Indulge-and boost your health!

It's time to eat, drink and be merry! And these tricks help you sail through the season without health hiccups like weight gain, bloat or fatigue

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Soothe achy feet with an herbal rub

It's fun to slip on your favorite party outfit for a holiday get-together or neighborhood caroling, but all that time spent dancing or strolling in snug boots and pretty party shoes can leave your tootsies swollen and sore by the end of the day. Lavender oil can help! Brazilian scientists say the flower extract brims with a natural painkilling and anti-inflammatory compound called linalool that absorbs readily into skin, easing swelling and achiness in as little as 1 minute. To do: Mix 25 drops of lavender oil into 2 oz. of lotion and massage firmly into feet.

OR GRAB A PILLOW! Stretching out with weary feet resting on a thick pillow, so they're propped up a little higher than your heart, speeds the flow of ache-triggering inflammation out of feet. And that's something Italian researchers say eases pain in as little as 15 minutes.

Found: The best way to start your day!

If you wake up feeling foggy after a night of merriment, sipping a tall glass of plain H₂O can help. British scientists found drinking water 30 minutes before breakfast or coffee fast-tracks fluid absorption in the small intestine, helping you rehydrate twice as quickly. This boosts stamina and the ability to think clearly by up to 60%.