Prevent Hangover 1

The Best Hangover Remedies

We’ve all had those nights where we’ve had far too much to drink and we pay the heavy price the next morning. Nausea, headache, weakness, and general malaise are only some of the symptoms that we must put up with. Some home remedies to treat a hangover can actually make you feel worse; a heavy, greasy breakfast can aggravate your nausea and the famous “hair of the dog”, which is basically an alcoholic beverage, will simply get you drunk again and will only put off a hangover until later.

What we are listing here are a few tried-and-true home remedies that will ease your suffering somewhat; however we must emphatically state that this does not constitute medical advice or medical treatment and we are not doctors. If you are suffering from a violent reaction to alcohol or are worried about the severity of your hangover, get professional medical help immediately.

Now, with that out of the way, here are some of the best hangover remedies.

Bananas

Eating a banana might seem like a strange remedy, but it’s the best way to replace all the potassium that was lost the night before. Drinking copious amounts of alcohol makes you urinate much more than usual; when you urinate, you also happen to eliminate potassium. Having a banana will give you a bit of energy to face the day.

Ginger

Ginger has been used to fight nausea for millennia; it’s great to combat seasickness as well. The easiest way to consume ginger is in the form of ginger ale or ginger beer, which are both non-alcoholic soft drinks.

What some experts claim is more effective in alleviating a hangover is fresh ginger tea; if you are feeling all right enough to stand up for a few minutes, peel some ginger root and cut about 10 slices of it. Place the slices in a pot with about four cups of water and boil for ten minutes. Strain it, and add the juice of half a lemon and the juice of one orange. Sweeten with about one half a cup of honey, and sip as much as needed.
Water

Overindulging in alcohol dehydrates you, and it’s the dehydration that can leave you feeling weak with a pounding headache. It’s necessary to replenish your body’s fluids, so have at least eight glasses of water. Water also works well to prevent a hangover; have a couple of glasses of it before going to bed or make sure that while you’re drinking alcohol you have a few rounds of plain water as well.

Lemon and Honey Tea

While this sounds too simple to work, it’s actually very effective. It will replenish fluids and sugars that get lost to a hangover. The honey, which contains fructose, competes for the metabolism of alcohol and will prevent the headache which occurs when there is a rapid change in alcohol level. Plain sugar will not be absorbed as quickly as honey and will therefore not work as well.
To make lemon and honey tea, boil about one cup of water, and add as much freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey as you like. The more you drink, the better.

Plain food

While food might be the last thing you want to think about due to your topsy-turvy stomach, you will need to eat something to regain your strength. The best things you can ingest are plain, dry toast, clear soup, or plain rice.

If you don’t think you can tolerate solids, start off with a plain chicken or beef broth, and later work your way up to toast or rice. Leave the heavy, spicy food until much later, when you’re feeling more like your normal self.

Ice

If your head is pounding, one of the quickest ways to get relief is to put some ice cubes or crushed ice in a plastic bag, wrap it in a towel, and place it on your head. A washcloth dipped in cold water will also work. For this treatment to be effective, you’ll also need to lie down and rest while applying the ice pack or cool cloth.

Sport Drinks

Sport drinks will replace electrolytes, fluids, and glucose. They are great to combat dehydration. If you don’t have sport drinks at home, you can make one yourself. Simply squeeze the juice of one lemon into a tall glass of water, add sugar along with a pinch of salt, and give it a stir.

Juice

Fruit juices are a good way to replace the vitamins, minerals and sugars that were lost during the night of cocktails. Freshly squeezed juice will raise your blood sugar levels back to normal. If you think that orange juice will be too acidic for your already upset stomach, apple juice will also do the trick.
Multivitamins and Antacids

Taking a multivitamin that contains B vitamins will be a good idea as well, and you can always take an antacid such as Pepto-Bismol to calm a “funny tummy”. However, before taking a medication such as an antacid, it will be best to check with your doctor to see if it is appropriate for you.

Time

Research has shown over and over again that the best remedy for a hangover is time. If possible, stay in bed with the curtains closed and sleep for as long as you can. And remember, chances are that by tomorrow, you’ll be good as new.

Tweet It!: #HangoverRemedies