Top 5 Tips to Get Rid of a Hangover
The Holiday season it’s about getting together with family, expressing affection to our loved ones, and feeling thankful for a year filled with blessings and joy. And while this is the essence of the festivities, Christmas also comes along with delicious meals and a few toasts. It is then when we people might just get carried away by a couple more than enough to drink. Well, today we bring you some tips to help you recover from that awful feeling of having had one too many drinks, commonly known as a hangover.
What is a hangover?
A hangover is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that follow excessive drinking. Anxiety, irritability, nervousness, weakness, thirst, headaches, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, vertigo, sensitivity to light or sound, and elevated blood pressure are among the most common symptoms. Each person experiences a hangover differently.(1)
What helps improve hangover symptoms?
1. Drink plenty of fluids
Alcohol encourages urination and as a consequence it actively releases vasopressin, a hormone that stimulates urine concentration and the feeling of thirst. If you are feeling symptoms such as vomiting, sweating, or diarrhea, you might be even more dehydrated if your hangover causes you vomiting, sweating, or diarrhea. Even a few sips of water may help your hangover, despite nausea making it difficult to swallow any drink or food.(2)
2. Take a pain reliever pill, except Tylenol
The headache, general aches, and pains may be relieved by aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil), and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, it is important to note that these NSAIDs may aggravate an already irritated stomach brought on by alcohol. One thing is for sure: stay away from acetaminophen (Tylenol) when you have a hangover. Alcohol may intensify the liver-damaging effects of acetaminophen if it is still present in your system.(3)
3. Avoid dark-colored alcoholic beverages
According to research, dark alcoholic beverages like whiskey, red wine, and tequila are more likely to result in a hangover than clear alcoholic beverages like vodka and gin. Although ethanol is the primary type of alcohol in all alcoholic drinks, the darker liquors also contain chemically related substances (congeners), such as methanol.(4) These congeners are especially toxic, which may cause a worse hangover feeling.
4. B Vitamins and Zinc
The Journal of Clinical Medicine evaluated people’s diets 24 hours before and after excessive drinking occurred.5 This small study found that people whose diet contained more B Vitamins and Zinc experienced less severe hangovers. Supplements such as our very own VictaGummies and VictaBeans are an easy way to obtain said nutrients.
5. Get some carbs into your system
As drinking may lower blood sugar levels, in theory, some of the fatigue and headaches associated with a hangover may result from the brain working without enough fuel. Additionally, many drinkers neglect to eat, further lowering their blood sugar levels. Toast and juice are a gentle way to return levels to normal.(6)
Finally, the best way to avoid getting a hangover is to drink in moderation or refrain from drinking altogether. Do not forget that today’s excesses are tomorrow’s diseases; that’s why Victoria encourages you to take it easy with alcohol this season and celebrate the holidays safely at home with your family and friends.
Victoria wishes you and your loved ones a Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year!
References:
[1] National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Hangovers. Retrieved on De- cember 19, 2022: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochu- res-and-fact-sheets/hangovers.
[2] Harvard Health Publishing. 7 steps to cure your hangover. Retrieved on December 19, 2022: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cu- re-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
[3] Harvard Health Publishing. 7 steps to cure your hangover. Retrieved on December 19, 2022: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cu- re-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
[4] Harvard Health Publishing. 7 steps to cure your hangover. Retrieved on December 19, 2022: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cu- re-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
[5] Harvard Health Publishing. 7 steps to cure your hangover. Retrieved on December 19, 2022: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cu- re-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
[6] Harvard Health Publishing. 7 steps to cure your hangover. Retrieved on December 19, 2022: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/7-steps-to-cu- re-your-hangover-and-ginkgo-biloba-whats-the-verdict
