6 Hangover Remedies to Keep You Merry
Amy Wilson 
Not to be confused with the charcoal used in a grill, activated charcoal is actually a popular natural remedy that’s used to help with gas, detoxification and hangover prevention. Activated charcoal comes in the form of a pill and is highly absorbent with millions of tiny pores that capture, bind and remove toxins from the body. You can find charcoal carbon or even coconut carbon pills in most pharmacies or online. Whether you need to consume the charcoal pills before or after your evening is up for debate, but we suggest taking one or two with a healthy glass of water before heading out for the night.
It may seem obvious but for a variety of reasons, hydration is key when it comes to avoiding hangovers. While you’re busy pouring yourself another of your favorite cocktails, the alcohol is working hard to rid the liquids in your body. This can cause dehydration and headaches. To stay hydrated, increase water intake before you head out to enjoy the festivities. It is also wise to drink a glass of water in between beverages to ensure you’re replacing the water you’re losing throughout the night.
While many of us are doing our best to stay away from unnecessary carbs during the holiday season, if you’re suffering from a hangover, you get a carb pass! A simple serving of toast or saltine crackers can help bring your blood sugar levels back up while your liver is busy metabolizing the alcohol. The ‘blandness’ of carbs will help combat any feelings of nausea by soaking up the increased acid in your stomach.
If you’re a fan of avocado, try spreading a little bit on your toast! Not only is it a yummy snack, avocados are also packed with potassium and will help you avoid fatigue.
Cranberry or orange juice is a great way to kick start your recovery. The best part is that you can mix these juices right into your cocktail! The fructose in sweet fruity drinks will give your metabolism a boost, flushing your body of any alcohol toxins building up throughout the night.
If you choose to drink juice as part of your morning after routine, try switching out orange juice for another non-acidic citrus juice to avoid an unhappy tummy.
While water is number one when it comes to preventing unpleasant symptoms of a hangover, sports drinks and coconut water are next in line. Between the two, we highly suggest you choose coconut water. Loaded with electrolytes, anti-oxidants and potassium, coconut water will get you hydrated while also settling an upset stomach.
If you’re not a fan of coconut water, a sports drink such as Gatorade might be the next best thing. Whichever sports drink you choose, just make sure it’s caffeine free or you will end up losing water as opposed to gaining it.
Hangover patches are the new kid on the block, but they’re quickly gaining a positive reputation for curbing the splitting headache usually brought on after a night of excess. So what is it, and how does it work? While there are a few companies vying to be number one, the most popular seems to be Bytox. The Bytox patch works by replenishing your body with the nutrients depleted by alcohol. The patch is primarily packed with B vitamins, including a whopping 10,000 percent of your daily thiamin needs. However, our research on this product revealed that the jury is still out on patch based hangover cures, with most product tests ending with fairly inconclusive results.
So there you have it! Have you tried any of these hangover cures or do have one of your own remedies to share? Let us know how they worked for you.
