Another memorable evening is nearing a close, and you realize you may have had a few more drinks than your normal limit – a hangover is near. No one loves a hangover, and if we’re lucky and smart about our imbibing, we hopefully see them infrequently, but every once in a while, you are going to develop one, so here are the five steps you need to follow in order to cure it.
Step One: Drink Water Before Going To Bed
After a long night out, our instincts can kick in, and for most of us that means heading straight to bed, but allowing our head to hit the pillow before having at least two large glasses of water would be a mistake. When we drink, our livers pull water from every crevice of our bodies in order to process the alcohol, and that means we get dehydrated. That pounding headache you feel first thing in the morning comes from dehydration, so drink a few glasses of water before bed to start the rehydration process.
Step Two: Wake Up And Exercise
Go for a run, jump on a bike, or even just do some jumping jacks or yoga. The idea is to get more blood pumping through your body to start pumping out the toxins. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise where you sweat a bit is just what the doctor ordered.
Step Three: Drink Two More Glasses Of Water And Eat A Banana
Many people swear by coconut water for relieving a hangover, but having two glasses of water and a banana is basically the same thing. You can also add a teaspoon of salt to one of those glasses of water, which allows you to deliver the lost sodium your body needs as well.
Step Four: Eat Two Eggs
Whether hardboiled, poached or scrambled, it’s important to eat two eggs the morning of your hangover. Your body, specifically your liver, needs Cysteine, an amino acid found in eggs, that helps take a lot of the strain off your liver. Go with some eggs and maybe even a slice or two of whole grain toast, but avoid a greasy meal. While your brain may be telling you grease is the way to go, it will actually make you feel worse later in the day.
Step Five: Pick Up Sliced Watermelon On Your Way Out For The Day
The final thing your body is craving is some sugar, and the perfect delivery system is chunks of watermelon. The watermelon provides both more hydration and fructose, which is needed to make glucose, which your body turns into energy. You lost most of your glucose last night on your several trips to the bathroom between drinks, so you won’t feel fully rejuvenated until you replace it.
These five steps should have you feeling as good as new, but take it easy the rest of the day just in case. Eat healthy, avoid your desire for greasy food and try not to drink as much the next time.
