3 Home-Made Hangover Cures Plus Hangover Prevention Tips
We’ve all had those nights out where you got carried away chucking back the tequila as you’re on a winning streak whilst playing casino games, or enjoying those sweet cocktails that taste like they’re harmless – but end of knocking you sideways in a fell swoop… You might’ve even found yourself turned into a human sprinkler at some point, unleashing a kind of demonic projectile stream of whatever might have been present in your system (think last night’s dinner).
Of course, the first thing we say after a destructive night out is “never again…” but until next time – and there always is a next time – there are a few things you can do that can limit the dreaded hangover and the bellowing casualty it results in!
Prevention is Better than Cure
Preparing for your big binge is probably the best way to prevent the catastrophic repercussions of TMA (too much alcohol) and if you really want to limit the damage, it all comes down to planning way ahead. As in, from the moment you wake up.
Start your day with a healthy and balanced breakfast, comprising a nutritious spread with foods that are rich in vitamins such as C, all the B’s and E. You might even want to consider taking a multi-vitamin or one of the many ‘hangover pills’ you can get at a health store or pharmacy, as they are packed with the good stuff that can assist with protecting the body from the damaging aftereffects of alcohol consumption.
Staying hydrated throughout the day is also absolutely essential – and we mean, drink plenty of H2O! Alcohol dehydrates your body and that alone can account for the many unpleasant symptoms you’ll be facing the following day.
Although not 100% scientifically proven, it is believed that blood sugar levels do play a role in the severity of a hangover. The thinking is that, by having a balanced breakfast and small meals throughout the day, you could also mitigate your hangover symptoms, such as nausea, headache, light and sound sensitivity and fatigue.
Before you go out, eat a healthy oil-rich food that will effectively ‘seal’ your stomach lining. This won’t prevent the alcohol from being absorbed into your bloodstream but it could prevent damage to your stomach lining as many alcoholic beverages are acidic. It will also slow down the effects of the liquor – we all know what happens when you ‘drink on an empty stomach’!
Lastly, it is also 100% advisable that you keep water at hand once the fun has begun! Have a glass of water for every drink or two of whatever your poison might be. Water is your best friend when it comes to a heavy night out and it will keep you in the game longer – and spare you the harrowing effects of alcohol dehydration.
Damage Control – What to Do the Morning After
If you overdid to a point where you feel like you want to proverbially die the following day, don’t despair, there are a few things you can do to save yourself! Apart from banishing any and all that emits loud noises, and reducing the lighting to that of a Batcave, you can try a few of the following tips to assist in damage control:
Have a Hearty Breakfast
This might literally be the last thing you would feel like doing and the thought of having anything enter your system may repulse you… but a sure-fire way of starting the ‘morning after’ off the right way, is to reintroduce all of those precious vitamins and minerals lost during your night out. It will also bring your blood sugar levels back into to balance, which can be a great help.
Have a Super-Smoothie
Again, this all has to do with counteracting the negative effects by reintroducing the good stuff back into your system – such as vitamins and antioxidants. There are some super powerful hangover smoothie recipes that can make all the difference in the world. You want to include ingredients such as spinach, carrots, berries, red grapes, dark chocolate, nuts and seeds, etc. Basically, any fruits or vegetables high in antioxidants and loaded with vitamin C, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6, B12 and E.
3 Easy Home-Made Hangover Rescue Remedies
1. Hair of the Dog
Although many people swear by having another drink the next day to combat Veisalgia, we advise against it, as it could lead to a new habit – and one that you do not want to deal with. You can however try a classic Hair of the Dog hangover cure, which does include alcohol.
One congener typically found in most alcoholic beverages is methanol, which is a major culprit in your resultant hangover. Your body converts alcohol into toxic chemicals such as formic acid and formaldehyde. Since the booze and methanol are broken down by the same processes within your body, drinking more alcohol could result in the methanol being expelled, rather than it going through the toxic conversion – hence the popular believe that a “Hair of the Dog” is the best way to cure a hangover. There are many different recipes – but here is a quality one to give a go;
- ½ glass of beer
- ½ glass of tomato juice
- A squeeze of fresh lime
- A pinch of salt and some black pepper
- A dash of hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
- One raw egg
2. Ginger Tea
Ginger is known to settle an upset stomach and it can also help diminish symptoms of brain-fog and nausea. You can either make yourself a store-bought cuppa or brew your own with all the added goodness.
- Boil 10 – 12 slices of fresh ginger root in 4 cups of water for ten minutes
- Squeeze in the juice of one whole orange
- Add the juice of ½ a lemon (this helps with flushing out toxins)
- Add ½ a tablespoon of honey (a powerful antioxidant)
3. Activated Charcoal Detox Bath
Another more holistic approach to combatting that crapulent feeling is to soak yourself in something other than booze – something more along the lines of a detoxifying bath! There are many detox bath soak recipes out there. We’ve chosen one that contains activated charcoal as it is known for its powerful health benefits that include improved blood circulation and of course, the ability to draw toxins from your body;
- 1 cup activated charcoal
- 1 cup finely ground oatmeal
- ½ cup of Himalayan salt
- 6 drops of tea tree essential oil
- 6 drops of lavender essential oil
- You can also add a few tablespoons of Epsom salts
Mix this all together and add to your hot tub of water and allow the ingredients to get to work by penetrating deep into your muscles. Remember, having a hot bath can dehydrate you too, so once again, don’t skimp on drinking water whilst you’re at it!
Have your Fun without the Suffering!
If you can keep things going at a steady pace – and keep that H2O at hand – you should be perfectly fine come sunrise! So next time you plan on having a big night out, enjoying casino games at your local brick and mortar gambling establishment, or sipping on your favourite poison at your local bar – remember our tips and recipes and you could have all the fun without regretting your life decisions!
