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The nasty effects of a great night out can completely ruin the rest of your weekend or your Monday. A hangover brings a stream of nausea, headaches and vomiting that can knock even the hardest partier to the floor and there are many wives’ tales and theories about how to get rid these horrible side effects of drinking too much. Do any of these ‘cures’ actually work or is it all about taking it slow and allowing your body time to recover?

Before ‘the morning after’

There are some things you can do to curb the effects of a hangover before you even start drinking. A hangover is the cause of dehydration so make sure you drink lots of water before, after and during your night out – you can even mix your drinks with water to keep hydrated. Before you start drinking fill up on a good fatty meal as it helps with the absorption of alcohol. Stay away from red wine and dark liqueurs if you want to minimise your hangover.

The next day

There are various things you can do on the day of your hangover to get rid of it. The first one to do is sleep – sleeping it off may be one of the best and least uncomfortable ways to get rid of a hangover. Aspirin can also help to minimise your headache but remember to follow the dosage instructions and if you’re vomiting regularly a tablet will do nothing for you. Although the last thing you may feel like doing is exercising, a gentle work out will make you feel better as sweating will help to rid your body of toxins – just remember to stay hydrated.

Eat and drink

Certain foods and drinks can help to balance out the negative effects off over-drinking and thus eliminate your hangover. Carbon (found in burnt toast) helps to filter out impurities in the body while at the same time toast and crackers can help to boost your body’s blood sugar levels. To burn the alcohol faster, consume foods high in fructose like fruits and fruit juices. Tea will give your body an energy boost without the dehydrating effects of coffee.

Take it easy, treat your body with care and feed it the right things and sooner, or later, you will return to your normal, happy self.

Tags: alcohol, drinking