The Best Natural Hangover Remedies
Hair of the dog: Does fighting alcohol with alcohol really work?
Dispelling the Myth: Hair of the dog
Is hair of the dog still your preferred alcohol intoxication remedy? As pooch hair will not cure rabies, so drinking an additional swig of alcohol will not get rid of a hangover. Some people say it works, and indeed, science infers that the relief they feel may have something to do with the body concentrating on digesting the newly introduced and easier-to-metabolise alcohol instead of dealing with the dose consumed earlier, which has already transformed to something harder to process. The older alcohol that causes the hangover is supposedly released from the body without causing the person further queasiness. At worst, it could all just be placebo effect.
Either way, the hair of the dog technique won’t work for very long because the body will soon have more alcohol to deal with. It also won’t address the main cause of hangover, which is dehydration. With these in mind, you might want to try out any of these natural hangover remedies instead. Let us know if any of them works in kicking you back to sobriety!
The universal solvent is also the universal hangover buster.
Water
When a person consumes alcohol, it enters the bloodstream and blocks the body’s capacity to produce vasopressin, an antidiuretic hormone that is needed to regulate the body’s retention of water. The absence of this hormone triggers the kidneys to send water directly to the bladder instead of being reabsorbed by the body. This is why drinking partygoers feel the need to pee often. So it is quite logical to say that drinking good ol’ pure water will help rehydrate your body to minimise your chance of getting a hangover.
Whenever you drink, alternate your alcohol intake with water to prevent yourself from becoming too dehydrated. Drinking water will also help ease the effects of hangover once it has kicked in. As a matter of fact, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2000 affirmed that an effective intervention for alcohol intoxication is rehydration. So before going to bed, make sure to drink at least a pint of water. And try to munch on some of the other electrolyte- and nutrient-rich goodies that will be mentioned on this list.
This wonder veggie does more than make your pee smell funny.
Asparagus
According to a 2009 study conducted by researchers from South Korea’s Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University, extracts from asparagus may improve the liver enzyme’s functioning and the organ’s capacity to metabolise alcohol, thereby reducing the effects of hangover. It appears that asparagus is rich in amino acids, which stimulate the enzymes called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). These enzymes metabolise ethanol and acetaldehyde, which are responsible for the unpleasant symptoms of hangover.
“Cellular toxicities were significantly alleviated in response to treatment with the extracts of asparagus leaves and shoots. These results provide evidence of how the biological functions of asparagus can help alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells,” research leader B.Y. Kim said through a news release published by the U.S.-based Institute of Food Technologies.
The good thing about asparagus, the researchers found out, is that you don’t really have to eat a lot of it; a few stalks of this veggie can already make wonders. Prepare your asparagus steamed so as to preserve its nutrients better.
Eggs and other greasy breakfast staples work well against alcohol intoxication.
Eggs
Yes, this breakfast staple serves up more than just protein. A research published in the Journal of Inflammation Research discovered that eggs are also among the best natural hangover remedies out there. The scientists found out that cysteine, an amino acid found in eggs, helped increase the survival rate of laboratory rats administered with lethal doses of acetaldehyde. In people, acetaldehyde causes the nausea and headaches experienced during a hangover.
Calorie-conscious individuals might prefer eating poached eggs, but did you know that fried eggs is a better option when you have a hangover? The excess oil from fried food may help protect your stomach lining from the effects of alcohol. Try eating your fried eggs together with other greasy food like buttered toast or hash brown to maximise the effect. The technique works best if you load on greasy food even before you go drinking.
Milk works well against alcohol-induced dehydration, and it also helps you get a good night's sleep.
Milk
Got milk? If you’re hungover and you answered yes, then good for you! Milk is an antidiuretic which helps prevent your body from losing more water when you have a hangover. Furthermore, it also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which helps you sleep well because it aids in increasing the levels of the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin, and the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, in your brain. After all, a good hangover remedy should not only help reduce the effects of dehydration, it should also be able to help you get a good night’s sleep.
I find a tall glass of Coca-Cola is the best, probably has something to do with the sugar. And if you add a greasy English breakfast even better.
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