Your head is pounding, you feel absolutely sick to your stomach, getting out of bed doesn’t even seem like an option! But you don’t have a flu or any other illness. Your previous night’s activity, however, has caught up to you and left you feeling ill.
If you drink too much you will most likely encounter a hangover. Maybe you experienced these more in your younger years, but even the slightest extra alcohol in your system can leave you quite sick the next day. The headaches and nausea are enough to make you swear off drinking altogether!
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You might drink a lot water and make some poor food choices to make yourself feel better, but there has to be a better way to cure your poor decision-making. Well, if you’re looking for home remedies for hangovers, look no further. From ancient hangover remedies to a hangover cure for nausea, these are the tips you will learn about to get you back to feeling like yourself – and hopefully drinking less next time!
What is a hangover?
Before we can recommend home remedies for hangovers, what exactly is a hangover – and why does it feel so bad? A hangover occurs the day after a night of too much drinking. Common symptoms of a hangover include headache, nausea, dehydration, dizziness, sleepiness and just overall the feeling of being sick.
Unfortunately, there is no secret to avoiding a hangover as each person breaks down alcohol differently. One person may be able to have an entire bottle of wine where someone else will start feeling sick after one glass – it’s all up to the individual. Because of this, drinking smart is the real secret to avoiding a hangover. But if you’ve gone past the point of no return, then home remedies for hangovers may help you.
Home remedies for hangovers
Below are the top 7 home remedies for hangovers, including ways to combat the pounding headache and nausea:
1. Increase your water intake: Alcohol dehydrates us, so the easiest way to feel better is by becoming hydrated once more. Dehydration can cause tiredness and irritability, two symptoms that only become worse after an evening of drinking. By becoming more hydrated, we can replenish lost fluids caused by the alcohol.
Ideally, for best results, water should be consumed between alcoholic beverages to lessen the severity of the hangover, and a large amount should be drunk before bed so you wake up slightly more refreshed. Furthermore, if you want to get hydrated quicker, sip on coconut water. Coconut water is also great for a hangover because it contains electrolytes and can soothe the stomach as it is also a hangover cure for nausea.
2. Bananas: If you need a hangover cure for nausea, look no further than this tropical yellow fruit. Both potassium and magnesium become depleted through drinking, so enjoy some bananas to help boost these nutrients back up. When we are low in potassium that is when we begin to feel nauseous. Better yet, bananas provide us with energy and can work as an antacid to protect our stomachs.
3. Eggs: Eggs are a great way to start off any day, especially a hung-over one. Their high-protein content is a great hangover cure for nausea, as well as helping to improve mood. Eggs also contain essential amino acids which can help remove toxins within the body making you feel much better.
4. Ginger: Ginger is great to treat all stomach-related issues and especially a hangover cure for nausea. Because of its potency, though, your best bet is to add some ginger shavings to some warm water. Not only will you boost your hydration, but you will enjoy the more subtle flavor of ginger to calm your nausea.
5. Carbohydrates: We’re not recommending you chow down on loaves of bread, but toast and crackers are great 
home remedies for hangovers. Just like when you have the flu and have toast and crackers, the same principle works when you’re hung-over.
Your liver becomes preoccupied trying to break down all the alcohol and your blood sugar tends to drop. Crackers and toast can help bring it back up and reduce symptoms like irritability and tiredness.
6. Sleep: When it comes to home remedies for hangovers, nothing is easier than sleeping it off. Because alcohol can disrupt your sleep, your body isn’t going through its normal cycles and you feel more tired, have a bigger headache and generally just feel worse. Therefore, an easy, simple way to combat the signs and symptoms of a hangover is just to sleep it off.
7. Fruits and vegetables: A lot of nutrients are diminished by alcohol, so restoring these lost nutrients is a great way to feel better. From B and C vitamins to magnesium and iron, replenishing these nutrients through fruits and vegetables is easy and can make you feel better.
You may wish to blend many options in a blender – chewing food may not appeal! Start with a kale or spinach and continue to add other fruits and vegetables of your choice. Using water or coconut water as the liquid is a sure way to replenish lost fluid as well. Making a powerhouse smoothie is a great home remedy for hangovers.
How not to treat a hangover
Now that we know effective home remedies for hangovers, there are certain things you shouldn’t do. For starters, avoid coffee. Coffee is a diuretic so it can deplete your fluids even more so than they already are. And although you may feel temporarily awake, once the buzz wears off you’ll be left feeling much worse. Not only will you have a hangover headache, but now you’re adding in a java-withdrawal headache which isn’t a good combination.
Furthermore, although you may want to reach for painkillers as a means for a drunk headache remedy, stay away from acetaminophen – Tylenol, for example. Because your liver is working so hard to break down the alcohol, adding in this form of over-the-counter medication can lead to liver damage. Also, it’s not advised to mix alcohol and acetaminophen together.
And what about that craving for greasy food? Many people feel that the greasier the food fix, the better you’ll feel. This is not proven and will probably only leave you feeling guilty. You will have consumed additional calories through drinking (and probably some unhealthy snacks as well!) and now you’re adding more unhealthy choices the following day.
Greasy food isn’t good for us on a good day, let alone with a hangover. Stick to whole foods instead that can provide you with vitamins and minerals.
Unusual home remedies for hangovers
Everything we’ve mentioned is simple to incorporate, but there are some pretty unique hangover remedies that you might want to consider.
For example, ever thought of consuming algae as a cure for a hangover? Well, an Asian fresh water plant called chlorella may hold the secret to curing a hangover. Chlorella has been hailed for its ability to detox the liver as well as reduce symptoms of a hangover – essentially curing it. Additionally, chlorella contains vitamins and minerals so it can help restore the body.
It’s recommended that you drink the algae, but if the taste is too much you can dilute it in some lemon water.
Ancient hangover remedies involved wearing a leafy necklace. This remedy was hailed as a “drunken headache remedy” with the leaves from a shrub called Alexandrian chamaedaphne. This ancient hangover remedy is merely speculation from ancient text and the validity of this remedy is unknown.
Key to avoiding hangover is prevention
There are many home remedies for a hangover you can partake in, from managing your headache and nausea to taking note of ancient hangover remedies, but the best possible thing you can do for a hangover is to prevent it.
As we mentioned, alternating your alcoholic drinks with water will keep you hydrated and ease the pain you may feel the next day. Also, ensure you eat a well-balanced meal before drinking which can absorb much of the alcohol. This method is also effective in ensuring you don’t get too drunk too quickly.
Lastly, know your limit. Don’t try to keep up with others and always drink responsibly. With these tips and home remedies, you can still enjoy your evening and recover a bit quicker the following day.
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