Hangover, wine flu, the grape depression –call it what you will- we’ve all been there and it’s not pleasant. Hangover’s vary from person to person but usually involve nausea, headache, and general wallowing in self-pity. Although getting back on the horse and reaching for another glass is tempting, here are some healthier ways to cure that hangover and get back on track.
Drinking alcohol results in a drop in blood sugar, so fruit juices will help boost those glycogen and vitamin levels back up. Scrambled eggs are a good choice too because they contain taurine, which has been shown to reverse liver damage caused by heavy drinking.
Consuming activated charcoal (available in capsule form from your local pharmacy) post boozing, absorbs the alcohol and minimises the hangover symptoms.
This may be the last thing you feel like, but venturing out of your cave and participating in a gentle work out could make a difference. Oxygen increases the rate that alcohol toxins are broken down, and by releasing some endorphins that hangover mood is sure to improve.
4. Sleep it off.
Sleep deprivation can make the symptoms feel worse. Try and sleep the hangover off because sleeping through your body metabolising last night’s happy hour will make you feel a lot more happy that day.
5. Prevention.
The best cure is to prevent this feeling from ever happening. To avoid having to put sunglasses on just to open the fridge door, here are our top tips to prevent that heinous hangover.
Line the stomach. Yes we’ve all heard that before but drinking on an empty stomach really will allow alcohol to absorb faster, and no one likes to be put to bed at 7pm.
See the light. Darker drinks such as red wine or rum usually contain more congeners (substances produced during fermentation), which contribute to causing hangovers. Swap the Bacardi for a gin and tonic.
Keep it classy. It may be worth shelling out that little bit more money for a less painful hangover experience the next day. The more expensive the liquor, the more times it has been distilled and thus contains few congeners.
Beware of bubbles. The alcohol in carbonated drinks is absorbed more quickly in drinks such as champagne.
Grab a Sports Drink. Sports drinks or coconut water replace the fluids and electrolytes that are lost during drinking, which prevents dehydration and the resulting headache.
If you still end up feeling like a bear with a sore head the morning after, just remember, a hangover lasts a day but those drunken memories last a lifetime!