Avoid the moaning after the night before
WHILE there’s no such thing as a complete ‘cure’ for a hangover, there are measures you can take to ease the pain while you wait out the unpleasant symptoms of a heavy night.
We’ve talked to nutritional experts to get the lowdown on some of the more natural methods for dealing with a hangover.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
YOU already know about this one, but we can bet you haven’t adhered to it. Even relatively light drinking leads to dehydration. This, in turn, can cause the headaches, fatigue and lack of energy that so many of us associate with hangovers. When you wake up feeling rough, drinking a glass of water should be top of your to-do list.
Rhiannon Lambert, a Harley Street nutritionist and author of the book Re:nourish (Yellow Kite, £19.99) says that despite not being a big drinker, she is sure to drink more water on the days after she’s had a glass of wine or two.
Getting rehydrated will be even easier if you remember to drink some water before going to bed at the end of your night – but don’t panic if you haven’t managed this. Making sure to take regular sips throughout your morning should still help you to feel better.
BREW UP SOME GINGER TEA
GINGER has long been used in Chinese medicine as an antinausea measure. The belief in its benefits is well-founded: A 2016 study concluded that the plant is “an effective and inexpensive treatment for nausea”.
A cup of ginger tea the morning after a heavy night could be a cheap way of killing two birds with one stone. You’ll be replenishing some of that much-needed water, and also getting an important shot of stomach-calming ginger. Since ginger also has anti-inflammatory and heart benefits, you might just find yourself making it part of your daily routine.
When it comes to getting ginger to taste good, registered nutritionist Rob Hobson recommends that you add 1-2 tsp of ginger powder, half a lemon and 2 tsp of honey to a teapot and fill with boiling water. Leave it to brew for five minutes before serving. “The zingy flavour is very energising, and the honey will help to re-balance low blood sugar levels,” he says.
EAT A BALANCED BREAKFAST
TEA is all well and good, but many of us can’t bear the idea of ingesting actual food the morning after drinking. But getting some food inside you is vital because alcohol consumption hits your blood glucose levels hard.
Cliché would dictate that you tuck into the greasiest full English available, but our experts warn against this –“ditch the morning- after fried breakfast”, says Rob.
Granola with sliced fruit can give you a hit of natural sugars and also get you some valuable vitamins as a bonus. Rhiannon says: “Foods containing potassium can help your body to recover lost electrolytes from a night of drinking. Bananas and avocados are good sources.”
KNOW YOUR ANTI-HISTAMINES
WHILE paracetamol or aspirin can help ease your pounding head in the short term, they may worsen an upset stomach.
Harley Street nutritionist
Alice Mackintosh recommends foods rich in anti-histamines, which reduce the levels of headache-inducing histamine contained in alcohol.
She says: “A smoothie made with berries, kale, pineapple, almond milk and nuts and seeds is my ultimate hangover buster.
“These foods are rich in anti-histamines and will