During the holiday season as well as at other times of the year, drinking alcohol is an activity which many people enjoy. Some people enjoy it a little too much and end up suffering the next day – the inevitable hangover!
Once you get a hangover it can take a while to get rid of it so in this case, hangover prevention is definitely preferable than the cure. If you know what causes a hangover you’re better equipped to prevent it from occurring or at least lessen the effects.
Even if you don’t get an actual hangover your body is likely to suffer from over-acidity which can make you feel tired, irritable and mess with your metabolism.
What causes a hangover?
One of the main causes of a hangover is dehydration and this is caused by ethanol, a toxic chemical found in alcohol. Alcohol causes the body to produce more urine which depletes the body of liquid. If you combine dancing with drinking you’ll be sweating and losing even more water.
Alcohol affects the balance of electrolytes in the body which can contribute to headaches and tiredness. Electrolytes include important minerals such as Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. These minerals are required for various bodily processes, including proper nerve and muscle function, maintaining acid-base balance and keeping you hydrated. So you can see that anything that throws these out of balance, such as alcohol, can have a far-reaching effect.
How to prevent a hangover
- Drink water!
Drink water before you drink any alcohol; have some water in between each glass; drink more water before you go to bed and drink water as soon as you get up the next morning. - Eat before you drink alcohol
Food in the stomach helps to absorb the alcohol and slow down its progress into the bloodstream. - Before you go out take some vitamin B1
Alcohol depletes B1 from the body. Lack of B1 can cause irritability, sleep disturbances and emotional disturbances amongst other things. Take some more B1 at the end of the evening once you’ve finished drinking. - Have a green smoothie before going out for the night
A green smoothie is very alkaline and helps to counteract the acidity of the alcohol. - Pace yourself
Don’t over-do the drinking. Maintain awareness of how each drink is affecting your body and remind yourself about the unpleasant consequences if you go too far. You can have fun without getting totally smashed!
By taking the above actions you will proof your body against the alcohol making it less likely that you’ll have a hangover the next day.
Drink responsibly and don’t overdo it – the body isn’t built to take such a high amount of sugar as contained in large amounts of alcohol!