.
• If you have symptoms such as a blocked nose, headaches or red cheeks when you drink, you may have an intolerance - switch your favourite tipple to something else that doesn't affect you.
• The hair-of-the-dog (drinking alcohol the next day) only works because it delays the onset of symptoms - better to have a good breakfast to balance your blood sugar!
• Take milk thistle herbal capsules daily, starting one month before the party season, to support your liver and reduce alcohol damage.