The New Year is here, and many folks took the time out to ring in 2014 by popping champagne and most likely, getting drunk. However, with drinking comes hangover, something nobody wants.
Celebrating the New Year is a given: it's a wonderful time, but one needs to be mindful as it does tend to bring with it headaches, nausea, and dizziness. These symptoms are part of the hangover and they can haunt you for hours, or even days for some.
So, what is a hangover, you wonder?
Well, it is your body's reaction to alcohol and alcohol is also a toxin. Furthermore, alcohol does not allow your body to metabolize or maintain your glucose levels. In addition, it has an effect on your hormones which might cause you to urinate a lot. The urination makes you dehydrated and draws down your glucose level. All these creates the symptoms you experience during a hangover.
With the technical aspect of what a hangover is aside, let's talk about how to prevent one and how to deal with it if you're feeling the symptoms already.
The most important thing is to not drink at all. Yes, this might be a huge surprise but it is true. The best way to prevent a hangover is to refrain from drinking alcohol. Bear in mind that for some people, a single glass of alcohol and trigger hangover systems, so think about that before you say all you need is a single cup of red wine. If you do plan to drink, first calculate your limits and have a meal before hand. Additionally, keep your body hydrated with water as doing this will dilute the alcohol.
Another trick is to consume water and soda in between drinks. You can try drinking Sprite since a recent study showed that this soda is capable of curing hangovers. Don't make the mistake by going drink after drink after drink. Try and have a drink every hour instead.
If you wake up feeling terrible, it is possible to take pain medication but be sure to take ibuprofen like Motrin or Advil and stay away from acetaminophen or Tylenol because mixed together will alcohol, it can be dangerous and could cause death.
