You might be feeling “Irish for a day” on March 17th, but come the morning of March 18th, chances are you’ll be feeling a wee bit hung over if you partake in the festive green beer and revelry of St. Paddy’s Day.
It always confounds me why such a large alcoholic celebration always seems to fall mid-week! It inevitably means that if you plan to partake in a few extra pints of green beer, like most of us will, you still have to drag your sorry butt into work the next morning! However, the good news is that if you plan to celebrate this coming St. Patrick’s Day, we have fifteen surefire hangover cures that might actually get you to work bright eyed and bushy tailed the following morning.
Here are 15 natural ways to fight your worst St. Patrick’s Day hangover…
1. Tomatoes
Although the “hair of the dog” might seem like a bit of an old wives tale, there is some truth to it and it’s found in the tomatoes you’ll be guzzling down in that post-hangover Bloody Mary. The day after a drunken party, any tomato-rich beverage packs a powerful bender cure because its super high in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fructose, which help the body refuel and metabolize all of that alcohol.
2. Fruit Smoothie
The last thing you probably want to think about post-party is a greasy egg, sausage, and home fry breakfast…or about swallowing solid foods of any kind. That’s why a fresh fruit smoothie might be exactly what the doctor ordered, packed with vitamins and natural sugars, a smoothie will restore your plummeting blood sugar.
3. Honey
A bit of honey in your afternoon tea lends just enough sweetness to cure even your raunchiest hangover! Thanks to the fact that each spoonful is filled with fructose, which aids with metabolizing alcohol more, as well as potassium, which replenishes your energy while quelling nausea.
4. Bananas
Bananas are one of those little known hangover remedies, and it’s because each one packs plenty of potassium, which relieves blood sugar drain and queasiness. So bake up some “hangover” banana bread or muffins in anticipation of scarfing back after one (or two) when you wake up. Or if you can’t stomach the idea of eating solid food, blend up a banana in a fruit smoothie.
5. Breakfast Sandwich
A simple egg on an English muffin or bagel works as a hangover cure because it serves up the perfect balance of nutrients needed to help raise your low blood sugar level. Plus, the eggs (topped with ham or bacon) are high in amino acids, which aid the liver as it breaks down alcohol toxins.
6. Noodles
They don’t call them drunken noodles for nothing! Just kidding, however, a healthy portion of carbohydrates will certainly sop up all of that alcohol in your stomach. Just take it easy on your tummy and eat your noodles bland or with a bit of butter this time around.
7. Fruit juice
You may wonder why post alcohol binge you have the desire to guzzle a few glasses of OJ? It’s because fruit juice is high in fructose and glucose, exactly what the body needs to balance out your low blood-sugar levels and restock your stores of essential vitamins lost to the dehydrating affects of alcohol.
8. Frothy Coffee
Sure, if you’re already dehydrated coffee isn’t the best idea. That’s why I recommend it after a few tall glasses of water. It will provide a needed boost of energy, while the milk or cream will coat your tumultuous tummy.
9. Ginger
There’s a reason why ginger ale is recommended post party bender. But it’s the natural ginger root ingredient within that eases nausea. So skip the excess sugar and slice some pure ginger root to steep into a pot of boiling water to drink as a hangover tea.
10. Apples
An apple a day also keeps the hangover at bay. According to health professionals, an apple consumed on an empty stomach is packed with magnesium, which helps detoxify the body if it’s suffering from a nasty hangover.
11. Asparagus
Asparagus isn’t just a hangover cure—it’s a hangover prevention technique. So if you’re preparing for a night of merriment, make sure to eat asparagus for dinner. The vegetable contains the enzymes responsible for breaking down alcohol. However, if you forget, that’s alright, you can eat asparagus the next day to soothe the after effects of an indulgent evening as well.
12. Leafy Greens
After a heavy night of drinking, the body is usually dangerously low on B vitamins, which are needed for a variety of metabolic processes—the processing of alcohol tops that list! Luckily leafy greens like spinach, broccoli, parsley, and kale are rich in B-vitamins.
13. Artichokes
The French have a hangover secret…no it’s not the baguette…it’s the artichoke. Used in supplement or solid food form, the artichoke boasts “liver detoxifying” benefits!
14. Water
There’s nothing like the soothing effects of a tall, cold glass of H20 post-party, and that’s why as long as you remember to stay sober enough to down a big glass of water before going to bed, you should lower the effects of your hangover tremendously. Studies show that to prevent a hangover, you really should drink one glass of water for every shot of alcohol, glass of wine, or bottle of beer. However, chugging a few big glasses of water before your head hits your pillow might provide just enough damage control.
15. Sleep
A good sleep following a night of revelry is exactly what the body requires to restore energy and metabolize toxins naturally. So following a night of drinking, just be sure you book a few extra hours to catch some much needed zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s.
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