Festive Season Tips

How to Prevent a Hangover and Treat It

When I was a student, I had no fear for a hangover after a night of drinking alcohol.  Today it’s different, because I normally have to work the next day and I plan better.  If you`d like to avoid the dreaded hangover the day after, then follow my golden tips and you will feel good in no time.

What is a hangover?

A hangover (medical terminology:  veisalgia) is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects following consumption of alcoholic beverages, which can last for more than 24 hours.  Typical symptoms of a hangover may include headache, drowsiness, concentration problems, dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, sweating, nausea, hyper-excitability and anxiety.

Symptoms of a hangover

• We all know the feeling when we wake up the next morning feeling half dead – but we don’t learn
• he most common symptoms for hangovers are:  headaches, nausea, fatigue, dehydration, weakness, dry mouth and mild depression

Cause of hangovers

• Sulphur is not the culprit – asthmatics can get headaches from sulphur and a common symptom of sulphur allergy is breathing problems
• The most common cause for a hangover is dehydration
• With the dehydration the brain shrinks temporarily and you develop a headache
• Alcohol also causes glycogen to be converted into glucose and excreted along with minerals – that makes you extremely tired
• Another cause is biogenic amines like histamine – most wines contain histamine – and red wine more because of using the whole grape
• Some people are more sensitive to histamine than others and can cause symptoms like rosy cheeks to headaches
• The histamine content can vary from producer to producer
• Acetaldehyde is another by-product when the liver breaks down alcohol and this can also contribute to your hangover
• Congeners is another problem causing molecule in red wine that causes hangovers

 How to prevent your hangover

Before you go out

• Don’t go out on an empty stomach and don’t drink on an empty stomach
• Eat almonds, peanuts, fish, chicken or have a protein shake
• Take a probiotic – Bifidus detoxifies acetaldehyde (a digestive byproduct of alcohol)
• Take vitamins, minerals (lots of vitamin B`s) and Milk Thistle before you go out

Your hangover – the morning after

• Hydrate
  Drink 500ml electrolyte solution before you go to bed – Rehydrate or Ceralyt and again when you wake up.  You can also make your own electrolyte solution: a dash of salt and sugar in 500ml water.
• Multivitamins, minerals, Milk Thistle and Probiotics
  Probiotics will restore your flora and assist with acetaldehyde
• Banana smoothie – drink frequently till you feel better
  Mix one banana, 10 strawberries and 150ml apple juice in your blender.  If you can add some WW yoghurt with probiotics
• Tomato juice
  The fructose in tomato juice assists in metabolizing the alcohol quicker
• Tiger Balm
  Apply it on the back of your neck and temples and massage it in – after a few minutes your headache will melt away
• Have a bath in Epsom Salts
  Epsom salts will help to clear the cells of toxic waste
• Mustard Bath
  Mustard will also assist in clearing toxic waste from the cells
• Reflexology – do it yourself
  Stimulate the outer edge of the right foot, about halfway between the middle of the foot and the little toe – this will stimulate the liver
• Exercise
  Exercise will assist the body to get rid of toxins
• Activated Charcoal
  Take one tablet for every drink.  The charcoal tablet will absorb the impurities of the alcohol

I hope that you will benefit from my tips and remember if the symptoms do not improve please contact your healthcare practitioner

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangover

Festive season eating tips

Remember the following:

• If you go overboard the one day – the next day or more you need to do some repair – follow the after party tips
• Drink mint tea – it will aid with digestion
• Remember snacks are high in transfats and preservatives
• Preferably eat fruit and veggie snacks
• Eat snacks that are low GL/GI
• Do not starve yourself before you go out for a meal – have a light snack.  Remember overeating and cravings will follow
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach – your self control will diminish

General Holiday HEALTH Tips

• H for healthy fats
  Remember the healthy fats – avocado, nuts, fatty fish this holiday
• E for exercise
  Exercise – Yes, Yes, Yes – walk far and breathe deep – it is good for the soul
• A for Acceptance
  Accept yourself for whom you are and what you look like – the most important relationship is the one with yourself
• L for laughter
  Laughter is still the best medicine – laugh lots and long
• T for tea
  Go for green tea.  Green tea contains many antioxidants – which you need in the summer sun
• H for Hot
  Remember the sun protection cream every hour, hats, sunglasses and lots of water.  Eat carrots, mango, spanspek, apricots – these fruits contain beta-carotene and that will assist in protecting your skin

How to feel like a daisy and prevent that mother of a hangover

• Water – prevent dehydration
• Supplements:  vitamins, minerals, probiotics & liver meds (Before & After)
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach
• Don’t go out on an empty stomach – eat protein
• Healthy snacks – low GI/GL
• Responsible drinking and no drinking and driving