Sober Up! 5 Natural Hangover Remedies
It happens to the best of us. One cocktail turns into two and soon enough we’re nursing a hangover that has us wondering why we ever drank in the first place. The truth is, there is no magical, sweeping cure for a hangover. All it really requires is a bit of time, some rest and lots of hydration. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t certain tricks that can alleviate symptoms and make the morning after a bit more bearable. These 5 natural hangover remedies are a welcome set of helping hands to boost your mood and enliven your body on a day when all it wants to do is curl up into a ball and disappear from the world.
1. Morning After: Banana
The reason a banana makes the ideal morning-after hangover snack is that it supplements the electrolytes lost the night before, especially potassium. Foods rich in potassium, such as bananas, kiwis and peaches, make up for potassium that was leached from the body due to alcohol consumption. A body deficient in potassium can cause fatigue, irritability and increased blood pressure. It is also believed that fruits’ fructose helps to hasten the body’s ability to process the alcohol.
2. Go Tropical with Coconut Water
Because alcohol is a diuretic and makes you urinate more often, electrolytes are leaving the body quite quickly during a night of boozing. An efficient and natural way to replenish those electrolytes is by sipping on coconut water. Coconut water is unique in that it contains the same five electrolytes found in human blood. Gatorade, which has long been a popular hangover beverage, contains only two! Coconut water hydrates and tastes delicious.
3. Bite into Asparagus
A study conducted by the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in Korea found that asparagus extract derived from asparagus shoots and leaves demonstrated the ability to protect the liver from the hangover effects of alcohol consumption. Asparagus is rich in amino acids, which help to break down toxins harming liver cells.
4. Drink Water in Between
Water is your closest friend during and after a period of heavy drinking. It not only dilutes the alcohol in your stomach but also keeps the body hydrated while the alcohol works on doing the exact opposite. Keep a water bottle close by and drink in between drinks as well as before going to bed. It’s cheap, easy and one of the most effective ways to keep the hangover at bay.
5. Go Egg Crazy
Eggs contain the amino acid cysteine, which breaks down the toxin acetaldehyde in the liver. Acetaldehyde is generated by alcohol consumption and can be degenerated by the enzyme glutathione, which is comprised of cysteine. Therefore, through egg consumption, the body is able to oust acetaldehyde from the liver and deplete the body of hangover-causing toxins. Just be sure to consume the yolks, because that is where the cysteine lies.
Photo Credits: Mountainhiker, Keepon, Goosegrease, Artbystevejohnson
