With all the dos and all the don’ts of drinking, waking up to a hangover happens.
The thing about it is that some people don’t feel hangovers, others feel them really bad and some of the luckiest don’t even get to experience the symptoms at all.
Why is it that we’re so different in feeling hangovers and that there are people less prone to experiencing them while all the rest of us are paying a big price for every great time we have after a night of drinking?
Advertisement:
Specialists say it’s partly genetics. So basically, if you’re feeling a little decomposed the morning after, you can at least blame genetic factors for being about half of the reason for your hangover. The rest is:
- No. 1: simply being more susceptible to the breaking down of alcohol in your body and to the toxic effects of acetaldehyde. Alcohol is broken down in the body by an enzyme that further transforms it into this toxic compound named acetaldehyde.
- No. 2: How much alcohol you consume.
- No. 3: Nutrition.
You know drinking on an empty stomach is a bad idea. And you may even know that foods high in healthy fats are the best to eat before drinking because they help reduce the effects of alcohol.
But did you know that certain foods help with treating the effects of a hangover?
Breaking down hangovers
All the symptoms that you experience during a hangover are caused by chemical reactions in the body. But no two bodies are the same and changes in body chemistry are different one person to another. The physiological responses of the body in terms of processing alcohol differ to such extend that while your friend from last night has a perfect time at work today, you – not so much.
The nausea, the vomiting and the sweating are the effects that result from acetaldehyde toxicity. Some people are so sensitive to alcohol that it only takes two drinks to trigger the symptoms, sometimes immediately after drinking.
The best thing you can do when drinking and upon waking up after drinking is to hydrate. Drink plenty of water to replenish especially after you wake up. And here are some of the best foods that will soothe a hangover and nourish your body at the same time.
- Avocados: rich in potassium and healthy fats, avocados are great for when you are experiencing dizziness and weakness during a hangover.
- Whole meal toast with scrambled eggs: delivering a good amount of amino acids such as cysteine and taurine, eggs can help reduce headaches, while the B vitamins in wholegrain bread will boost your energy.
- Bananas: because they contain potassium, which is an important electrolyte and heavy drinking depletes the body of electrolytes, so this is perfect food to have first thing in the morning.
- Fruits like apples, strawberries, peaches and grapefruits: because they contain fructose, a form of carbohydrate and a natural source of energy. Fruits also help the body rid itself of acetaldehyde toxins.
- Soups: may not be your number one food option in the morning, but if your stomach can’t take any solid food, soups are fantastic remedies. Tomato soup is particularly recommended because tomatoes help with easing the effects of alcohol and with processing alcohol more easily, but homemade chicken noodle soup is just as replenishing.