Hangover Remedies Exposed: Do These Tips And Tricks Really Work?

While you are suffering it is not the time to be looking for hangover remedies. You can’t always stop the inevitable but you can be prepared!  Follow me and you may even find tips to help avoid it altogether.

Did I Drink Too Much Alcohol? You Decide!

Before filling you with great information I am going to tell you a story about one of my experiences. This was such a silly, fun-filled night, followed by the worst 18 hours ever!!!

One day some years ago I learned how to make a drink called the Chocolate Cake Shot. 

I have to say, I get a little queasy every time I think of this shot to this day and especially one of the main ingredients – Frangelico! 

Every Friday during the warm weather we are on our boat, this night we also wanted to venture to the Island on our lake to give a sample (or two) of the Chocolate Cake Shots to another one of my besties Mom Marilyn.

Well, we (my best friend and I) started doing the shots as we were leaving the dock and continued imbibing those delicious drinks on the Island with Marilyn and our husbands.

Once leaving the island we discovered that we didn’t bring anything else for the two of us to drink for the rest of our boat ride (besides water) so we did what all smart people would do –  More Shots!

Our husbands thought they were being smart and brought us back to the dock just after dark. They didn’t even realize we emptied the entire fifth of Frangelico and Vanilla Vodka we brought with us by this time.

((Just so you know, our husbands drank at least one or two shots each and our friends on the Island did a few as well.))

So here we are just after docking and my bestie, ran right into her house to collect new items and she and I proceeded to make Carrot Cake Shots out by the campfire.

She also just happened to have vanilla frosting for us to lick off the back of our hands after the shot! From my recollection they were the best I ever had, lol.

Did we start with a meal? Yes. Did we drink any water this evening? Nope! Did we learn our lesson? Well…..

Here Comes That Pounding Headache

It’s the morning after a night out with friends (with recollections of shot-shot-shot dancing through my head). The pounding headache, queasy stomach, and overall feeling of misery are all too familiar. 

Hangovers are the body’s way of telling us we had too much fun the night before. But fear not, there are ways to survive a hangover and make the day after a little more bearable.

Prevention is the Best Hangover Cure

Hangovers are no fun, but the good news is that they can be preventable. 

By taking a few simple steps before and during a night of drinking, you can minimize your chances of waking up with a pounding headache and a queasy stomach. 

Here are some tips to help minimize a hangover and items to keep on hand just in case:

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

I can’t express this enough you need to hydrate! One of the biggest culprits behind a hangover is dehydration.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, drinking a glass of water before going to sleep and doing the same as soon as you wake up can help replenish lost fluids and alleviate hangover symptoms. 

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it causes you to lose fluids faster than you take them in. To combat this, it’s important to drink plenty of water before, during, and after drinking. 

A good rule of thumb is to have one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. This will help keep you hydrated and flush out any toxins from your system. But will you do it?

Eat Before You Drink

Another way to mitigate a hangover is to make sure you have a full stomach before you start drinking. 

Eating a meal that is rich in protein and healthy fats can help slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. 

Avoid Sugary Drinks

This is my number one problem. I love those fun fruity drinks but my head doesn’t agree the next morning if I have had too many.

It is so tempting to indulge in those colorful sugary cocktails. They look so pretty and don’t taste like they have any alcohol in them. 

But, they can actually make your hangover worse.  Sugar can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leading to headaches and nausea.

Take Your Vitamins

Drinking alcohol can deplete your body of essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B and magnesium. 

Taking a multivitamin before you start drinking can help replenish these nutrients and reduce your risk of a hangover. 

Other good options to have on hand in advance are Liquid I.V., HydroMATE, or Emergen-C. We keep them around our house for any dehydration issues that come up.

Liquid IV

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HydroMATE

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By following these tips, you can increase your chances of waking up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day after a night of drinking. 

The Kit (You Will Thank Me Later)

Check the end of my article for a kit that I like to have on hand at home and take with me on trips where I might be doing some extra drinking.

Other Hangover Remedies

Everyone has their favorite hangover remedy. What works for one person may not work for another. Trial and error will help you figure it out. 

Here are some other remedies to help you survive a hangover:

Want To Gain An Edge Over Plain Old Water To Treat Your Hangover? Try Electrolytes

Dehydration is a common cause of hangovers. Adding electrolytes to your water can also help replenish lost nutrients. Sports drinks, coconut water, and electrolyte tablets can all be good options.

Try Some Ginger

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce nausea. Drinking ginger tea or eating ginger candy can help soothe your stomach and ease your hangover symptoms.

Get Some Fresh Air

While it may be tempting to stay in bed all day, getting up and moving around can help improve blood flow and reduce your unpleasant symptoms. 

Going for a walk, doing light yoga, or stretching can all help reduce the effects of a hangover.

The Hanover Cap

This cooling mask can be put in the freezer and then place on your head and over your eyes. It can provide relief from that facial and head pain that sometimes accompanies a hangover.

Hangover Cap

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Eat a Hearty Breakfast

Eating a hearty breakfast can help raise your blood sugar levels and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to recover. Eggs, toast, and fruit are all good options. 

The Worst Hangover Foods

After a night of heavy drinking, the last thing anyone wants to do is eat something that will make them feel worse. 

While there are some foods and drinks that can help alleviate a hangover, there are also some that can make it worse. Here are some of the worst hangover foods:

Greasy Foods: Better Or Worse (Exposed)

Although greasy foods like pizza and burgers may sound appealing after a night of drinking, they can actually make a hangover worse. 

Greasy foods can irritate an already sensitive stomach and make nausea and vomiting worse. Instead, opt for foods that are easy to digest, like toast or crackers.

For me, a Mcdonald’s hamburger or sausage biscuit with egg always makes me feel better when hungover.

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Limit Your Caffeine Intake (Exposed)

While a cup of coffee may seem like the perfect pick-me-up after a night of drinking, it can actually dehydrate you further and make a hangover worse. 

Caffeine can also cause jitters and anxiety, which can exacerbate the symptoms of a hangover. Stick to water or electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water instead.

That being said, I always reach for a Coke. I emotionally feel like it’s helping but it probably isn’t.

Avoid Spicy Foods (Exposed)

Spicy foods can irritate an already sensitive stomach and make nausea and vomiting worse.

They can also cause heartburn, which can be especially uncomfortable when dealing with a hangover. Stick to bland foods like toast or crackers instead.

Hangover Cure – Hair of the Dog (Exposed)

While it may seem like a good idea to have a drink like a bloody mary to cure a hangover, it may only make things worse in the long run for some of us.

I know what you are thinking, “I have always heard that Bloody Marys are the perfect cure for a hangover”. 

However, It is actually the tomato juice in it that can be helpful. Tomato juice is chocked full of vitamins and minerals that may help your body recover faster.

. Drinking more alcohol will only dehydrate you further and prolong the pain. 

Are Hangovers Dangerous? When to Seek Medical Help

Hangovers are a common occurrence after a night of heavy drinking, and they usually go away on their own after a day or two. 

However, in some cases, a hangover can be a sign of a more serious medical condition. If someone experiences any of the following symptoms, they should seek medical help immediately:

• Severe headache that does not go away with pain medication
• Confusion or disorientation
• Seizures or convulsions
• Difficulty breathing
• Severe abdominal pain or vomiting blood

If someone is unsure whether they need medical help, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention. 

A healthcare professional can assess the situation and provide appropriate treatment.

Renee’s Hangover Kit

Even though prevention is key. I find it always best to be prepared. You may want to add things to fit your needs but I will share with you what is in my hangover kit. I just added the Liquid I.V. to my kit recently and now it is always with me.

I would like to stipulate that before taking any kind of medicine (even over-the-counter pain medication) you should discuss it with a medical professional.

• Advil and Tylenol
• Bottle of Water
• Face Mask (to keep the light out)
• Pepto Bismol Chewables
• Pony Tail (to keep my hair up – if needed)
• Liquid I.V (my newest must have!) which comes in regular and sugar-free.

Pepto Bismol Chewables

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Hangover Cure At Home If You Need It

I hope these tips have inspired you to make a plan and hopefully avoid a hangover. There are so many remedies out there but we are so individual.

Which hangover remedies have worked for you?