We’ve all have had one drink too many one time or another. It’s so easy to have that extra glass (or two) of wine or martini when we’re out partying and reveling with friends. And so the day after, we pay the price for a night of binging—world spinning, pounding headache, stomach churning, muscles aching—you’re hungover.
Unfortunately, the only way you’re going to avoid the queasiness and pounding headache the day after is to drink in moderation or to avoid alcohol altogether. But it’s hard not to overindulge.
The best cure for hangover: time. Hangovers usually go away on their own. But for those who simply can’t avoid drinking or can’t wait for the cure, here are a few suggested home remedies to help you find relief.
1. Water
Alcohol is a diuretic—it removes fluids from the body. Hence, many of the symptoms of a hangover are caused by dehydration. Drink water or non-alcoholic drinks in between your alcoholic drinks. Avoid carbonated fizzy drinks as these speeds up the absorption of alcohol into your system.
Drink 16 to 18 ounces of water before going to bed and keep a glass beside your bed so you can take a sip when you wake up. Take at least 8 glasses of water as you recover the next day.
2. Bouillon soup
Eating a warm rehydrating soup is another way to combat the effects of a hangover. Bouillon soup is a thin vegetable-based broth rich in vitamins and minerals. As such, it helps replace the nutrients you’ve lost the night before. Plus, it’s quite easy for your fragile stomach to digest.
3. Bananas
Alcohol, as with all diuretics, depletes the body of potassium. Eating a banana or other potassium-rich foods can easily replace the lost potassium. Bananas can also help in raising your blood sugar.
4. Toast
While no food can treat or stop the queasy feeling in your stomach, carbohydrates can help bring your blood sugar back up. Normally when our blood sugar is down, the liver produces more glucose from fats. But when you’ve been binging all night, your liver is too busy metabolizing the alcohol. Since the liver can’t handle this extra work, your blood sugar stays down and you feel weak or irritated.
Toasts or crackers are good options as they’ll be easy for the stomach to handle. Avoid eating greasy food the day after because they’ll only add to your stomach malaise by irritating it.
5. Fruit juice
Taking fruit juice, especially fresh orange juice, rehydrates you, helps replenish lost nutrients and helps bring your blood sugar level up. But if your stomach is upset, stay away from orange juice and drink apple juice instead.
6. Hot toddy
Hot toddy is hot water mixed with honey and lemon juice. This beverage easily replaces lost fluids and sugar from a night of drinking. Honey contains fructose, which competes for the metabolism of alcohol. Hampering the metabolism of alcohol prevents the rapid change in alcohol levels that brings on headaches.
7. Ginger
Ginger can help relieve the queasiness and nauseous feeling brought on by a hangover. After all, ginger has long been used for treating nausea and sea sickness.
Brew some ginger tea by cutting 10-12 slices of fresh ginger root. Steep in 4 cups water for 10 minutes. Strain and add the juice of ½ lemon, one orange and ½ cup honey.
8. Poached eggs
Eating eggs in the morning after can help relieve the body of acetaldehyde, a toxic product of alcohol metabolism that results in headaches. Eggs are rich in cysteine, which breaks down acetaldehyde into less toxic substance that the body can handle.
