So all the effects of the alcohol you drank last night is ganging up on you and for every four alcoholic drinks you had last night it has caused I litre that’s 2 pints of fluid to be lost from your system. So this has created you your poor body to become dehydrated, you have a thumping headache, you’re tired and you have a parched mouth. You need help!!!!
So a hangover is a sure sign of low blood sugar. Normally when you are asleep your body fuels itself with glucose that is stored in the Liver. However when your liver is dealing with the amount of alcohol you drank last night it stops doing what it is supposed to do. So this means that when you wake up you blood sugar levels are going to be low which will add to your fatigue and leaves you feeling sick and light headed. This is also the cause of them shakes you are trying to hide. Finally all that alcohol has inflamed the lining of your stomach which has left you with that queasy feeling. But that’s enough of the bad news the good news is that although we can’t cure your symptoms in the next 10 minutes we can dramatically speed up their demise with our super hangover advice.
Natural therapies and exercise can help to ease your body after last night’s drinking. It will also kick start it into healing itself.
Aromatherapy
So let’s start with something that can actually wake you up enough to start thinking about tackling this hangover. It has been scientifically proven that Lavender oil on the body only takes 10 minutes to lower blood pressure. So using anti-hangover oils on the body can have a similarly rapid effect. One of the best hangover blends is two drops of fennel oil and two drops of Juniper used as an inhalation. Or why not try rose oil this was used by the romans it balances the body and doesn't have a diuretic action so won’t lead to further dehydration. Try adding two drops to carrier oil and just massage into your hands, pay particular attention to the fleshy area between you thumb and forefinger. This acupressure point is good to at stopping that pounding head. Having a massage can also help release toxins.
Yoga
By now your symptoms should have reduced by the use of aromatherapy. So now it is time to get that body healing itself. Some people swear by exercise to get rid of a hangover (easier said than done) but does it really work? Exercise will release endorphins which will heal that headache. But it can also dehydrate you so while it does initially help it can also make you feel worse soon afterwards. Same goes for saunas sweating might well eliminate toxins from your body but they are not the answer for a hangover. If you only have a mild hangover you could try doing just a simple yoga Regime you can find these on you tube or in our yoga and meditation ebook. However if you are truly suffering with a hangover from hell you might want to do something a little lighter after all we don’t want to send all that alcohol rushing around your system this will only make you feel worse. This is my favourite after a super heavy night. Sit up on your knees so that your bottom rests on your feet. Then breathe slowly in and out deeply. Then bend slowly forward resting your head on a pillow turn your face to the left and relax allowing your hands to drop down alongside your body. Keep breathing slowly and deeply. This position is called the pose of a child and will promote your organs to start detoxing. Stay in this position for as long as you feel comfortable. Then slowly return to your starting position.
Now it’s time for what you really want to do - EAT……
So naturally when you have hangover you want to reach for food. And that is exactly what you should do but what food should you be reaching for?
Fruit Juice.
Because dehydration is the main cause of hangover symptoms. Your first defence against them should be to boost them fluid levels. Fruit Juice has a good proportion of water but it also contains antioxidants that help strengthen the liver and according to research in a leading toxicology journal the presence of the fructose in the juice helps the increase the speed that at which your body metabolizes alcohol. So drinking fruit juice and snacking on fruit throughout the day will also help replenish lost vitamin C.
Toast with Honey
This will help raise your bloody sugar levels and take away that sick jittery feeling . it will also supply you with another dose of detoxing fructose. You might want to try brown toast as this is also high in B vitamins. Adding other foods high in B vitamin like red meat and wholemeal pasta throughout the day will help you to maximise these effects.
Eggs
Protein is a super hangover helper to help you detox properly your body needs the amino acids, these are found in protein food any of these will do but eggs contain high quantities of cysteine and this is particularly helpful. Eggs contain low levels of fat.
Greasy Breakfast - NO
Although this maybe exactly what you would like this is a big NO NO as fat is digested through your liver and your body will jump from detoxing the alcohol to detoxing the fat leaving your hangover to last for longer.
Leafy Green vegetables
Now most green leafy vegetables contain natural substances that help support your liver and enable it to work at a faster rate especially after drinking alcohol. Obviously you don’t fancy green leafy vegetables the moment you wake up so just try and spread them out throughout the day and it will shorten that hangover without putting your stomach to the test. The best ones to try are broccoli and cabbage as these contain cruciferous, they also include folic acid which is vital anti-alcohol nutrient this actually can repair some of the cell damage caused by last night’s drinking. Watercress is another good one this contains high levels of chlorophyll, this will help re-oxygenate your body and oxygen is something you will need lots of.
So let’s put this plan into practice.
First things first you have just woke up….
Drink a glass of orange juice.
Try taking up to 200g of milk thistle with some water. Now the effects might not be as effective as if you had took it straight after the party but it will certainly help support your liver.
The Perfect Hangover Breakfast
A slice of brown toast with honey
Scrambled eggs and some baked beans
More orange juice
You could now try taking a multivitamin. This should not be taken on an empty stomach so now is the best time to take it.
Mid-Morning
Try a fruit smoothy with some blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and some yoghurt, Or if you really can’t face the noise of your smoothy maker just have a fruit salad. Add some melon, orange and kiwi
Lunch Time
So you are half way through the day now try a Tuna sandwich with some salad add some watercress, and tomatoes and drink more orange juice, you should also take another 200g of milk thistle.
Mid afternoon
A slice of brown toast with honey
Evening Meal
Lamb chops with brown rice, add some cabbage and maybe artichokes, more orange juice and a final dose of milk thistle.
So by now you will have made it through the day. And I hope this has helped you survive your hangover from hell. And next time well of course there is not going to be a next time. You are never drinking again right????
Blog submitted by: L. Elsworth
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