Have you ever been on vacation and the night before you go home the “Last Night Phenomena” takes over? What is the “Last Night Phenomena” you might ask?
Definition
“LAST NIGHT PHENOMENA” – The behavior that ensues on the last night of a vacation due to an underlying panic of returning home to real life, combined with the deep drive to get all your “party” out before your vacation terrifyingly screeches to a halt. Usually results in sharp cranial pain, nausea and an unrelenting need for bacon.
So there we were, the girls and I, getting ready for a casual final dinner out. We decided on a swanky Mexican place along restaurant row. We ordered gourmet tacos and a pitcher of Mojitos (first mistake). Somehow during dinner, it became a great idea to head across the street to go dancing. My Mojito asked if I could have a margarita and my margarita decided several vodka and sodas to round out the evening would be an excellent decision. (Drinks are stupid.)
[Tweet “Usually results in sharp cranial pain, nausea and an unrelenting need for bacon.”]
Cue the inadvertent hangover.
It had been a long time since I felt this badly and it got me thinking. For those of us that have had this happen, we all wished there was something that could shorten the suffering. I decided it was high time there was a go-to list of natural options to rid us of the inadvertent hangover.
So what is a hangover?
Honestly, the evidence is still conflicting. After compiling the research, it comes down to a combination of possibilities.
- Dehydration: Alcohol is a diarrheic. Therefore, alcohol causes your system to dump much of the hydration onto which it should be holding. The resulting dehydration causes multiple issues, but the main symptom is the blasted headache. I remember a professor teaching us that your brain, in its state of dehydration is pulling inward, away from its tiny attachments to the skull. I know, gross, but therein lies the cause of the headache!
- Toxins: Alcohol is hard on the liver. Your liver has to detoxify all the alcohol you drank, and that takes time. In the mean time, your body has to sit in the cesspool of sulfites, tannins and whatever other fermented mess you drank. I think you can pick up what I am putting down. Your liver is mad at you.
- Nutrient Loss: Because of the rapid dehydration when you consume too much alcohol, precious nutrients are also unfortunately flushed out with the water. That loss of the electrolyte balance in your body can create all sorts of symptoms including nausea, headaches and brain fog.
- Preceding Issues: Sometimes hangovers happen because the alcohol you chose was not as high quality as it could have been. (More toxins). Or possibly you were dehydrated, hadn’t eaten enough or you mixed your drinks. These all are factors that can influence how you feel the next day.
No one starts out the night saying “I am going to drink just enough so that I have a horrible hangover in the morning.” But, if the unfortunate experience of a hangover should happen to you here are the ten most sure-fire ways to cure it.
10 Natural Cures For The Inadvertent Hangover
- WATER: I am not trying to state the obvious, but hydrating is the foundation of all hangover cures. If you don’t hydrate in conjunction with these other cures, they will not work nearly as well. Small sips, constantly. And not just the day after but for at least three days after. Dehydration can be very subtle so ensure that you get back on track by reloading your system with copious amounts of agua!
- SLEEP: Sleep is not going to cure a hangover, but it will allow your body to harness all its energy toward regulating your physiology you so rudely disrupted. Rehydrating and ridding of toxins is a full-time job so sleeping it off lets all your systems focus on getting you back to good health.
- FAT: Eating greasy food the morning after can help. Particularly if your fat choice is high in amino acids and other nutrients. Eggs are a great example. However, the word on the street is that eating the fat BEFORE you indulge is a better way to go. More on that from THE HEALTHY DRINKER
- YOGA: Yoga is an excellent way to accelerate the process of dealing with a hangover. Hot yoga? Even better. I don’t know about you, but the thought of Downward Dog with a hangover is not the most delightful. But, if you can stomach a class, go! You will be so glad you did!
- BANANA/ NUT BUTTER: This cure is my all-time favorite. Injecting your system with a high dose of potassium (banana) and Fat (nut-butter) to address the acidity of the stomach is a fool-proof combo.
- GINGER: Ginger is not necessarily going to cure your hangover but will help you through the nausea until your system settles down. Fresh ginger tea, crystallized ginger or raw ginger in a green smoothie are all good ways to ginger into your system.
- COCONUT WATER: Coconut water for a hangover is like bread to a starving man. Loaded with electrolytes coconut water is the perfect solution to rehydrate quickly while also replacing lost electrolytes from the diarrheic effect of alcohol.
- ZIPFIZZ: With 4000 percent of your daily dose of B vitamins (not kidding), Zippfizz is a super quick way to help you rehydrate and add back electrolytes. Ingredients also list other minerals and vitamins. (CAUTION: There is a small amount of artificial sweetener in ZippFizz.) Because of its delicious taste, it also helps get loads of water down the hatch. Here is where to get it. LINK
- SAUNA: I know it sounds counter-intuitive because you are already dehydrated, but if you can get into an infra-red sauna and sweat out all those lovely toxins you accumulated last night, and also hydrate like a crazy person, this inadvertent hangover will be a thing of the past. Many yoga facilities now have infrared sauna available!
- GREEN SMOOTHIE: The key to clearing a hangover is imbibing nutrient dense foods as soon as you can get them in. This recipe for an Anti-inflammatory smoothie is the perfect combination of fat, nutrients, ginger and protein.
If you find yourself having succumbed to “Last Night Phenomena” or any other myriad of potential opportunities where you had “one too many,” keep this article handy so your suffering can be minimized!
I will love to hear if you have any other hangover solutions!
If you decide to have a drink or two consider these guidelines. Stick with clear, well-sourced alcohols. Gin or Vodka mixed with soda water is your best bet. If you are drinking wine, try to imbibe good quality products because they tend to have fewer toxins. Also, alternate water between drinks. When you get home, drink lots of water and also consider drinking coconut water before bed for a deeper hydration effect.
DRINK LEGALLY AND RESPONSIBLY AND DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE
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50 Responses
Great tips! Definitely saving this.
Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com
Thanks, Greta! Let m know which one you like the best. 🙂
I only knew of banana, water and sleep. Thanks for the information! 🙂
The nut butter makes all the difference!!
Boy oh boy do I need this. Thank you so much for posting
Ha ha! I think we all had moments!
This is awesome! I never thought about the banana and nut butter! I am totally stocking up on zipfizz and making green smoothies next time! Hopefully there is NOT a next time but who am I kidding.
Ha ha! We all say that, don’t we?
I will definitely save these! My hangover days can be counted with one hand, however I know some people who could use these. lol
Thx for sharing.
Yes, pass them on! 🙂
Great tips, wish I knew about these when I had the worst hangover after one of the New Year parties, lemon water kind of came to my rescue then. Definitely saving this.
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
Lemon water was on my list as well. Maybe there should be a part two!
Ugh – I can’t even have 2 glasses of wine anymore without waking up with a wicked hangover! I’m all about the all natural cures, so these are awesome tips! Thanks!
My sisters and I had to change from wine as well because of the same reason. High quality vodka and a little soda is a nice alternative.
My favorite ways to help a hangover is to take B vitamins, electrolytes or kombucha. I will have to try banana and nut butter.
Yes, the ZipFizz and the Coconut water hit those nutrients. Great thoughts!
Next time I go out to party hardy (which is super rare)… I’ll definitely consume some bananas and nut butter to help! I’ve also heard from the PhD and MD that created the product that the sports performance drink Sword (drinksword.com) is a good remedy for reducing hangover-itis
Yes, I think I have heard that too!
For me I need to eat something filling, drink lots of water and sleep as much as possible. But sometimes the sleep part isn’t possible so I have to balance with multivitamins and aspirin. Also sparking water helps me a lot.
Thanks for the new tips .
Good tips, Dia! I had no idea there were so many remedies!
I’ve never had a hangover but if that changes I’ll be sure to test out your tips!
Well done Susannah. You are better for it! 🙂
coco water and ginger is my go to as well!! I love all the ideas – thanks for the tips!
For sure! I love those two as well. 🙂
These are amazing tips! I’ve had quite a few hangovers in my day and nothing ever seems to work. I’ve heard the banana trick before so I need to give it a try.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
It really works! Let me know what you think when you try it….not that I wishing a hangover on you! 🙂
These tips are awesome… sharing on my blog’s FB page tomorrow. I get the world’s worst hangovers… not fun when also having to take care of young kiddos!
Thank you so much, Sunshine!! I really appreciate that!
Sleep and water always help me! Hangovers are the worst so this was a great read.
xoxo, Jenny
They are!!! I totally agree. And sometimes I think it has everything to do with the hydration the day before. 🙂
I have never had a hangover! Because I don’t drink….but I bet these tips would help after a night of insomnia too!
Totally, Linda! And share with those who do occasionally! Nice to see you here. I love love love your work!
I will have to try your banana/nut butter combo next time (aka: tomorrow) haha
Nice work, Lauren. Alway good to have a combination of things on hand. Just in case!
I need this for when I finally get to have a few more than a few drinks again! Especially the eating fats before drinking…great excuse for me to indulge in everything one night!
Totally, Lauren. I like the coconut water and banana / nut butter combo the best. 🙂
I need to print this list out and throw it at my husband any time he’s looking for sympathy after “one too many.” More like 5 too many …
Ha ha, Rae. Me too, honey, me too.
I’ll take any excuse to eat nut butter and smoothies, thanks! 😉
Me too! I love smoothies so if they apply to yet one more then God bless ’em.
Is there anything that yoga can’t do?! Awesome tips.
http://mykindofsweet.com/
Totally, Suzanne! Yoga is the all cure!
These are amazing tips! I’ll have to try out the banana/nut butter one next time!
My favorite, Meg. 🙂 Yum-meeee
I thought I knew all the hangover secrets, but the banana and nut butter, and coconut water are going to happen. Tomorrow likely.
Ha ha….look down the comments. Looks like a bunch of you are tieing one on tonight. xoxo 🙂
I love this! You’re so right, drinks just don’t understand the “less is more” approach sometimes. Thank for the great info here!
No they do not! Thanks for commenting LeeAnn! 🙂
The “last night phenomena” is the bomb!! Thanks Heather for the morning after tips… next time I will follow your advice! xo
Ha Ha! I have found the coconut water and the banana with nut butter is the best! We will make sure to have lots of these things in stock on our next girls trip!