With Halloween fast approaching, many college students may soon be seeking advice for “a friend” who needs to a) avoid a hangover, or b) alleviate a hangover. Her Campus decided to provide its readers with all the information they will need to help out their “friends” this Halloween drinking season. We’ve all heard about the remedies involving raw eggs, caffeine, and even more alcohol. I’m here to dispel the rumors and get down to the need-to-know, headache-avoiding tips for every collegiate woman.
But first, a disclaimer: alcohol is a poison. Its consumption is also illegal for those of us not yet 21. We feel hangovers the next day because our bodies are fighting the massive amounts of poison we have voluntarily subjected it to. By providing these tips, Her Campus is not suggesting that you pre-game the pre-game, get schwasted at the party, then slizzer your way to Shooters without any thought to the effects such a night could have on your health and well-being. But, if you still refuse to be #sorryforpartying, these tips are just for you.
Jane Scrivner’s book, The Quick-Fix Hangover Detox, provides strategies to engage in pre-emptive warfare against the worst hangover symptoms. She identifies three key elements to avoiding a nasty hangover: prepare before you start drinking, engage in damage control while drinking, and expect the worst the morning (er…afternoon?) after drinking. However, I’ve outlined her points most adaptable to college lifestyle.
Before Drinking
1. Drink water. Seems too easy, right? Just by drinking the recommended 6-8 cups of water the day before your nighttime escapades, your body will be better hydrated and able to flush the poisons out of your system.
2. Don’t drink on an empty stomach. If you want to avoid the hangover, more absorbent and carbohydrate-based foods are best, as the party grows nearer. If you’re planning in advance, take care of your kidneys—the organ that passes fluid through the body—by drinking cranberry juice or eating celery.
3. Know your limits. Since all of us took AlcoholEdu our freshman year, we know that every person has different tolerance levels. We also know that men can drink much more than women, and we shouldn’t try to keep up with the boys.
4. Drink Echinacea tea. This tea, found in most supermarkets, helps to boost our immune system by building the body’s resistance to sickness. This includes aiding a speedy recovery after a night of too much fun. Echinacea tea can be used as a preventative measure, but it is similarly effective if taken the next day.
5. Plan Ahead. Before leaving your dorm or apartment, make sure to have water and absorbent foods readily available should you need them when you return.
During Drinking
1. Stop when you’ve had enough. Think about it logically: the less you drink, the less hungover you are.
2. Keep drinking water. Try alternating an alcoholic beverage with a glass of water. Not only will you save $5 every other drink, you’ll also have a better gauge on how much you’ve drank and how much more you can consume.
3. Know what you’re drinking. Always choose an identifiable drink (rum and coke, gin and tonic, vodka and sprite) over the jungle juice. As Scrivner points out, “Anything dark, mysterious, syrupy, and full of tannins will leave you with something to remember it by.”
4. Choose “healthy” drinks. If you drink fruit-based cocktails or drinks with vitamins and antioxidants, your body will thank you the next day. Try a Pineapple Breeze, with cranberry juice, pineapple vodka, and pineapple juice. The cranberry juice will help avoid indigestion. The pineapple will provide you with a great source of Vitamin C, which will help your body defend itself from toxins that attack and damage your cells. If you’re going to be consuming alcohol, you might as well pair it with something that will have positive effects on your body!
After Drinking
1. Drink water. You need to restore the supply you depleted during your adventures the night before. Since you’ll likely have to get up to use the bathroom several times anyway, make sure to take large gulps and a couple crackers before hitting the sack again.
2. Stick to healthy foods. Fresh fruits, teas, and oatmeal will be much nicer to your churning stomach than greasy eggs, sausage, and French fries.
3. Don’t drink coffee! According to Scrivner, caffeine actually increases your water loss because of its diuretic properties.
4. Love your celery. You can either blend celery in a blender and drink the juice or just munch on the stick; either way, the alkaline in the veggie will soothe the acids in your stomach. Bonus points, you actually burn calories when you eat celery because the fibers are more difficult to digest.
5. Avoid all forms of painkillers. They will only form more acid in your stomach and make you feel worse!
Now that you’re fully informed, you’re ready to party like a rock star, or a nurse, or a police officer, or a bunny, or whatever you decide to be this Halloween! (For costume ideas, check out our other Her Campus articles.)
Photo Source: http://www.drinkhacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/quick-fix-hangover…