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Health

24th Nov 2012

Th-Thump, Th-Thump… Hangover Myths Busted And The Best Advice Shared

The festive season is coming... you might even be heading out on the town tonight, don't let the prospect of a hangover hold you back! We BUST the biggest hangover myths and share the best advice with you here...

Her

Nothing is worse than waking up after the night before… a mouth like sandpaper, eyes clung together with mascara and a pounding headache.

Oh, hello, hangover…

Her.ie is prepping you for the Christmas season and part of that is how to deal with a hangover.

We’re here to bust the hangover myths, to dispel the truth from the falsehoods…

So, here we go!

The Biggest Hangover Cure Myths

Scoff Some Fatty Foods: MYTH

Alcohol causes blood sugar to fall which tricks your body into thinking it needs calories. We crave fatty foods as they are the most concentrated form of energy, but they don’t make us feel better. Put down the bacon butty…

Hair-Of-The-Dog: MYTH

There’s no evidence that having another alcoholic drink in the morning reduces the symptoms of a hangover. More likely, it is just a temporary effect that postpones the effects of a hangover. Groan…

Eat Before Bed: MYTH

This will not absorb all the booze, the food has to be in your stomach first. Enjoy your post-pub Supermac’s of course but don’t try and pretend it’s going to help you in any way!

Pop A Pill: MYTH

Taking an Aspirin while you drink will not lessen the headache, although taking one the next day, about an hour before you need to be functional, should help.

Drink Water: MYTH

Filling yourself up with water the morning after will not help flush out the alcohol. It will of course help, but it is much more important to drink water while you are actually drinking alcohol.

Mixing Drinks Is To Blame: MYTH

Mixing drinks does not affect your hangover directly. It is just that if you are mixing spirits, wine, shots and beer you will be drinking more than if you stick to one type.

Sometimes a splash of cold water just isn’t enough…

Stay safe and healthy this Christmas with these top tips…

And, What You’ve Been Waiting For…The BEST Hangover Advice

Stock Up On Soakage

Eat before you start drinking. Food in your stomach, especially carbs and starch such as pasta and bananas, slows down the absorption of alcohol into your blood.

Watch What You Drink

Don’t drink dark liquors such as red wine, brandy or whiskey, which have higher concentrations of congeners, chemicals that are toxic to the body.

Don’t Mix

Don’t mix drinks, because you will only end up drinking more.

Avoid The Spicy Kebab

Avoid eating spicy foods, like a curry or kebab, after drinking as they may upset your stomach.

Do Drink Water

Follow every drink with a glass of water to keep yourself hydrated, and drink plenty of water before you go to bed. The next morning is just too late…

Get A Blast Of Fresh Air

Walking home with friends (if it is safe) as exercise helps increases the metabolism of alcohol.

Some Sound Advice

Avoid drinking too much! It’s obvious… As a rule, men should not drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day, women more than 2-3 units.

Vitamin B Is Your New Best Friend

Eat a bowl of cereal and milk, topped with a banana to replenish lost potassium, or a gentle pro-biotic drink

Egg-cellent!

Eggs may have a beneficial effect on reducing the effects of a hangover because they contain an amino acid called cysteine which breaks down the toxin acetaldehyde, produced by too much alcohol consumption.

Here are some more proven hangover cures…

Bananas are a hungover girl’s best friend…

Topics:

mind matters