The Hangover Preparation
With Christmas around the corner, the worries once again start to creep into our heads…. Not looking forward to my traditional weight gain over the festive season, aaah waking up feeling not so good after a Christmas party & then still venturing to work the next day, multiple festive dinners and then still wanting to look good in next week’s outfit… well here are some ideas to hopefully help you control the situation a little more.
Preventions & cures
It’s a well-known fact that prevention is better than cure, but all too easily a quiet night can end up going large in the city and therefore not allow us to prepare for that hangover. If you know that you’re a sucker for complimentary booze at Christmas parties, then try get in a medium-sized meal with a few glasses of h2o before the night starts. However if you don’t foresee a “Go Big or Go Home” night, then do your best to nibble on some snacks throughout the evening. This will help protect your stomach lining and slow down alcohol absorption. The occasional weak measure, glass of water or diluted drink at the party is going to keep you hydrated and decrease the chance of you consuming alcohol to quench your thirst. Remember to choose your drink carefully – generally, darker drinks are worse hangover material as they contain more congeners (toxic by-products of the fermentation process), with Guinness as an exception. And try not to mix drinks as this just confuses the metabolic system and gives your body more to deal with. If you still wake up the next morning feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus, then chop up some fruit (to balance glucose levels), making sure to include bananas, as they contain tryptophan (a protein that converts to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is believed to improve mood & therefore helps you avoid those hangover blues). Mix the fruit-mix in with some museli (for complex carbs) and yogurt to settle the nervous system. Stay away from fry-ups and high-salt breakfasts – these will leave you feeling more dehydrated. Herbal tea is better than coffee, but if coffee is a habit, go for a weak one. Soup for your next meal, will re-hydrate and nourish you a little more and prepare you for this detox-gym workout.
Right-click here to download PDF versionPreparation
