Waking up on a Sunday morning and feeling like the weight of the world is on your shoulders thanks to that ONE extra drink last night. It is the feeling of the dreaded hangover. While in your head you tell yourself you are never going to do this again the reality is, you still have to go past today and be all set for work on Monday.
It’s probably way past breakfast time already. Your stomach is definitely feeling funny and that throbbing headache is doing you no good – neither are you able to sleep, nor do you want to get up from the comfort of your bed. But the thing is that lying in bed doing nothing is definitely making things worse.
Listed below are some go-to foods to help you feel better as the day progresses and enjoy what is left of your weekend.
WATER!Water is the first thing you should put in your body and finishing off 3-4 bottles of water through the day should be in your agenda. What alcohol does is, it dehydrates you and is one of the main cause of your headache. Drinking plenty of water through the day will help hydrate the body and adding some Vitamin C richLime or Orangeto it will further help stimulate the liver to flush out the toxins.
A lot of us might want to reach out to a mug of nice warm coffee to rid the headache! But, remember that coffee dehydrates and today might not be the day it can work its usual magic. If you are a caffeine addict, then having a cup of lightly brewed coffee later in the day is advised.
While water will definitely make you feel slightly better, you need to eat something to stabilize your blood sugar levels. A day with a hangover is not the best time to compensate for the extra calories from last night and neither is it the day for the Sunday biryani brunch – eating light meals and snacking smart is your way to a better Monday.
A cup of Fresh Fruit with some Cheese or withan Omelet is a good way to start. The combination of carbs and protein will definitely relieve you from the funny feeling in the stomach (which is part hunger) and give you more energy. The vitamins and minerals in the fruit will also help the dehydrated body. Even if this doesn’t satisfy your hunger, don’t eat too much at one meal.
After a light morning meal, drink a cup or two of Lemon Ginger Tea or Green Tea. The lemon will help the detoxification & the ginger with its carminative properties will help calm the stomach and make you feel better. Drinking 2-3 cups of warm green tea with a dash of lime and some honey also has similar effects. The antioxidants help the liver clear up.
In between light main meals, snack on fruits and veggies for most part of your day. Glutathione rich Carrots & Beetrootshelp detoxify the liver while potassium rich Cucumber & Bananaswill help restore the electrolyte balance. You can blend yourself a glass of banana milkshake with honey, if you are craving something sweet, but do this only if you think your stomach can handle the milk.
If you have consumed more alcohol the previous night, the more dehydrated your body is going to be and if you’ve gone overboard on the salted snacks while drinking, then there is definitely an imbalance of electrolytes that is making you feel tired and weak. In addition to water and herbal teas, a glass of Tender Coconut Water can help a great deal. It is hydrating and at the same time the potassium will help further. Adding a teaspoon of Chia Seedsor Subja seeds (basil seeds) to the glass of coconut water will help you stay hydrated. If you cannot find a tender coconut vendor near your place, grab a bottle of Gatorade from the supermarket nearby, it is good alternative.
Through the rest of the day you can include some unsalted Almonds and Pistasalong with dried fruits like Datesand Figs. These B-vitamin and potassium rich munchies are definitely your best bet for a quick recharge.
If you are not up for your usual dinner, you can end your day early with a light one. A bowl of fresh home-made Tomato Soupaccompanied with a couple of slices of Toastshould be just about enough. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and is also rich in antioxidants that help the liver. Usually, by the end of any given day, there is enough carb (glycogen) reserve in the liver to help you sustain with just a bowl of soup, but after a hangover the liver is busy clearing up the toxins and you need the carbs from the toast to give you the energy to pull you through.
If this is too light, you can add some stir-fried vegetables with Garlicto this meal to fill you up and prevent any mid-night cravings. Add as many vegetables and make your plate as colorful as you can – more color means more vitamins and minerals. Garlic on the other hand will take care of the last bits of detoxification of the liver so you’re all set the next morning.
While you are doing all of this, you can definitely catch up on some lost sleep through the day, but do so only once you know you’ve hydrated yourself decently well and have eaten something to sustain you a couple of hours.
If you are not sleepy and are up for a walk or run, then I would highly recommend it. This will help your body sweat out the toxins faster, improve blood circulation and you will come back home feeling good, thanks to the endorphins.
So the next time you wake up with a bad hangover after a great party, these tips and tricks should help you handle it better than you have so far!
