Raise your hand if you’re going to be hungover on January 1st!
Whether I drink a lot, a little, or not at all, I swear I always suffer from hangovers. I’ve heard of various foods and drinks that help get rid of or prevent them altogether, and now I’m throwing them all into one post in preparation for New Year’s Eve festivities.
Before I get into that, though, here’s a recap of my latest workouts:
Workouts
Yesterday, I ran 4 recovery miles and did two of my favorites workouts: Shredded Shoulders and the 8-Minute Plank Challenge.
Today, I ran 4 miles at 36:29 with 6 short sprints thrown in. I also did my Lean Legs Circuit 1x through since I’ve been neglecting leg work because of all my running.
Tomorrow, I’m taking the day off. My plan is to start next week’s training on Sunday because I’ll be gone most of the week and won’t have many days to fit in runs. Plus, I don’t think I’ll be in the mood to workout or run on the 1st when I’m inevitably suffering from a hangover.
Hangover Cures
Try drinking or eating some of these to help cure a hangover:
Drinks to Help Cure a Hangover
- Water, water, and more water. This means before, during, and after. Since alcohol is a diuretic, you need to make up for what’s leaving the body with lots of water! My #1 way to cure a hangover (or at least tame it) is to drink water several times throughout the night. It’s pretty much ingrained in my mind to take a few sips of water every time I wake up or am nearing consciousness.
- Sports drinks. The electrolytes will help rehydrate the body.
- Energy Gels. My unscholarly sources tell me that these babies could help as well, what with their electrolytes and such. I’m intrigued and will definitely be trying this one out.
- Fruit juice. It’ll help replenish nutrients that have been lost by drinking alcohol.
- Ginger Ale. It doesn’t exactly help with rehydration, but ginger helps settle your stomach. There are conflicting views, however, on whether carbonation improves or worsens nausea.
Foods to Help Cure a Hangover
- Fruit. Just like fruit juice can help, eating fruit can help replenish important nutrients that are lost. Oranges, strawberries, and grapefruit are all great options as they’re high in vitamin C. Bananas, on the other hand, have potassium and magnesium which will also do the body good. When I know I’m going to be doing more drinking than usual, I tend to bring a banana with me. Gotta be prepared!
- Crackers or toast. These starchy carbs will help raise your blood sugar back up without bothering your stomach.
- Eggs. They contain the amino acid cysteine, which breaks down the toxins, helping them leave your body.
- Bouillon-Based Soup. When I’m feeling especially blah, soup often sounds better than real food. Bouillon broth has salt and potassium that can help replace electrolytes.
- Pills. I don’t exactly eat pills…I swallow them, but you get the point. Stay AWAY from acetaminophen (Tylenol) because it can damage your liver when mixed with alcohol. Aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil), on the other hand, can be taken. It’s recommended you take them the following day, though, when you don’t have as much alcohol in your system.
There are plenty of other claims at what are good foods or drinks to cure a hangover, but I find these to be the most practical for my life. Since everyone’s body is different, you may consider one food to be a cure while another person may find it to be quite the opposite.
I know I’m quite partial to bananas and drinking 7 gallons of water over the course of the night—and by 7 gallons I mean a few Nalgene bottles full of water if I don’t spill them all first.
Hope you find this useful if your alcohol consumption gets the best of you on New Year’s Eve !
What’s your go-to hangover cure?
Any plans for New Year’s Eve?
I’m doing exactly what I did last year, and I’m stoked! Hanging out with lots of friends, my siblings, and my bf. No place I’d rather be. 🙂
All Seasons Cyclist says
I promise to be “hangover free” on January 1. I do enough dumb things when I am sober — I’d hate to see what I’d become when drunk.
Gettin' My Healthy On says
Fair enough!
Pam says
I’ve recently heard (on the Today show- it has to be true) that asparagus helps if you eat it before and/or after. I like yours better though since I hate asparagus.
Gettin' My Healthy On says
That was actually on the “eat this” list for a little bit. Then I realized I will probably never eat asparagus when I’m hungover. I like it, but probably not when I’m nauseous. Soup seemed more practical.
Cait the Arty Runnerchick says
hahaha…i luv that picture of u there! 🙂 great tips and here’s to u having a kick@$$ New Year’s!
Gettin' My Healthy On says
Thanks! Hope you have an awesome one as well 🙂
Russell Regulinski says
Reblogged this on Unrestricted Randomness and commented:
Absolutely true, used a couple of these on new years and they worked wonders
Gettin' My Healthy On says
Oh good! So glad you found it useful.
Russell Regulinski says
Yeah I knew that drinking water helps but I was unaware of all these others. I enjoy reading what you post!
Gettin' My Healthy On says
Thanks 🙂 Hope you find these useful in the future!