It’s a little over a week since all the revelling and masquerading. The frenzy is officially over now and all that’s left are the many photos and videos you took (some unknowingly) and of course the anticipation for Carnival 2020. Our bodies do a great job at reminding us of how much fun we really had over the Carnival season and more so for the two days on the road. The continuous flow of drinks, the chipping, the moving with we famalaylaylay, the jumping up with we day ones and the pandemonium that had us going non-stop, was totally worth every cent except for the dreadful after effects they had on our bodies. At this point many revellers are trying to recover from sunburn, dried out skin, blistered feet and even sore throats. We get it, Carnival gets the best of you. Even when you ensure to do your pre Carnival prep you simply can’t shake the fatigue and the stress your body now feels.
Luckily we know just what you need to help your exhausted body bounce back. Here are quick ways in which you can relieve your post-Carnival body stress and bring you back to your strong healthy selves again.
“I have extreme sunburn!”
You fell short and applied sunblock only before applying your makeup at 5am and never again for the entire tome you were out in the sun! Fact is you start getting sunburnt within a few hours after too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from our beaming Caribbean sun. Therefore if you weren't extra mindful of that and neglected to reapply your sunscreen throughout the day you might find that your skin has been tender, inflamed, a bit red and by now shedding skin like a snake. We know that you aren’t very concerned with the signs of sunburn because you already know you have it but more now how to overcome it. Here’s what you can do:
Use a moisturizer that contains aloe vera to help soothe sunburned skin
Wear comfortable loose fitting clothing that covers your skin when outdoors
Drink extra water. Sunburn makes you get very dry inside, so you need to drink a lot. Drinking extra water when you are sunburned helps prevent dehydration.
When your skin starts to peel,ensure to apply a layer of moisturizer frequently.
“ I need foot rehab”
With all the chipping, walking and jumping around, we barely realize how much more pain our feet are about to be in until it’s all done. Contrary to popular beliefs, you definitely shouldn’t just resort to a warm water foot soak and expect your feet to feel great again. Instead there are several at home solutions to your feet problem that you can try a few of which we have losted for you below:
1. If you’re still noticing some swelling, elevate your feet using a pillow or cushion for as long as needed. This is good practice when there’s a lot of pressure on your feet for a long period of time.
2. The magnesium sulphate present in epsom salt is known to help with circulation and reduce swelling and pain because it is easily absorbed into the skin. How about mixing some epsom salt in cool water for a 20-30 min foot soak.
3. Many natural oils such as coconut oil has antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties that aren’t only perfect for soothing your feet but also reduces the chances of developing foot fungus and skin irritations such as blisters. Getting your feet professionally massaged is a great option to soothe your feet and relieve any aches as well as prevent skin irritations that might happen.
“I feel super dehydrated”
After the heavy drinking, there’s no doubt that your body must feel super dehydrated.
The easiest way to combat dehydration is by doubling up your water intake. To take it a little further though, you can give your body a detox which would help you to refuel your body and drive out the toxins to would make you feel great again. I’m sure you know that you basically put your liver through hell from the lack of water and the high quantities of alcohol so here’s a quick detox recipe to rehydrate your body again:
INGREDIENTS:
2 grapefruit
4 lemons
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 inches ginger, grated
2 tbs flax oil
dash of cayenne (optional)
Juice the lemon and the grapefruit, then add the other ingredients to the juice. This drink is contains all of the most potent liver cleansing ingredients and works perfectly to give your liver a cleanse that it needs after the heavy drinking.
“My throat hurts and I’ve lost my voice”
Of course you’ve lost your voice and your throat hurts! We already know that you were singing and shouting as though it’s actually possible to be heard over the loudspeakers on the music trucks. What you may not have realized is that by placing such a strain on your voice, you’re actually giving yourself acute laryngitis, which is known as most common cause of voice loss and hoarseness. This occurs when your larynx or voice box becomes irritated and inflamed.You may not be surprised that your voice is gone rather your concern is how to get your voice back and soothe the soreness. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about needing a doctor or having to get antibiotics to resolve your voice and throat problems. There are some simple self care steps and home treatments you can take that would help to relieve it.
Rest your voice as much as possible. Avoid excessive talking or singing and more so loud talking.
Avoid any more alcohol or caffeine as these would cause you to be dehydrated which doesn’t make it any better. Instead try to have lots of fluids.
Moisten your throat with lozenges and by gargling salt water.
Avoid whispering. Although you might feel like this is a safer way to speak when your voice is hoarse, it actually puts a great strain on your voice compared to if your speak as you normally would.
Consider using a humidifier to circulate moist air throughout your house. If not you can have a bowl of hot water and add a few drops of essential oil. The steam would release all the moist air that you need.
“I have the Carnival flu”
Aside from all those other things you feel the worst part of it all is that you’re also sick!
The carnival festivities leads to an influx of tourists which is a fantastic thing for our little island however tourists also bring along their illnesses. If you have already contracted the post carnival flu, here are some effective ways to help you overcome the latest flu.
1. Take a few days off to get plenty of rest.
If you’re really ill you definitely want to let your boss or teachers know that you are and that its contagious. Use this time at home to give your body the rest it needs. Now that your body’s strength is further compromised after being on the road and now having contracted the flu, you definitely need a time out and some time in bed in order to battle the virus.
2. Drink plenty of fluids.
Get your fluids in and not just water but you can have soup, fruits juices, detox drinks. Not only do you need to stay hydrated but you also need to flush those toxins out of your body. Think about all the mucus build up your respiratory system would be experiencing, with lots of fluids you would be better able to get that mucus out and avoid getting an infection.
3. Get some over the counter remedy for the flu. Once taken as directed you should find that you are able to feel some relief for the body aches, couch, sneezing and fever. Of course you can consult your doctor is you find it necessary to ensure that the medication you are about to purchase are ok for you.