It’s the holiday season, and that usually means parties galore as friends and family get together to celebrate. However, what do you do if you celebrate too much and you end up with the dreaded hangover the next day? Well, the good news is that there are ways to prevent the hangover in the first place, and if you do get struck down with one, there are natural hangover remedies to help it pass a lot faster, so you don’t miss out on too much holiday fun!
What to Do Before You Start Drinking
There are some steps that you can take before you start drinking that will help to reduce the likelihood of suffering a hangover the next day. These include:
- Take a Berocca before the drinking starts. This will get more vitamin B into your system and give you a reserve for later on.
- Prickly pear extract can help to alleviate the symptoms of a severe hangover. It is best to take it about five hours before you start drinking.
- Milk thistle protects the liver cells from alcohol by preventing toxins from entering them and helps to remove existing toxins. Take two capsules before the drinking begins.
- Drink plenty of water before and while drinking alcohol. It helps to flush out the liver.
- Have a good meal. Food won’t absorb the alcohol, but it will increase your metabolism and speed up your body’s processes, reducing the risk of alcohol hangover severity.
- Taking a vitamin B6 supplement before drinking alcohol can help to prevent a hangover from occurring as it breaks down alcohol in the body. If you do experience a hangover, it won't be severe. Besides dietary supplements, foods like bananas, poultry and whole grains are all good sources of this vitamin.
Tips for Getting Rid of the Hangover
So, despite your best efforts, all that heavy drinking resulted in a hangover. Here are some things that can help get rid of it faster:
- Olive oil – acts as a liver and gallbladder flush. It is such an effective flush; it is even capable of dissolving gallbladder stones.
- Raw egg – while this probably doesn’t sound very appealing, a raw egg contains an amino acid called N-acetyl- cysteine, one of the building blocks of glutathione, a substance that clears out toxins from the body.
- Feverfew – can help with the headache, and it will not irritate the stomach like traditional anti-inflammatory drugs can.
- Ginger – can help with any nausea that you feel as it reduces stomach acid production.
- Water – drink a glass of water before going to bed to rehydrate the body as alcoholic drinks are very dehydrating. Drinking water flushes toxins from the body as well.
- B vitamins – alcohol drains your body of B vitamins and these need to be replaced. They help in the metabolisation of alcohol, dilate blood vessels and increase your energy levels.
- Zinc – helps your body to make alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that you need to metabolise alcohol.
- Activated charcoal – taking one tablet of activated charcoal while you are drinking is helpful as charcoal absorbs the impurities in the alcohol, which is the cause of the hangover.
- Bananas – are rich in potassium and magnesium, both of which are depleted when you drink. Eating bananas also helps restore electrolyte balance and eases symptoms of dehydration.
- Tomato juice – contains fructose, a type of sugar that helps your body to metabolise alcohol more quickly.
- Vitamin C – stimulates the liver to break down alcohol.
- Persimmon – raw persimmons can help with a headache.
- Peppermint – relaxes the intestines and can remove accumulated gas from the stomach and intestines.
- Coconut water – drinking coconut water corrects electrolyte imbalances, which alleviates headaches and sluggishness caused by alcohol overdose.
- Chamomile tea with honey – chamomile tea is a natural relaxant, and honey is a natural sweetener that can aid in stomach lining coating. Combining both in a delicious drink soothes an upset stomach and other common hangover symptoms.
- Apple cider vinegar – after drinking too much, four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in warm water will help normalise blood sugar levels.
- Restful sleep – a good night's sleep is one of the best natural remedies for a hangover. When you're tired, your body is in a better position to fight off the negative effects of alcohol. If you can, try to get at least eight hours of sleep after a night of drinking. This will help reduce the severity of your hangover symptoms.
Source: Blossom & Sol
Regardless of the treatments available, the best way to avoid a hangover or the potentially harmful effects of alcohol intoxication is to drink in moderation. You should also be aware of the amounts of alcohol contained in standard drinks. If you have a low tolerance for alcohol, a glass of white wine will suffice.
If you are experiencing severe dehydration, you may need to seek medical attention.
Originally published on Aug 11, 2008
