Hangover Cures

What can you can do the night before to save yourself the day after? How can you reduce the severity of a hangover the morning (or afternoon) you awaken? I felt it appropriate to write on this topic as we approach this Fourth of July weekend!

The day/night you are drinking, remember to eat. High protein and starchy foods are the key to slow alcohol absorption. Accompany that food with plenty of water to hydrate yourself before the dehydration ensues.

When the drinking begins, keep in mind that darker alcohols, such as: whiskey, scotch, red wine, bourbon, dark rums and brandy have the highest levels of congeners which are derived through the fermentation process. These liquids enter your system as the liver breaks down alcohol which impacts the effects of your hangover. Your best bet is to drink lighter-colored liquors like gin or vodka. Vodka has even less congeners than gin. The British Medical Journal ran a test and the results showed that the #1 hangover liquor is brandy followed by red wine, rum then whiskey. If you are a huge fan of the dark-colored drinks, I recommend diluting them with some water. Speaking of water…remember to drink plenty of water before sleep.

Even if you follow the above precautions, you may still wake up feeling the dreaded H-A-N-G-O-V-E-R. You don’t feel like thinking, the thought of moving makes you cringe and you just want to fast forward through the day. I know of some people who instantly take a Tylenol when they wake up. This is a bad idea. Any pills that contain acetaminophen (which include Tylenol) should be avoided since it hurts the liver but also irritates the stomach lining. For additional details, refer to the following website: http://www.liver-balance.com/

Aside from pills, here are some alternative ways to reduce your hangover for the day:

1 – First things first–Drink water or any liquids that contain electrolytes (Gatorade, Powerade are a couple of examples). This will help your liver and kidneys flush the toxins. Avoid diuretic liquids (which dehydrate you) such as coffee, tea and soda. For every ounce of these diuretics you take-in, you need to drink an additional ounce of water to equal the loss of fluid to the body. Along with drinking hydrating liquids, you can’t forget to eat!!

2 – Eat. Bananas: Replenishes Potassium which helps you from becoming dehydrated.  Honey: Take a spoonful every couple of hours. Honey contains potassium and fructose which will help stabilize blood sugar levels. Eggs: contain a mineral known as cysteine which will help your liver eliminate toxins. You can purchase cysteine in pill form at a health food store as well.  Low-sodium soup: Try a chicken soup which will replenish vitamins and minerals lost the night before.

3 – Take a hot shower. This will reduce the tension in your neck and back muscles. Headaches are brought on by constricted blood-vessels so the heat of the water should help.

4 – Peppermint. Lime. Lemon. Mix some of these items with honey and water. Lemon will deliver vitamin C which many experts believe help hangovers. Add some lime to 8 ounces of honey and water. Peppermint helps in removing gas from the intestines and stomach.

Good luck over the weekend and in life, and let me know if you have found any other cures for the hangover!