Holiday Helper #13
Now, Im not encouraging you to over indulge this NYE (Or ever) BUT Im pretty experienced when it comes to having a hangover. Over the years Ive discovered a few remedies and found some new ones to try too...Here's To A Hangover Free Start To 2011!
First Try Prevention:
Almonds:
American Indians claim that eating 6 raw almonds before imbibing helps prevent intoxication.
Eating a meal high in saturated fat causes the effects of alcohol to peak earlier and last longer than diets high in polyunsaturated fat.
(Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Peanut Butter:
Eating peanut butter before drinking is an African remedy.
Sports drinks:
The electrolytes will help replenish what the kidneys have excreted during drinking. Take before bedtime.
Water:
One of the best preventive measures is to drink 2-3 large glasses of water before you go to bed. Drinking alcohol is very dehydrating and hydrating your system helps counteract the effects of the alcohol.
Still Hungover?:
Exercise will help get rid of your hangover by helping the body rid itself of toxins. The increased circulation gets blood and oxygen to your oxygen-starved brain.
A good, brisk walk will also increase circulation with the results mentioned above.
While painkillers will provide immediate relief, they can cause problems for the kidneys and liver with long-term use. Aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Ibuprin, Motrin IB, Nuprin) are hard on your stomach (may promote gastrointestinal bleeding), while acetaminophen (Excedrin, Panadol, Tylenol) is hard on your kidneys and liver, too, which will be working overtime processing the alcohol. Excessive use of acetaminophen can lead to kidney failure and irreversible liver damage. Ibuprofen can lead to kidney damage when taken in large doses over prolonged periods.
Try feverfew, an herb, in place of aspirin.
Apples:
Eaten on an empty stomach the day after drinking is an effective remedy.
Bananas:
One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is to make a banana milkshake sweetened with honey. The banana helps calm the stomach, and with the honey, builds up the depleted blood sugar levels. The milk soothes the stomach and rehydrates your system. Bananas are also rich in the important electrolytes, magnesium and potassium, which are severely depleted during heavy drinking.
B-vitamins:
Take the vitamins before you go to bed and let them work their magic while you sleep. If you forget, take them immediately upon arising. B-Vitamins are important in aiding the carbohydrate (alcohol) metabolizing process and in dilating blood vessels. B-vitamins will help restore your energy level. You will need to take a high-potency B-complex supplement for this remedy to work (50-75 mg of B-complex twice a day, hopefully once before bed after indulging).
Chicken soup:
Grandma's old stand-by, chicken soup, seems to work as well for hangover problems as it does for colds.
Ginger:
Take 500 mg of ginger capsules every few hours, or make a ginger tea. This will help soothe your stomach.
Honey:
Take 2-6 teaspoonfuls of honey every twenty minutes upon awaking, depending on the severity of the hangover. Continue with the honey until you start to feel better, then take four teaspoonsful with your first meal. The potassium in the honey helps counteract the effects of the alcohol and will decrease the cravings for it. Alcoholic drinks are acidic in reaction and satisfy your natural desire for an acid, the same as coffee and tea do. If you have an alcohol problem, check your body chemistry and make appropriate changes in diet and supplementation. In addition, honey contains fructose, a type of sugar that helps your body metabolize alcohol more quickly.
Lime:
As soon as you wake up on the "morning after" add two teaspoons of fresh lime juice and a teaspoon of sugar to 8 ounces of water. Drink it slowly. This concoction will help stabilize your blood sugar, which will be low after imbibing.
Peppermint:
The herb peppermint, either in tea form or chewing the leaves, will relax the intestines. Peppermint is a carminative, which is a substance that removes accumulated gas from the stomach and intestines. Make a tea by pouring one cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of the dried herb; cover; steep for fifteen minutes; strain. Drink 1-2 cups as soon as you can.
Raw cabbage:
Eat raw cabbage to dissipate a headache.
Scalp stimulation:
Pull your hair in clumps so that your full scalp is stimulated. This remedy brings blood to the scalp and relieves the headache.
Tomato juice:
In addition to being a prevention remedy, tomato juice contains fructose, a type of sugar that helps your body metabolize alcohol more quickly. This is probably why the morning-after Bloody Mary seems to work.
Vitamin C:
Stimulates the liver to break down the alcohol. Take 2-10 gm per day in divided doses. Start at 1,000 mg an hour and built up to bowel tolerance. An excess of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, and since you probably have stomach distress already too much C may cause a problem.
Hope Some Of These Work For You! Happy 2011!
