TORONTO – First rule: don’t try to remember how much you drank last night.
Retelling it would be like reliving it.
Hangovers occur when our livers are overburdened in an effort to clear out the excessive amounts of toxins and chemicals ingested from, well, too much alcohol. We feel sick to our stomachs and we have headaches as our blood sugar dips and our bodies are dehydrated.
While a recent study found that drinking less is the only effective way to combat a hangover, here are five popular ways to nurse yourself back from a night of heavy drinking.
1. Water – and generous amounts of it. Alcohol is a diuretic, so it’ll leave you pretty dehydrated by the end of the night. Help the detoxification process along by drinking two to four glasses of H2O before passing out – it’ll made a world of difference in the morning. And a general rule of thumb – every pint of green beer you down should be accompanied with a tall glass of water. Your liver will thank you.
2. Energy drinks. You won’t be up for running a marathon, but a sports drink will be your friend the day after. You’ll need to replace all the electrolytes you lost on those trips to the washroom last night. Fitness gurus also swear by coconut water as a source to replenish electrolytes, the salts and minerals that keep your body functioning.
3. Toast and crackers. Some people swear by greasy foods by way of poutine, bacon and pizza. But for those of us who are sensitive to smells, lights and movement, the strong scent alone could make us nauseous. Stick to the tried and true – toast and saltine crackers. They’ll soak up the booze and won’t unsettle your stomach.
4. Pills and vitamins. Everyone has a favourite – Tylenol, Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen. Others pick of poison include vitamins B and C. All are good choices to stave off pounding hangover headaches and general uneasiness. Some also work magic on your liver, offer a jolt of caffeine and restock your body of depleted nutrients.
5. Self pity. You’re in pain. You’re broke from spending all that money on booze. You need to apologize to everyone you drunk texted in the early hours of the morning. Stay under the covers. Sleep it off. The rest of the world can wait until you recover.
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