Holiday Hangovers

It’s Good Health Sense®

Holiday Hangovers: How to Prevent, Recover & Cope

By Dr. Daniel P. Secrest, DC     Chiropractic Physician

“Eat, eat, EAT!” These three words of advice from my mother, before I would head out to party, kept me from many a hangover. She always made sure there was something a bit oily in the food as well, to help coat the digestive track and slow the alcohol from pouring into my blood stream. Pastas, rice, nuts and grains (are filled with Vitamin B1), are particularly good metabolizes of alcohol while cheeses and olive oil help prevent irritation of the stomach and intestines. I would always be polite and thank my mother in the morning.

Another great preventer of hangovers is water which works best when alternated between drinks. Water flushes your system, hydrates your body and helps fill your stomach. Add ice to help constrict your stomach muscles, so you will want to drink less. Sip all drinks slowly. Don’t worry, no one will notice. They usually are hell-bent on their own destruction.

OK, you’re not buying it and want to tie one on. Then try drinking beverages that contain few congeners, such as vodka or gin. Avoid brandy, whisky and red wine. Stay away from bubbly mixers and sports drinks, which tend to oxidize the alcohol. Physiologically, remember that most hangovers last 8-24 hours. To decrease the intensity, try to eat bland foods that contain fructose which tends to burn off the alcohol. Toast with jelly fits here. Also, quit smoking to reduce your hangover by up to 50%.

My all time favorite remedy to fight the greenies and bring movement back into your life is a hot tea made of freshly shaved gingerroot, mint and honey. The gingerroot helps settle the stomach, the honey raises the blood sugar level and the mint is added for flavor and lingering sour breath.

As soon as you can, start drinking water to rehydrate the body. An over-the-counter antacid tablet and vitamin C may also help. Clear broth or bullion soup can add back lost salt and potassium and get you ready for food. So can a banana, V-8 and tomato juice.

Stay away from citrus, coffee, and tea that can further irritate your gastrointestinal track. Also, avoid aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen. For those macho men who subscribe to the hair-of-the-dog on the morning after; they will be pleased to know it may work. However, that remedy is mild compared to the old wild-west whisky-swilling cowboys who swore by a stiff cup of rabbit-dung tea. Maybe they just felt that way and were a-gluttin’ for more punishment.

For more far-out remedies, check my website: www.SecrestFamilyChiropractic.com. Coping with a hangover is never fun. However, bed rest and an ice pack does make football more bearable. So, stretch out, pull the covers up to your chin and go to sleep. When you recover, schedule a therapeutic massage at my office. 

If you must drink on New Years, go slow, let someone else drive and have a Happy New Year’s Day. It makes good health sense.

Arizona has the World’s Worst Hangover.

Arizona’s new DUI law went into affect in September 2007. If you are arrested for driving Under the Influence you will receive:

• 4-months mandatory sentence in Jail
• Automobile is confiscated
• You still have to pay your auto loan
• Your auto insurance will probably be cancelled
• You could lose your job.
• You must still pay your mortgage or lose your home
• Who knows where your spouse will be in four months?

Safest way to drive under the influence is in the rear seat of a limousine.

"Have a great holiday and call us for a refreshing New Year's therapeutic massage. Make a committment for better health in 2008 and I promise to get you in proper shape for a glorious year of great health and happiness."  Dr. Dan

              480-994-4411