A few things are inevitable in this life; the common saying predicts death and taxes. But it doesn’t prepare us for the other sure thing: the May Two-Four Hangover. Yep, it’s basically unavoidable. On a weekend that’s named after that glorious package of beer, in which we choose to celebrate by drinking a two-four, it’s tough to avoid the hangover that comes with it.
Let’s face facts: there’s no miracle cure. But here are a few tips to make your day after the Two-Four weekend a little more bearable.
Rest up
If I learned one thing in university, it was that nothing cures a hangover like rest. If you can afford to sleep till 3:30 in the afternoon, do it. (And rejoice in your current lifestyle. It probably won’t last forever!)
Hydrate your system
A major cause of your thumping head is dehydration. “It only makes sense to combat the dehydration by drinking as much water as possible,” says Dr. Ian D.D. Brown of brownhealth.org. “Particularly before you go to bed, add two more cups of water to your nightly routine.”
Eat something
For many, nothing says “hangover cure” like a greasy-spoon breakfast. But depending on what you order at that greasy spoon, you aren’t necessarily doing yourself any favours. “Bananas are good for adding the potassium that’s lost during alcohol consumption,” says Brown. “They also add demulcent qualities to help with digestion. Bouillon soup is good for rehydrating and restoring the potassium and electrolytes lost during a night of drinking. The fructose in fruit juice and honey has also been shown in studies to help the body burn excessive alcohol left over in the body.”
Cleanse your liver
It’s your poor liver that really suffers after a night of drinking. So the less you can do to aggravate it, the better.
“The toxic effects of alcohol can cause electrolyte imbalances and place a heavy burden on your liver,” says Brown. “The liver acts like a filter, to detox and process excess toxins. If possible, resist the temptation to take acetaminophen, since this will further add to the burden upon the liver.”
