None of that “drink a glass of water between drinks” or only have one drink an hour. You already didn’t do that. This guide is for those times where you had two margaritas and a tequila shot in the span of an hour and a half, thought you were invincible, and continued to drink without eating dinner (definitely not speaking from experience here). How do you take care of yourself the morning after, when you feel like actual death? We went to the experts to find out how to cure a hangover.
How To Cure A Hangover
"You’re dehydrated, and your body is begging you for salty food, specifically those high in MSG (monosodium glutamate, a very high sodium flavor enhancer)," says Lisa Hayim, Registered Dietitian with a Master's of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and founder The Well Necessities. "Instead of ordering in, try cooking with fresh or frozen vegetables in your own light sodium soy sauce. To help fill you up, try pairing with some homemade brown rice."
"As far as hangovers go, the majority of the problem is a short-term withdrawing from alcohol," says Brooks Powell, Founder and CEO of Thrive+®. "The process of alcohol metabolism involves a lot of oxidation. Prickly Pear is an amazing antioxidant to help you deal with that oxidation process. Studies have found that prickly pear can help with the inflammatory response to alcohol. It's also one of the main ingredients in Brooks' Thrive+® After-Alcohol Supplements."
"You’re desperate for that caffeine pick-me-up, but drinking too much caffeine will aggravate your already low hydration levels. Instead, try something like an Americano which adds water, but still gives you the small caffeine kick you're looking for," explains Lisa.
B vitamins can help counter the toxic effects of alcohol. Luckily, one beloved breakfast food is chock full of B vitamins: avocado. If you can't stomach the thought of food, you can try a supplement like Drinkade, which is full of B vitamins as well as other hangover-relieving ingredients like aloe and milk thistle.
If your hangover is really, really bad—bad enough that you'd consider spending between $200-$300 to get rid of it—skip everything else and have vitamins and hydration delivered directly into your bloodstream. Many "hangover cure" companies, like The IV Doc, will come right to your home so you don't even have to venture outside.
Regular water is great, but have you met this high-vibe water? "Most importantly, drinking water that replaces natural minerals and is really pure—like Rising Springs—so your liver doesn’t have to work even harder to process toxins, will help exponentially more than just your typical water," says Dr. Kristi Wrightson-Harter, ND, MS, RD.
"Give your body electrolytes to help balance your fluids," says Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, CLC of Maya Feller Nutrition. Try foods that are high in potassium, like bananas.
The last thing you want to do when hungover is work out, but doing yoga can do you some good.
"A hangover is caused by creating a chemical imbalance of toxins within the body. Sweating of any kind after a night of drinking is a good way to releasing toxins. Overall, yoga, proper food, hydration, food and sleep is the ultimate cure for a hangover," says celebrity yoga and fitness instructor Laju Choudhury.
Before class, "drink water and don’t eat anything heavy," she says. "A natural drink which I really like when my body is feeling unbalanced is a pinch of himalayan salt, agave or honey, lemon and water. This gives you natural electrolytes.
