The Miracle Hangover Cure

Sorry there’s no such thing…you’ve upset the balance, now is the time to restore it!

‘Tis the season to be jolly – although much of this jolliness tends to be alcohol-induced! Jolliness is one thing, unfortunately the line between feeling merry and feeling grim is very thin indeed!

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That’s because alcohol wreaks havoc on you – your immune system crashes, your digestion is shot and your body’s chemical balance is haywire!

We all know the best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink, (or at least be sensible) and the second-best way is to be prepared. If when you start drinking you’re already well hydrated and well fed, you’ll be better equipped to deal with the alcohol intake.

* Drink around 2 litres of water throughout the day and line your stomach by eating a good healthy meal before you go out
* Read my tips below now and stock up your ‘hangover first-aid kit’

But what if it really is just one of those nights?
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* Don’t mix your drinks – that’s guaranteed to make things worse
* Alternate an alcoholic drink with some water
* Get some fresh air and drink a pint of water with some orange juice before going to bed, start your body’s rehydration now

You did your best but it’s only once a year and you wake up the next morning with:

A thumping headache and parched mouth: caused by the dehydrating effects of alcohol, a ‘diuretic’ – meaning it speeds up the loss of water from your body.
Nausea, vomiting and indigestion: caused by the direct effect of alcohol, a poison - irritating the stomach lining.
Tiredness and lack of energy: caused by the lack of good ‘dream sleep’ as your body’s organs work hard to restore their internal status quo.

Hangovers happen when your liver is struggling to clean up the mess from too much alcohol and your kidneys are confused, sending you to the loo all the time. Your blood sugar will be up and down and all over the place. You’re dehydrated and fatigue takes over.

Award winning nutritionist, Barbara Cox is by your side to sympathise and pull you through the hangover from hell and out the other side! What to do and what to eat and drink…

* Drink plenty of water (around 2 litres) throughout the day and…
* Start your day with some lemon and ginger in hot water, you can get some great herbal teas, this’ll start to hydrate you and the ginger will ease your nausea
* You need to get some vitamin C into you, so grab the orange juice or even better put your favourite fruit in the smoothie maker: bananas, blueberries or even a green veg like kale, they’ll all start boosting your natural sugars and potassium
* Alcohol is really acidic and our bodies love to be alkaline, so you need to restore the balance. Go straight for a big salad lunch loaded with spinach, lettuce, celery, apples and tomatoes sprinkled with almonds - the good news is these foods will hydrate you at the same time!
* Grab a nap, shutting down for just a few minutes gives your body time and energy to do its work
* A big mug of peppermint tea or green tea in the afternoon continues with the rehydration and alkaline balance
* Soup is a great option for you today as it’s easy to digest and is one of the best ways to get all the goodness and nourishment out of vegetables – go for a green soup, like my pea and watercress one with some rye or pumpernickel bread (Recipe below) *
* Keep drinking the water…and avoid alcohol for a day or two to let your body recover

Oh and one last thing, give it time, you know it will go… so snuggle up warm and cosy on the sofa and catch up on some TV!

Have a happy & healthy festive season.

Barbara Cox

*Watercress Soup

Chop, fry, boil and blend
* 1 onion
* 1 clove of garlic
* 2 potatoes
* 200g watercress
* 100g fresh peas
* 200ml rice milk
* Grated nutmeg
* Ground black pepper
Simmer and serve