The Hangover

          by Ingrid Macher Okay, so you had some fun last night. But you ended up drinking too much and now you’re paying for it. Oops! Chances are… if your pounding headache allows you to, you’re probably searching the internet for cures for your hangover. But you need to be careful with that because there’s a lot of misinformation out there. And it turns out… a lot of commonly shared cures for hangovers aren’t just ineffective… but can actually harm your health. Don’t worry though… I’m about to give you the truth… and help you get over that hangover quickly. Make the pain go away. When we aren’t feeling good, we want that pain to go away fast. So we often rely on pain medication as a quick fix to get over whatever’s ailing us. Have you ever heard the term, “Take two Tylenol and call it a day?” Well it turns out… Tylenol is one of the worst things you can take when you’re hung over! Because Tylenol contains a substance called acetaminophen. That’s what makes it effective at getting rid of your headache. The only problem is, it places a burden on your liver. And if your liver is in a vulnerable state (like it is after drinking), you can end up with liver damage! So stay away from the Tylenol. If you need that quick fix pain reliever, stick to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen. Does coffee give you energy? Since you’re usually feeling lifeless the day after a night of drinking, it makes sense you’d want to drink some coffee for a quick “pick me up”. But as tempting as that may sound, coffee may be one of the worst things you can drink! Why? Because coffee contains a lot of caffeine, which dehydrates you! And if you’re feeling the standard hangover symptoms of a pounding headache and dry mouth, then you’re already dehydrated! The last thing you need is to start flushing out more water (which coffee does, since it’s a diuretic). So if you need a little boost of energy, what should you do? Well, oolong tea is a great alternative to coffee. It contains much less caffeine… and more vital nutrients, which you’re also depleted of after drinking. Another option is to drink water with a squirt of fresh lemon. Water is the substance your body needs most after drinking. You desperately need to rehydrate yourself. And the lemon adds minerals and antioxidants. But a third alternative many people don’t know about… is coconut oil. It is one of the best foods you can eat for a quick burst of energy. It’s made up of special fats that are instantly used for energy (instead of stored around your waist). It’s also a strong natural antibiotic known for its immune boosting properties. So taking down a spoonful of the stuff can get you going quickly. Put the booze away. Another myth often spread is that drinking more alcohol in the morning will help make the hangover go away. This is because hangovers happen when your body rapidly returns your blood alcohol level to zero. So by drinking again, you can delay the process and ease the pain. The only problem is, all this does is delay the inevitable. By drinking again, you’re putting your body under a heavy burden of stress at a time it’s already depleted. Not to mention… drinking so regularly is a dangerous path you don’t want to go down. So when your night ends, so should your drinking. So then what should you do? Well, take some ibuprofen, rehydrate yourself, give yourself an energy boost with some coconut oil, and then be sure to eat nutritious foods to start putting the minerals back in your body. When you follow those steps, you’ll get over your hangover the healthy way. If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends. http://www.miamishoot.com/msmwinter2012/files/72.html