How to Prevent and Cure Hangovers Naturally

Tis the season for parties, indulgences and for a lot of us, booze. It's all fun and games until someone gets a hangover which hopefully you will avoid if you follow my tips below. Let's be clear - this does not give you the green light to drink your face off - these tips are not bullet proof. If you drink enough, no amount of water rotation or supplements can save you from the dreaded hangover! So with that in caveat in mind, here are my top ways to prevent and cure hangovers naturally.

I know this seems obvious, but who of us actually rotates alcoholic bevy's with a glass of H2O? My guess is not many. By drinking one glass of water for every shot, glass or can of alcohol you drink, you will help dilute the alcohol content in your body, flush your liver and stay hydrated - all of which will almost guarantee no hangover the next day. It will also help you drink less alcohol over all. Side note: Make sure you skip the mixed cocktails full of sugar. Sugar is a recipe for blood sugar imbalance, which means headache and upset tummy.

As previously mentioned, I'm willing to bet very few of us actually practice water rotation. So for the majority of us, what's your next best bet? Chug 2 cups of water right before you go to bed. It's crude and desperate, but this will help to rehydrate your body while you sleep, reducing your hangover the next morning.=

Supplementing with a B-complex vitamin before going to bed (while chugging the water you forgot to drink all night) will actually help you avoid a hangover. Our B-vitamin stores are depleted as they aid the liver in processing all of the alchol you just consumed. Make sure you buy a B-complex vitamin to get the synergistic benefits of all B vitamins. 

Ok, so you clearly didn't listen to any of the above advice because you have a killer headache and are seeking out tips on how to ease the hurt. If you were unsuccessful at avoiding a hangover, these are some of the best natural cures.

Ginger pop is a well known cure-all for upset stomachs and you guessed it - hangovers. Unfortunately, they do little to help due to the high sugar content, which can often make you feel worse. The benefit of this elixir is that it's made from real, whole foods and natural sweeteners. Ginger prevents nausea and lemons aid in liver detoxification. Honey is soothing, replenishes sugar lost, and helps to rebalance blood sugar. This elixir can last for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Sports drinks are another popular hangover recovery tool, but much like the ginger pop I mentioned above, they are filled with sugars and chemicals that often make your hangover worse than before. A much better alternative is to simply mix water, maple syrup, a splash of juice and a pinch of sea salt to make your own headache cure. The water helps to rehydrate, the maple syrup provides the sugars in this drink that are lost when one is dehydrated, the juice adds some flavour, and the sea salts give you minerals/electrolytes.

This is the ultimate hangover detox smoothie. Blend one banana, half an avocado, a quarter cup of dark berries, a handful of spinach, half a cup of frozen or fresh pineapple, two cups of coconut water and bee pollen. Every ingredient will help speed your body to a full recovery. The avocado has good fats that balance blood sugar. The banana has potassium to help prevent dehydration, as does the coconut water. The leafy greens help to detox. And the bee pollen has lots of B vitamins, which as we now know are very helpful when recovering from a hangover.

Here's to great parties and a happy-morning-after too!! Joy