Feeling less than fresh after a boozy weekend? Try these seven foods to beat the hangover
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THE FOOTBALL is in full swing and pub visits are back on the menu.
If you've had a heavy weekend on the booze then it's likely you're feeling less than fresh this weekend.
While there's nothing wrong with having a beer or two, if you've over indulged then you could be struggling to get through the day.
One expert has highlighted some foods that could help get you back on your feet if you're feeling fragile.
Sian Baker, registered nutritional therapist at health and wellness testing company said as the UK starts to open up once more, it's to be expected that our alcohol consumption will increase as social gathering become more frequent.
She explained: "After periods of heavy drinking, people can often experience hangover symptoms including dehydration, nausea, headaches, and insomnia - even if you have had a great time out socialising, these symptoms are never nice!
"Keeping hydrated is the main way to avoid a nasty hangover, so try having water breaks between each alcoholic drink.
"However, the foods mentioned below can also take off the edge and make sure that you’re fuelling your body and giving it the best chance to recover.”
1. Banana
Drinking alcohol can create electrolyte imbalances through increasing fluid loss and increasing electrolyte excretion, Sian says.
That's why it's important to re-balance your electrolyte levels to recover.
Sian said: "Bananas contain good amounts of potassium, so will help to bring up your levels after a heavy night of drinking.
"If you aren’t so keen on bananas, avocados and other potassium rich foods will also help make a difference."
2. Spinach
During a session on the booze magnesium is one nutrient which is often depleted.
Sian explained: "Magnesium-rich foods such as spinach will help to replenish your magnesium levels.
"Spinach also has anti-inflammatory properties, so makes a good basis for a meal to help you get over your hangover - try adding it to a morning smoothie, as part of a lighter breakfast, or even a salad for lunch."
3. Pineapple
For many people, seeing last night's dinner in the toilet after a night on the booze isn't uncommon.
Nausea is a very common hangover symptom, and one that definitely isn’t fun to battle through.
"Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps to ease digestion and reduce pressure on your liver", Sian said.
4. Fish
A fish dinner might sound like the last thing you want to eat if you're feeling ropey, but Sian said it could get you back on track.
"Protein and fats, such as the healthy oils found in fish, will remain in your stomach for longer, so are another great food to consume before starting to drink.
"Taking omega-3 and 6 capsules both before and after alcohol will also help to coat the stomach and replenish your fatty acid levels the next day", she said.
5. Dairy
While demolishing a tub of ice cream can sometimes be a great hangover cure, Sian said you can use dairy to prepare your stomach for a night on the booze.
She said: "If you’re anticipating a session of heavy drinking, lining your stomach with dairy products such as milk, or yoghurt can help to reduce the effects of any alcohol consumed."
6. Water
We all know that too much booze can make us dehydrated and if you've been vomiting all morning then it's likely you've lost a lot of water.
Sian said that although this isn't technically a food, ensuring that you’re adequately hydrated will help to ease the hangover effects.
"If possible, try adding a little sugar and salt to your water to make your own rehydration drink and replace not only the water you have lost, but also the sugars and essential salts", she said.
Expert nutritionist, Simon Jurkiw, who works with said coconut water is a natural source of key vitamins and minerals - rich in potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and electrolytes, and is excellent way to replenish those micronutrients lost to alcohol.
He added: "Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning people pee more when they drink it!
"This in turn leads to dehydration, one of the main causes of those dreaded hangover symptoms.
"Drinking water both during and after consuming alcohol will help prevent you from becoming as dehydrated."
The best exercises to do if you're suffering from a hangover
If you're still struggling to get out of bed with your hangover, you'll be surprised to know that getting a little bit sweaty could help.
Bulk ambassador and PT,, has designed a hangover conquering circuit specifically curated to help alleviate hangover symptoms - including exercises that will help you get a sweat on to remove toxins from the body and movements that will enhance blood flow to replenish oxygen and nutrients.
She said: "If you’re feeling a little hungover, a sweaty workout might be the last thing on your mind - but getting a sweat on can work miracles!
"Typical symptoms of a hangover include thirst, fatigue and muscle ache, which means weight training can often feel that little bit harder than usual when suffering a hangover.
"HIIT training is designed to produce maximum sweat.
"In turn this means you will naturally rehydrate your dehydrated body through your workout - causing your kidneys to work overtime, releasing the excess toxins caused by alcohol via your urine, and getting you back to normal that little bit faster!”
Warm up: Walk outs (1 minute), followed by plank hold (1 minute)
Workout - 10 exercises - 2 rounds:
45 seconds on 15 seconds off
Repeat x 2
1. Squat Pulse
2. Squat Jump
3. Squat Toe Tap
4. Starjump
5. Step Lunges
6. Squat Starjump
7. Jump Lunges
8. Plank Shoulder Tap
9. Mountain Climbers
10. Crunches
7. Ginger
Sian said that eating a little bit of ginger is another great way to help reduce feelings of nausea.
"Ginger can reduce inflammation and help to settle your stomach, so why not try adding it to a fresh smoothie with some nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to rebalance your vitamins and minerals", she said.
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If you do have a hangover then it's because you have consumed too much booze.
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The NHS says that you should have no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.
A unit is one bottle of beer, a small glass of wine or a single measure of a spirit such as gin or vodka.