Dealing with the Dreaded Hangover

Not only does New Years Eve ring in the New Year, but I bet for many of you, it may also ring in a hangover the next day. The kind where your head is pounding, you can barely open your eyes, your mouth feels like cotton balls, the nausea is overwhelming and junk food is calling your name. Read on tips for tips on how to deal with your hangover.

Causes of hangovers
– The major reason for hangovers is that alcohol dehydrates you. Alcohol blocks hormones in your kidney that normally would keep you from racing to the bathroom. With each drink, you effectively lose more water than you take in. Ever wonder why you keep running to the bathroom while having a few beers at happy hour? Dehydration leads to headaches. Personally, if I did not drink enough fluid during the day, even 1-2 glasses of wine can cause a major headache the next day.

– Another cause could be drinking a beverage that doesn’t agree with you. Colorless cocktails like vodka and gin are kinder on the body than dark whiskey or even red wine

– Lastly, women are more susceptible to hangovers because they have less of the enzyme needed to break down alcohol.  (pic is city girl in party dress with nausea: healthychow.com)

Of course, the best way to deal with hangovers is to prevent them! Moderation is always best. But if you do have one too many …

Here are some tips that may or may not help you:
1. Sleep! Stay in bed as long as you can and give your body a chance to recover. I personally like this advice.

2. Re-hydrate yourself. Drink plenty of water (though water is not that appealing to me if I feel hungover) or any beverage that appeals to you.

3. Drink a sports drink like Gatorade or Powerade. This will help to replace the electrolytes that your body lost during the night before.  (pic is of city girl Annie who obviously overindulged. Read her hangover story at http://www.beinganewyorkrookie.com/?p=140)

4. Eat something. This can help to coat your stomach from the previous nights overindulgence in adult beverages.

5. Pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen all can help with headaches. However, be careful when mixing acetaminophen, such as Tylenol and Excedrin, with alcohol as it can cause damage to the liver.

6. Alternate between a hot and cold shower.

7. In Ireland, it was said that the cure for hangovers is to bury the ailing person up to the neck in moist river sand. Hudson River anyone????

8. A last resort: Legend has it that a morning nip – the “hair of the dog that bit you”-  can keep a hangover at bay. However, this would not be my first recommendation!

Happy New Year!