Day 2 – avoiding the dreaded hangover!
Christmas is for catching up with family, friends and lots of parties. But the after-effects can be unpleasant – throbbing headaches, nausea, fatigue and generally feeling terrible. This shows that the body is suffering from dehydration (from the ethanol), loss of minerals and low blood sugar. It is thought that the congeners (impurities produced during the fermentation process), higher in certain alcohol such as red wine and champagne, also contribute.
Before the event – eat a decent meal including some protein before you start to drink to slow the absorption of the alcohol; have some milk thistle which is a traditional herbal medicine taken to relieve the symptoms of a hangover.
During – slow your consumption by drinking plenty of sparkling or still mineral water; listen to your body – if you react badly to wine for instance try a clear spirit such as vodka (some react badly to sulphites in wine). Try some of the mocktails and juice based cocktails in my previous post!
Before bed – drink a large glass of water before bed or even better have a glass of coconut water which is a natural source of electrolytes; have a protein rich snack such as peanut butter on toast and another dose of milk thistle.
The morning after – stay hydrated (plenty of water and more coconut water); have a protein rich breakfast such as poached eggs, wholegrain toast and good quality bacon. Certain juices may also help. Carrots, green apples and green vegetables support digestion and liver, beetroot is liver cleansing, celery contains magnesium and calcium for headaches. Try a beetroot juice (2 carrots, 1 small beetroot and a green apple) or a green juice (handful of spinach, celery and a green apple).
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