10 Cure for what Ails You: The Best Natural Hangover Remedies

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Erin Brockmeyer GolocalPDX Contributor

A pounding head, the nausea, the dry mouth, and bargaining with whatever deity you believe in so that you can just feel normal again — these are classic signs of a hangover. If you aren’t in college anymore, and as such you don’t have an entire day to spend in bed with your head hanging over a wastebasket, read on for some post-party life savers.

These remedies taken the morning after, just might save your day

Related Slideshow: Slideshow: 10 Natural Hangover Cures

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10. Tomato Juice

Drink some tomato juice with a dash each of the following: cayenne pepper, black pepper, lime juice, and sugar. It’s like a virgin bloody Mary, and unlike the true hair-of-the-dog, this drink will go a long way towards replenishing those lost fluids.

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9. Honey on Toast

If you are in that terrible in-between-place where you are nauseous, and can’t decide if it is because you are ravenously hungry or just because you need to vomit, try downing a teaspoon or two of honey. Even better, a little honey on toast seems to be a favorite recommendation of doctors, and even the Royal Society of Chemistry recommends it as the “best breakfast ” option because it contains three things your alcohol laden body needs: fructose, potassium, and sodium.

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8. Smoothie

Try this hangover-killing smoothie: Coconut water, a frozen banana (non-frozen will do as well), a bit of honey, a dash of salt, and some ginger (to taste — either powdered or fresh root, whichever is handy). This smoothie will not only help replenish your electrolytes, but it will also replace your body’s lost potassium — this is partly why you wake with your muscles feeling like they ran a marathon after a night of heavy drinking. The ginger will have the added benefit of soothing that queasy stomach.

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7. Greasy Breakfast

If you swear by a greasy breakfast to sop up the remaining alcohol, try this delicious scramble instead of your usual fast food burger and fries: 2 eggs, scrambled in butter or coconut oil, with spinach, topped with avocado. This breakfast is key for replenishing lost nutrients, and the ingredients tend to be easy to digest.

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6. Kombucha

Drink some kombucha. The vinegar can be oddly settling to your stomach, while it is also rich in the B vitamins you depleted last night, and is said to be a good liver detoxifier.

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5. Nux Vomica

Buy some Nux Vomica. It sounds like what you are trying to prevent, but this homeopathic remedy (which you can buy at New Seasons and Whole Foods while you are picking up your kombucha), was made to cure a hangover. If you read the indication on the little blue tube it says, “relieves upset stomach associated with nausea or fullness due to overindulgence in food or drink.” It is like magic!

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4. Detox Bath

Try a detox bath. Relax in a hot bath with 2-3 cups of Epsom salts (you can find these at your local drug store), and sprinkle in a few drops of essential oils if you have some on hand. Lavender and peppermint are great for this purpose, and you can put a few drops on your temples and the back of your neck to soothe away your pounding headache.

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3. Chicken Soup

Eat some chicken soup. It works for the flu, so why not for a hangover? It contains easy-to-digest foods, counteracts your dehydration, and gives you some good protein all at once.

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2. Vitamin B

Take your B vitamins. It seems that B vitamins (as well as Vitamin C) are depleted from a night of drinking because of the dehydrating effects of the alcohol. One of the most readily available combinations of B and C vitamins is in Emergen-C. Some people swear that if you down a glass of this powdered drink before going to bed, you will avoid a hangover altogether, but it may also help a hangover in progress. In any case, it isn’t likely to hurt and will get you to drink some water.

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1. Water

Drink a whole lot of water. This is the most important and probably most effective hangover remedy. It isn’t fast, but many of the terrible side effects of hangovers are from dehydration, and there is no better way to hydrate than with good old Bull Run water. Add 1 tsp of table salt to 1 liter of water. Add about 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon, lime or orange juice (no sugar added), and you can add a bit of honey to taste if you like, and you’ll have your own homemade electrolyte solution. It’s easy to make, and way better for you than Gatorade!