Revealed
HANGOVER 101
How to cure your Bank Holiday hangover in 5 simple steps – and it includes coffee
Before you wallow in self pity all day, try out these tips to improve your week
THE Bank Holiday is over, you're already back at work and for those of us who drank too much the hangover pain is real.
By now you are probably sitting at your desk, wishing you said no to that last glass of wine, desperately searching for a way to end the misery.
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There's no miracle cure, no pill you can pop to make the pain disappear.
But there are simple things you CAN do to tackle a hangover and stop it ruining your Bank Holiday memories.
The key is to focus on replacing the essential vitamins and minerals your entire day drinking wiped out in a flash.
Nutritionist Amanda Hamilton, said even though it might feel totally alien, replenishing what your body is missing is the quickest way to banish a hangover.
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First things first, WHY do we get hangovers?
Before you can tackle it, it's worth understanding exactly what a hangover is.
Yes, yes...it's OBVIOUSLY the number one sign you drank too much the night before.
But Amanda, Vita Coca's nutritionist, explains, it's a whole series of things that combine to drain our bodies of all the goodness they need.
"A hangover is a combination of toxin overload coupled with dehydration and vitamin depletion, caused by that harmless 'one too many'," she told The Sun.
"All alcohol contains toxins and, in fact, the whole experience of getting intoxicated is simply giving your body so many toxins that it can't process them quickly enough."
So how can you get rid of a hangover?
The easiest way to avoid a hangover from hell? Don't drink.
But, let's face it that's not realistic for most of us.
So instead, Amanda has put together a five-step plan to help you overcome the nausea and headache, and fast.
AMANDA'S TOP 10 FOODS TO EAT TO BEAT A HANGOVER
INSTEAD of opting for the usual greasy snacks making healthy, more satiating choices will help your body get back to fighting fit much quicker.
- Coconut water
- Greek yoghurt
- Oats
- Nut butter
- Soup
- Salmon
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Tomatoes
- Sourdough bread
Step 1 - Hydration stations
Boozing makes your body expel up to four times as much water, which is why rehydrating needs to be top of your list.
Drinking plenty of water before and after a night out can be a life saver, Amanda said.
"Sip throughout the day, aiming for approximately two litres each day, but remember you’ll get some of this from food," she added.
"Keep urine straw coloured as the yardstick of being well hydrated."
Step 2. Breakfast like Kings and Queens
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The wave of nausea might feel too hard to overcome, but beat it you must.
And the only way to do that is to feed it.
Chances are you didn't eat enough to soak up all that booze the night before, so getting some food down you early doors is important to kick start, Operation Hang-OVER.
But, it's important to think through WHAT you eat, to maximise the speed at which you can leave your misery behind.
AMANDA'S TOP 5 FOODS TO AVOID WHEN YOU HAVE A HANGOVER
YOU may be craving these foods but in reality they aren't going to help you beat your hangover and they aren't a healthy choice.
- Fizzy drinks
- Sugary cordials
- Cheese – particularly strong or aged, such as Stilton, cheddar and parmesan
- Meats containing tyramine – for example, cured meats such as pepperoni and salami
- Salty snacks
A bacon sandwich might seem like the answer, but opting for eggs on toast instead will have you feeling better, faster, according to Amanda.
"If you are up to eating the morning after the night before try craving-busting eggs with satiating avocado and antioxidant rich tomatoes," Amanda said.
"If you need the toast too, choose sourdough as it is easier on sensitive tummies.
";Toast with nut butter is simple and healthy option too.
"If you can’t face food first thing, start with a homemade smoothie with a coconut water to hydrate and replenish lost electrolytes together with banana and spinach, or vitamin C rich berries."
Step 3. Kick start with a cuppa
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A steaming hot cuppa in the morning can help too.
Amanda said if you're heading to work feeling a little worse for wear, caffeine might be a good idea.
"If you need to be mentally sharp, try coconut oil in a boosting coffee," she said.
Herbal teas, like ginger tea can take the edge of the nausea.
While milk thistle tea cleanses the battered liver, while hot water with honey and lemon can help boost blood sugar levels.
Step 4. Get moving
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It's probably the last thing you want to do, but exercise can really help.
Amanda said: "If you want to feel more alert, fitting in short high intensity interval training can help.
"It won’t speed up the rate that alcohol is metabolised or detoxified but the endorphin release can boost your mood.
"Just keep water handy so you don’t become even more dehydrated."
Step 5. Admit defeat if you need to
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If you really have over done it and simply can't face the day, getting plenty of rest is your best bet.
"If nothing else works, magnesium salts for a long, hot bath and go back to bed," Amanda added.
"Last but not least, if you’ve partied the whole night then try to repay the sleep debt quickly.
"Research published in the American Journal of Physiology showed that six nights of sleep deprivation has a negative effect on attention, inflammation as well as impacting on will power - not helpful for the next time the mince pies come around."
But...can you avoid a hangover in the first place?
If you like to enjoy a drink or two, hangovers are a fact of life.
But you can help lessen the pain.
Don't skip dinner, or a good late lunch, before heading out, Amanda said.
"Alcohol diffuses through the walls of the stomach very quickly so if you haven't eaten for a while, it will enter your bloodstream and be absorbed into your body faster," she explained.
"The best choice of food before going out drinking is something that has a healthy fat content to help slow down the rate at which food leaves the stomach.
"So think about adding ingredients such as salmon, avocado or coconut to a late afternoon snack or an evening meal choice."
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And when you get home after a night out, Amanda said what you choose to nibble on can prove important.
Try to avoid the temptation for a kebab or greasy fried food.
The best option is something like Greek yoghurt with oats, which contain tryptophan, that calms the brain down ready for sleep.
If you're prone to headaches avoid cheese or meat that contain tyramine, a substance in food that can trigger headaches for some people.
And don't forget, the absolute key before bed is to drink lots of water, to get rehydrating as fast as possible.
"Quench your thirst at regular intervals and remember that up to a third of your fluids will come from food," Amanda added.
"Choose to snack on soup which is 80 per cent water rather than salty snacks, and try to sip on water or coconut water throughout the day rather than in one go.
"This will help maintain optimum hydration levels rather than simply overwhelm the kidneys, and in the case of coconut water, this will also boost your intake of electrolytes."
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