Getting Over the Hangover

Christmas...it’s all fun and games until the morning after the night before. We’ve all been there; fatigue, thirst, headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and shakiness – yup it’s the dreaded hangover – and for some of us of a certain age they can last two or three days.

At Hood HQ we love a cheeky French martini or two, a glass of fizz or Sauv Blanc as much as the next woman so you won’t catch us preaching here. But hangovers can really eat into the Christmas holidays – ever tried helping Santa build a bike with a pounding head? It’s not fun. The easiest and most effective way to reduce the effects of a hangover are by drinking less alcohol. That’s our party line too but sometimes, especially during the festive season, too much fun is being had and before you know it, it’s too late to take those preventative measures and you’re wake up the following day feeling decidedly rough.

While we all know there is no cure for a hangover and you will ultimately have to ride it out, here are our top tips on easing the discomfort that comes from drinking too much.

You can have a few drinks and not suffer too much the next day. First off is knowing your limits and don't drink more than you know your body can deal with. If you're not sure how much that is, take it easy.

Before heading out for a night on the town, line your tummy with pasta or rice which should help slow down the body's absorption of alcohol. The “eating is cheating” mantra is one you’ll definitely regret the next day. I’d also suggest taking milk thistle or artichoke supplements before you indulge as they have been shown to help the liver cope with the excess of partying too hard.

Avoid dark-coloured drinks – we’re looking at you Pinot Noir – as many drinkers are sensitive to them. They contain natural chemicals called congeners, which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a headache hangover even worse.

If you remember, alternate an alcoholic drink with water or a non-fizzy soft drink and be sure to drink a pint of water before you go to bed. 

If you stuck to the above, you should be relatively unscathed the next day, however, if you are feeling a little tender, I’d recommend the following to relieve the after-effects of your big night.

First up a good effervescent vitamin C or a homemade tincture of fresh ginger, brown sugar and tangerine extract added to a mug of hot water can ease hangover-related nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

A hearty breakfast of eggs is always a good idea - but even more so after a drink or two.  Eggs contain the amino acid, cysteine that helps to breakdown acetaldehyde. This toxic by-product of alcohol metabolism can be responsible for the horrible hangover symptoms. A decent brekkie or brunch can also help balance blood sugar levels which are known to dip after alcohol contributing to nausea, fatigue and weakness.

But if you can’t quite stomach – or prepare a big breakfast a thin, vegetable-based broth can help replace the vitamins and minerals which may have become depleted from drinking.