Natural ways to fight a hangover like a pro
02/03/2017 / By Amy Goodrich
While your bed or couch may seem like your best friend in the situation of a hangover, losing an entire day to recovering isn’t ideal.
Instead of self-medicating yourself with more booze or over-the-counter painkillers, there are a few natural hangover remedies that will help you sober up.
1. Hydration is essential
Ever wondered why you use the bathroom more often when you drink alcohol? Alcohol works as a diuretic and dehydrates the body. Dehydration squeezes all fluids, electrolytes, and other nutrients out of your body and decreases the blood pressure and blood flow to the brain, resulting in hangover headaches and a dry mouth.
The best way to fight a holiday hangover is to prevent it in the first place by drinking one glass of filtered water after each alcoholic drink. Next to making up for the fluid loss, water also dilutes the alcohol in your stomach.
2. Coconut water
As mentioned above, alcohol dehydrates your body and with more fluids leaving your body electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, and sodium, are eliminated too. This is where coconut water steps in. It is one of nature’s most effective ways to replenish your reserves and reverse the damage of a night’s out.
3. Snack on fructose- and potassium-rich fruits
Potassium deficiencies contribute to fatigue, irritability, and increased blood pressure. It results in the sluggish feeling you have after alcohol consumption. Also, the fructose content of potassium-rich fruits, such as bananas, cantaloupes, kiwis, and peaches, may boost the body’s ability to process the alcohol, thus reducing the symptoms of a hangover.
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4. Ginger tea or crystallized ginger
For ages, people have used ginger to reduce nausea and vomiting. Try ginger tea or crystallized ginger candy to get you through the day.
5. Eat some asparagus
Drinking alcohol puts a lot of stress on your liver. Researchers at the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in Korea found that asparagus extracts made from leaves and shoots protected the liver from the damaging hangover effects.
6. Go for an egg breakfast
When our body metabolizes alcohol in the liver an even more toxic compound, acetaldehyde, is created. Glutathione, which contains high quantities of cysteine, is a naturally occurring substance responsible for the elimination of acetaldehyde. However, when we drink excessive amounts of alcohol the liver’s stores of glutathione quickly run out. Therefore, organic free-range eggs are the ideal breakfast after a big night out. Egg yolks contain cysteine, which provides the body with the necessary nutrients to fight a hangover.
7. Prickly pear cactus
Prickly pear extract may be harder to come by, but one study found that taking 1,600 IU of prickly pear extract five hours before drinking reduced the severity of a hangover by 50 percent.
8. Restorative yoga
Next to replenishing your body with the right fluids and foods, Dana Santas, strength and conditioning specialist, experienced registered yoga teacher and mind-body coach, also recommends restorative yoga techniques to increase fluid circulation and enhance oxygen-rich blood to the brain and extremities.
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Tagged Under: Alcohol, hangover, holiday season, intoxication, natural cures
