Let’s hang together

Pounding headache? Nausea? Dry mouth? Dizziness? Weakness? Trembling? Feeling like you got hit by a train last night? Answering yes to more than one of the above means you’re likely suffering from a hangover. As fun as the night before might have been, there’s nothing worse than dealing with the after-effects. While it would be ideal to not mix alcohol, eat a large meal beforehand, or alternate with glasses of water, these are sometimes easily forgotten.

Ever heard the classic ‘the best way to get rid of a hangover is to drink some more’. If you can stomach alcohol the next morning, this might actually work. However, when the alcohol finally does wear off, not only will your hangover catch up with you, you might also need to check yourself into AA ;). Here are some ‘safer’ ways to hang under..rather than over :lol:. Have I tried them all? Nope, but desperate measures might mean I will eventually:

• Drink fluids.  One big reason why hangovers feel like poop is because of dehydration. Alcohol has a diuretic effect, which explains why trips to the loo are much more frequent when alcohol is involved. Of course water is a no-brainer but the protein in milk and vitamin C in orange juice make these drinks ideal options too. Just avoid drinking caffeinated beverages as these will only dehydrate you more. I’m starting to my cup of coffee this morning. 😯
• Replenish your electrolytes.  The processes that break down alcohol also produce lactic acid and other chemicals that interfere with the production of glucose (sugar) and electrolytes. To counteract this, drink coconut water or sports drinks like Gatorade.
• Eat bland food like toast or crackers…or basically anything you can stomach. Rather than ‘absorb’ the alcohol, the main reason behind eating is to boost your blood sugar. Now I understand why my mom swears by Coke to tackle hangovers.
• Sip on bouillon soup to restore salt, fluids and potassium.  You can even crank it up a notch by adding in noodles for carbohydrates, veggies for much-needed vitamins, and chicken for protein. It also helps that chicken noodle soup is the epitome of comfort food.
• Eat eggs on wholemeal toast.  The toast is high in vitamin B, and will raise your blood sugar while the protein in eggs breaks down to amino acids to replenish brain neurotransmitters that were depleted by the alcohol.
• Reach for sweet.  Much of the irritability and poor concentration associated with a hangover are the result of the body’s temporary inability to produce adequate amounts of sugar. Rather than use this as an excuse to raid your chocolate stash or feast on pastries, go for glucose-/fructose- rich foods like honey, fruits, and fruit juices.
• Exercise.  As unappealing as it may seem in your current state, exercise is a great way to re-energise your body. Even a light walk is enough to get your blood circulating again and boost your energy.

And lastly:

• Try not drinking in future– but then again, how fun would that be 😯