Hangover Helper: Pre and Post-Drinking Tips
By Emily Reilly
A hangover is the result of extreme dehydration and vitamin deficiency after consumption of alcohol/ over consumption of alcohol.
First off, I need to remind you to drink responsibly. The eXtreme team wants you to feel happy, healthy and ready for all the amazing experiences we toss your way. If you are thinking about going out to paint the town, read the next paragraph. If you already painted the town…skip the pre-party advice and go to the “recovery” section.
Pre-Party smart
Painting the town red is so old fashioned, try painting it mauve, or perhaps an ombre blend. The key to curing a hangover is to avoid one in the first place. So prepare yourself well, plan your evening, and keep a few healthy patterns as you kick back and enjoy yourself.
- Eat. Yes, you want to look great in your new party clothes but do not forget to eat. In some cultures, people will take a spoonful of olive oil prior to drinking to slow down the absorption process. This helps coat the lining of the stomach and slow/even out the absorption process
- Eat good food. Starchy foods like bread, noodles, and rice help “soak” up the alcohol and by filling the stomach and reducing the production of acetaldehyde (a key component in hangovers). You can even eat whole grain starchy foods so that you are making healthy choices for your body and helping prevent those pesky hangovers. We also need the help of B vitamins and amino acids to metabolize the alcohol, found in leafy greens, bright yellow and orange veggies (like bell peppers), and beets, supports both the liver and the pancreas.
- Drink water. Just as with any other aspect of your life, being hydrated is going to help you have a smoother more comfortable evening and it will be less difficult to stay hydrated later. When you are in hot climates and enjoying the opportunities of eXtreme Hotel and Cabarete, you are going to sweat, (don’t try to tell me you are just glowing)
- Take your vitamins. When we are dehydrated we don’t just lose water, we lose important electrolyte, and water soluble vitamins. If you didn’t get your vitamin B in your meal, make sure it is in your multivitamin.
- Know what you are drinking and stick to a plan.
- Stick to one kind of drink or the evening, or ease up on the alcohol content of what you are drinking, do not go the other way around. Do not forget this very important poem “liquor before beer, never fear, but beer before liquor, never sicker”.
- The darker the alcohol, the more likely to cause a hangover. The darker color of different beers, wines and alcohols are from particulates they pick up during the aging process. These particulates are referred to as congeners and they are the biggest cause of hangovers. Congeners can also be color or flavor enhancers that are added to the cheaper spirits. If you must drink on a budget, drink clear/light liquors like vodka, and gin. Save up your money if you have a taste for scotch and dark rum.
- Shake your butt…it’s hard hold a drink while you’re shaking your booty. So dancing or playing a game like pool or ping-pong, assuming it involves paddles as opposed to cups of beer, can stop you from the destructive cycle of emptying your glass and immediately refilling it. Don’t forget to keep hydrating especially once you start to break a sweat.
Welcome Home; don’t just go to bed, silly
- Drink a glass of water (and a second one, if you’re particularly thirsty), and leave a full glass on your bed stand to treat dry mouth in the morning. Do not try to down a full gallon of water, that puts a bit to much stress on the body and stomach.
- Sleep deprivation won’t cause a hangover, but a restless night will certainly make your hangover worse. Alcohol effects the second part of your sleep (if you go to bed extra late that is actually after the sun rises) While you can’t control the quality of your sleep after a heavy night of drinking, you can at least minimize environmental disruptions with a sleep mask to keep out the light.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (anything that contains ibuprofen or Naprosyn) directly attacks the inflammation that alcohol causes. Always avoid painkillers that contain acetaminophen (Tylenol): You can seriously damage your liver and kidneys if you take them with alcohol.
Good morning Sunshine!…You don’t feel so good after that night on the town?
No problem, We still have you covered.
- Order the eggs. Eggs are an awesome source of cysteine, which helps break down a headache-causing toxin that’s produced when your body digests alcohol. Go with a plain poached egg or dry omelet, which won’t upset your stomach as much as greasy bacon or heavy breakfast meats.
- Along with those eggs have a balanced breakfast. Hangovers symptoms tend to be more severe in people suffering from low blood sugar.
- Drink seltzer water. Soda water helps speed up the body’s alcohol metabolism, which decreases the amount of time your body is exposed to the harmful chemicals produced when your body digests alcohol.
- Avoid random herbal teas. Researchers have found that herbal teas make your body process alcohol more slowly, so your hangover lasts extra long.
- Avoid caffeine and orange juice. These will add to the irritated stomach the acidic alcohol gave you, and caffeine will also increase your dehydration.
Now, just let time and rest take care of you…feel better soon.
