“I’m never drinking again.” Sound familiar? That’s you the morning after an excessively boozy night, suffering from an intolerable hangover when being dead feels like a better option than facing the pounding headache and agonizing nausea. And, unfortunately, since you are very much alive, you’re at the mercy of any and all hangover cures to help ease the pain and self-loathing.
Here’s a list of hangover antidotes for remedying that morning-after, alcohol-induced nasty death sentence.
H2O
After a night of drinking and debauchery, your body is dehydrated. Alcohol is a diuretic and drains your body’s water supply. Sipping room-temperature water helps replenish your body’s H2O. For extra hydration packed with potassium, sip on coconut water. Vita Coco comes in tropical flavors, which helps to get it down while suffering from nausea.
Here’s a hangover prevention tip. Next time, drink a glass of water with each alcoholic drink to replace diminishing fluids throughout the night. If you can remember, chug 16 to 20 ounces of water before you hit the bed to help hydrate after a long night out.
Electrolytes
Since liquids are key, alternate between sips of water and a sports drink to replace electrolytes. Alcohol produces an electrolyte imbalance, according to “Alcohol Hangover: Mechanism and Mediators” published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Again, as a diuretic, alcohol prevents your kidneys from reabsorbing water, which causes you to pee more. Each time you go, you’re flushing out electrolytes and depriving your body. So, make sure to stock up on some Glacier Freeze or Lemon-Lime Gatorades before you hit the bar.
More Booze
Every drinking pro knows about the “hair of the dog,” otherwise known as continuing to drink to help mask the misery. Lauren Owen, a psychopharmacologist at Keele University and a member of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group, says alcohol acts on brain chemicals to boost pleasurable feelings, reports the DailyMail.com, thus alleviating hangover symptoms.
Not to mention, the most famous heavy drinkers in history resorted to cocktails (and strong ones) to help kill the hangover. Actress Talulah Bankhead mixed champagne and stout as her hair of the dog cocktail. Ernest Hemingway turned to “Death in the Afternoon,” which is a blend of absinthe and iced champagne. If you’re not one to have absinthe lying around, drag yourself out bed for brunch and a Bloody Mary. Or make your own at home with Ketel One Vodka and the Ketel One Bloody Mary Base. Just make sure to have your Bloody Mary hangover kit prepared in advance.
Breakfast
Disclaimer: If you can’t stomach the thought of food or keeping anything down, then you just have to wait for it to pass; don’t worry, you will survive. But if you’re in good enough shape to eat, add the following to your menu of hangover foods.
- Eggs: Eggs are an easily digestible food that’s gentle on the stomach and packed with protein. The cysteine in eggs also curbs those hangover toxins.
- Bananas: Loaded with potassium and electrolytes, a banana replenishes your system. A honey and banana smoothie has the same effect and may be easier for a weakened stomach.
- Toast: Carbs boost your blood sugar levels, which is important since your liver was working hard to metabolize alcohol.
Other hangover-friendly solutions include ginger, crackers, club soda, soup, coffee and green tea. And although a drunk food habit may not benefit your waistline, it can prevent a hangover the next morning. High-fat foods slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream and reduce the severity of your intoxication penance.
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