When the weekend is upon us, the call of a weekend clubbing is hard to resist. Friday night falls into Saturday morning, shandies become shots and you are only a few texts away from your next temptation. The party feels like it will never end, yet one this is for sure Monday will always follow Sunday, and with that comes the big bump! Lord, the hangovers seem to last longer, unless of course hiding in your kitchen cupboards are the super foods to lift your mood, increase energy levels, detox your body, get rid of that hangover and the best bit, increase your sex drive!
Here are nutritionist Renee Maguire’s top five super foods to aid recovery after a hard weekend partying.
Cacao (raw chocolate)
Now this was not Casanova’s food of choice for nothing! The most potent natural aphrodisiac known to man, as legends go, the Aztec Emperor Montezuma would drink 50 cups before visiting his harem.
This is due to cacao containing arginine, an amino acid that acts the same as Viagra in that it increases the blood flow to the penis and increases sexual desire. I have coached dozens of men and all have responded in the same way.
Raw chocolate really does increase virility and make for a fun time in the bedroom! It also has fantastic esoteric properties; it is one of the richest sources of magnesium, the mineral needed for brain function.
It offers generous sources of serotonin, dopamine and phenyl ethylamine, neurotransmitters that elevate your mood and alleviate feelings of depression.
So not only is cacao a natural Viagra, it is also a natural Prozac!
Peruvian Maca root
Do you see a pattern, I love my aphrodisiacs! Maca is known for providing natural strength and is a stamina and libido enhancing food.
Maca is a powerful adaptogen, this means it has the ability to balance our hormones, such as our steroid hormones, testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen and is proven to improve erectile response.
It improves cardiovascular strength; the protein content in powdered maca is twenty amino acids and seven essential amino acids.
I have a tsp a day added to a smoothie before I head to the gym. It increases my energy levels, aids my physical endurance, provides oxygen to my blood and offers neurotransmitters production, so again brilliant for eliminating stress, lifting my mood and offers me a fantastic energy boost without acting as an over stimulator in my body.
Spirulina
The green microscopic algae, with its distinctive sulphur taste, similar to licking a lawn mower! I do not add this to my diet for its fantastic taste, that’s for sure.
Yet I would not go a day without it. Spirulina contains an impressive array of nutrients; it has the highest concentration of protein by weight than any other known food, and is therefore fabulous for building muscle and strength, balancing blood sugar levels.
Again it is another neurological health food, to offer us much needed serotonin for that feel good feeling. It also supports the body’s natural healing and helps build our immune system and support liver and pancreas function.
I love it because it contains the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that makes my skin and hair soft and shiny.
Repairing my body from the inside out, it makes my eyes sparkle and giving a clear complexion. Now I have found Spirulina I would not go a day without it.
Bee Pollen
When we over indulge and party to hard, our body becomes overloaded with toxins and becomes acidic from alcohol.
Bee pollen is alkaline and considered a complete food, it is high in antioxidants, which can assist in longevity and in fighting free radicals in the body caused by modern day living.
Again and to no surprise it is an aphrodisiac that increases sexual strength, it assists with prostate problems and is known to rejuvenate our sexual organs.
Bee pollen works to assist the body and aid a fast recovery after excursion. The British Sports Council recorded up to 50% increase in endurance, strength and stamina through the inclusion of Bee Pollen in the diet.
Bee pollen aids our digestion, as it contains helpful digestive enzymes. Studies have shown that taking bee pollen on a regular basis, your intake of food can be cut by up to 15 -20%.
Help us keep those extra pounds off. My belief is when our body is getting the nutrients it needs; we do not get those cravings or moment when we are staring endlessly into the fridge for inspiration.
Our body thanks us for the good nutrients we put, serving us well by having us look, vibrant and healthy.
Goji Berries
These little red berries are the gift you give your organs after too much partying, they support your liver function, digestive system, build your immune system and aid your skin to give a youthful glow.
They assist in detoxification, which is what your body is crying out for after a weekend of partying. They also fight narrowing of the arteries, which can be a result of excessive living and deliver oxygen to our cells.
Surprise, surprise, Goji berries manly grow in South East Asia and are used in Eastern medicine as a sexual tonic to improve stamina in the bedroom. They assist in the production of HRH, which facilitates increased levels of testosterone.
On another note, I wear glasses and was thrilled to discover that Goji’s contain antioxidants, which improve vision by healing the membranes of our eyes and give them a vibrant sparkle.
Renee is available for one to one coaching, detox courses and her Superfood Recovery Kit boxes are priced at £35 and last for a month. See her website www.rawchifood.com for more
