I’ve never been one to cope with a hangover really well. And getting older has only made things worse. If I’m to drink, it has to be on a Friday because I need the whole weekend to recover! Gone are the days where I could do a whole weekend and still go to work! But seeing as it’s officially the first day of the new year today that means there’s going to be a few sore heads this morning! And if there’s one thing on everyone’s mind, it’s how to cure a hangover! And whilst I may not have a cure you can buy in a bottle, I can advise you on a few home remedies that may make you feel a little more refreshed!
1. Before you hit the hay:
Taking care of your hangover starts the night before! But when you’re coming home in the early hours preparing for the morning isn’t usually the first thing on your mind. I feel you! But, if you want to dodge that hangover then make sure to do the work before you hit the hay!
Make sure to drink at least 8oz of water or even coconut water, which is full of electrolytes that will nip any headache in the bud! And if you are to take a painkiller make sure to take it in the morning and not before you go to bed!
2. Hydrate yourself:
You’re probably going to be feeling a little worse for wear, but bear in mind you’re just severely hydrated and that’s easily fixed. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it will pull water wherever it can from your body, once it has done this it even tries to pull from your brain, hence your headache!
That’s why it’s super important to drink, drink, drink! If you’ve got a headache, you can take a tablet to settle it, but a multivitamin can actually help restore your body’s defenses and save you from the night before!
3. Replenish your electrolytes:
After you’ve begun to rehydrate yourself and return a little to normalcy find the energy to make yourself a juice. Apple or cranberry juice can really help you on your road to recovery. It has restorative properties that can boost your metabolism, which will push out all of those nasty alcohol toxins. Because the juice will contain a lot of water and vitamins you will find that your body will feel much more energetic and most importantly, hydrated! Stay away from OJ, yes OJ! Believe it or not, but drinking orange juice on a hangover will only upset your stomach more! Who knew?!
And, if you’re feeling really, really bad and need all the help in the world then drink pickle juice, it’s obviously not your first choice, but if you’re feeling desperate it will rehydrate and replenish your electrolytes! Coconut water even has five times the amount of electrolytes found in your blood, so if you’re not brave enough for pickle juice, then go for coconut water instead!
4. Be smart with what you eat:
I know what it’s like, when hungover all I can think about is the greasiest food possible. We all crave it when we’re super hungover and who can blame us? We feel awful and our need for fast food surely is the only thing to make it better. But, when alcohol depletes our electrolytes eating greasy food is not going to make you feel any better. Instead, find foods that contain a lot of potassium like bananas and kiwis. Add some yogurt and make this concoction into a hangover-fighting smoothie! It may not be what you’re craving, but it will definitely help!
Adding honey to crackers will also help the body push out alcohol faster, whilst crackers are good for not upsetting the stomach, honey is even better for turning the body off of alcohol quicker!
5. Don’t waste the day:
This one is probably going to hurt the most, I know when I’m suffering I don’t leave bed for an entire day! But it’s not going to do you any favors, trust me! Oxygen increases the rate at which alcohol toxins in the body are broken down, so by heading outside and getting some fresh air will actually do your hangover the world of good!
And whilst, it’s impossible to sweat out the toxins, increasing your circulation and doing some exercise will produce some happy endorphins that will naturally make you feel better.
What’s your hangover cure? Let us know in the comments section below…
GOOD THINGS
…come to those who sign up for our emails