– Debbie Cotton, Naturopath and Lecturer for the CNM
A hangover is the combination of a number of factors coming into play, but its the over-consumption of your favorite alcohol thats the aggravating part. If youre wanting to avoid a hangover (and who isnt?) then try these top tips for starters
Try and eat before you start drinking. A meal that contains protein and good fats (fats don’t have to be pizza and kebabs!) will help to slow down the absorption of alcohol and the nasty effects that can occur from getting drunk too quickly.
Think that for each glass of alcohol you consume, you dehydrate yourself, so for every alcoholic drink throughout the night, order a glass of water to have alongside it. The major cause of a hangover is purely the fact that your body is dehydrated, so aim to drink at least 2 litres of water the next day as well.
When you drink, your entire water soluble nutrients leech out of the body, which also contributes to the hangover sensation you might feel the next morning. Magnesium and B vitamins usually go first. Taking a good multi-vitamin the night before and the morning after will keep that listless feeling at bay.
A Naturopath’s secret herb to try and stay sober or to clean up in the morning is milk thistle (Silybum Marianum). A good quality tincture or tablet in the correct dose can do the trick to really ward off the symptoms of a hangover for sure.
Trying to care for yourself with good quality food is always a good idea too, even though hangovers bring cravings for fats and sweets, this will only make you take longer to pick up your energy for the next social event, and no-one wants to go to a party with killer acne or bags under the eyes! Try to have your fridge stocked with great vegetables, good fats such as avocados, olives and fish and good quality proteins, such as organic eggs, nuts and seeds, lentils or beans. That way you don’t have to move far from the couch to the fridge to combat the next day munchies.
If you have really over-indulged, the homeopathic remedy nux-vomica is great for knocking a hangover sensation on the head.
