Five Steps to Avoid a Hangover; Four Steps to Cure a Hangover
Greetings and Happy Holidays! We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday, and that you’re gearing up for a new year. I’d imagine that most healthy eating websites talk about what you should do to eat healthy in the New Year. Not us. No, I think today we will talk to you about hangovers. If you’re in the same boat as most of us, you like to have a good time on New Year’s Eve. The drawback is most of us have to go back to work on the Second. This means you probably want to spend the day before you head back to work relaxing, but that is tough to do with a hangover. Obviously the best solution is taking it easy on New Year’s Eve, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. So, let’s talk about some tips and tricks that you can employ.
1.) Start it off right. Before you start throwing back the alcohol like they aren’t making it anymore, eat a hearty dinner. A healthy base of food, not just snacks and junk food, will not only fill you up, but it will give that alcohol something to soak in to. Also, with a full belly, you’ll find that you’ll drink less alcohol. So, start the evening with a good meal. We have a few recipes that you could try if you are looking for something new. Just check out our recipe section. Also, you should enjoy a B-Complex vitamin with your dinner.
2.) Pace yourself. You have the whole evening. If you start off strong, you’re either going to have a short night, get really tanked, or both. Any of those options are part of the recipe for a hangover. So, pace yourself. Try not to have more than two drinks an hour.
3.) Water is your friend. You have to remember to stay hydrated if you intend on drinking. I’m sure you’ve all heard that you should have a glass of water for every drink that you have. This is good advice, but difficult in execution. If you are out at the bars, some bartenders don’t like serving up nothing but a water. You can always order water with your drink, but sometimes you forget. My advice is drink at least one glass of water an hour.
4.) Mixing is not your friend. Decide what you’re drinking for the evening and stick with it! You are much less likely to have a hangover if you stick with only one type of alcohol. But what’s that you say? You get bored drinking nothing but light beer at every place you go? Ok, I understand. Remember the adage, “Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear. Beer before liquor, never been sicker?” You want to start off with the harder stuff, then go to the lighter stuff. As far as why this works, I’m not sure. I can tell you from experience it does. So, when you’ve been drinking beer for a few hours, and someone breaks out the shots, just remember it might not be a great idea.
5.) Finish the night right. When you get home, you need to drink a glass of water. Make the time to do it. Also, another B-complex vitamin would be a good idea. The last glass of water will help you hydrate during the evening.
So, let’s say you do your best to stick to the advice above, but you didn’t drink your water, and you drank the shots when they came around. Shame on you, you’re human. We’ve all been there. So, here’s a few tips on dealing with the hangover.
1.) Start hydrating. Water is good, Gatorade is better. You need to get some fluids back in to your body. It may be tough to get them down at first, but it will help you in the long run. Avoid the temptation to try the hair of the dog method. It will make you feel better, sure, but it’s very temporary. It’s just delaying the inevitable.
2.) Take a shower. Imagine your body wrapped in saran wrap. All that nasty dirty filth you created is sitting tight on your skin. Taking a nice warm shower and giving your skin a good scrub can help. This opens your pores. Also, the time in the water can give you a chance to gather your thoughts. You can mind over matter this thing, but that’s easier said than done.
3.) Eat. I’ve had more than a few hangovers where eating wasn’t an option. It’s a shame, because if I could have stomached some food, I would’ve felt much better. I did a little research, and it turns out one of the best things you can eat to help with a hangover is a BACON SANDWICH! It has to do with the protein in the bacon, and the carbs in the bread. While not overly healthy, it will help you feel better.
4.) Get up and do something. Distract yourself from whatever is going on in your head. If you have a splitting headache, take ibuprofen. Avoid anything with acetaminophen, as it can damage your liver. Go get some fresh air and take a walk around the block. It will help you feel better.
Well there you have it, friends. Hopefully, you can avoid starting the new year with a hangover, or at least make it tolerable if you do. We would like to thank everyone for reading, and encourage you to spread the word. May you all have a Happy New Year!
