After the Celebration: Curing a Hangover with Exercise and Other Remedies  

You're out with friends, enjoying a few drinks, inhibitions lax, and a few cocktails become a lot.  You then find yourself gripping the toilet for fear of spinning off into orbit, making the same broken promise to not drink so much...again.  Hangovers have different levels--from mild headache to death wish--and many "cures" to go along with them.  If avoiding this dreaded experience isn't going to happen, knowing the best and worst foods to eat and committing to exercise, will aid you immensely in getting better.     

Hangovers occur because the body is dehydrated and loaded with toxins.  Without any fluids, your body cannot remove metabolic waste from its cells.  The kidneys are also prevented from functioning properly because "alcohol blocks the release of a hormone that is needed for water reabsorption. Without this hormone--called antidiuretic hormone, or ADH--the kidneys do not reabsorb the water; instead they excrete it as urine," says Shira Goldenholz of Livestrong.com.  

Assuming you have gotten to the point you stopped vomiting (or never got there), sip water.  You need to replenish your cells' fluids so they can dump the toxins.  If you have sports drinks or coconut water, those have electrolytes (water doesn't) and can speed up the process.  Avoid drinking coffee and "hair of the dog".  Both will dehydrate you further.  To calm a nauseous stomach, pass on citrus beverages and try ginger or peppermint tea.   

Both your blood glucose and sodium levels are low when hungover.  Whole grain crackers or toast will settle an angry tummy and raise your blood sugar slowly.  Broth based soups like chicken noodle or miso can help rehydrate you and replenish sodium.  Avoid greasy foods after drinking, since they can irritate your stomach, but beforehand, they can coat the stomach and slow alcohol absorption.   Now that your body is on the path to re-hydration, it's time to move!

Maybe you think we're crazy, but exercise is a wonderful hangover remedy.  It won't feel great at first and shouldn't be done if you haven't started re-hydration, but as soon as you can move around, keep going.  You'll know what you can handle, whether it's a brisk walk or our Saturday morning BoxFIT class.  Aside from your liver and kidneys ridding the body of waste during a workout, sweating and breathing do the same.  You may even notice a different body odor and your mouth tasting or smelling foul.  Don't worry, your body is doing what it's supposed to and it's nothing a shower and toothpaste can't wash away afterwards. 

In addition to cleaning the body, so to speak, exercise combats depression and fatigue.   Alcohol acts as a depressant on your brain as it wears off, so the next day, you may feel blue in addition to everything else.  Physical activity helps raise those feel good hormones, endorphins, and boosts your energy.  The next time you go out and celebrate, drink water along with any cocktails to minimize a hangover; and have hydrating foods on hand and exercise, the day after!  You'll feel better and have a faster recovery.  

Tighten & Tone in V-BarreFIT!