Hello again It is the frenzied Season of Festivity. That means lots of lovely food. Probably late nights, trudging around buying presents. Here are a few simple tips for the crazy time of the year.

Still eat three simple sensible meals each day. If you are partying, space yourself. If it’s a huge dinner, have toast and coffee for brekky, or some stewed fruit. Give the evening meal a miss. Five hours later your gut will thank you.

Back to normal next day.

Be sensible with alcohol. If you hit it hard, go easy the next few days. Think of your brain, and how it is quietly dissolving neurons, which don’t grow once they are dead. Try and get some exercise each morning. Try walking part way to work, and up the stairs instead of the lift. It simply helps the body digest the food and the bit of exercise keeps the joints and muscles working.

If you have tired aching feet from shopping, plunge them into hot water for 2 minutes. Then into cold, back to hot then cold. Keep it up for 10 minutes. Then lie on the floor with the legs up the wall at right angles. It helps circulation and brings almost instant ease, but doesn’t look elegant. Shut the blinds!

Have plenty of antacids around Christmas Day. Take a couple if you’re overfull and bloated with gas and good food, fizz drinks and grease. Pat the dog occasionally and love the cat … as well as kids, neighbours, in laws, outlaws and the garbage man.

If you or your parents or ageing rellies are finding it all too hard, log onto vimieravillage.com.au, for a virtual tour of the latest in excellent accommodation. We now cook and serve meals at Vimiera Village, 217 Vimiera Road, Eastwood, as well as looking after seniors with loving tender care. It is called “assisted living” and there is a relatively modest ingoing contribution, and the rest is paid from the pension and government rental allowance with money to spare. Phone David or Robyn on 02 9868 7544.

Good wishes. Happy Christmas until next year.