You Can Reduce Hangover Symptoms by Drinking the Right Juices

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The best hangover cures are to rid your body system of the toxicity from high alcohol consumption, and then keep hydrated with plenty of fluids and cleansing juices.

 

Understanding a Hangover

A hangover describes the unpleasant physiological condition following a heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. A hangover can last up to two or three days after alcohol consumption.

The more alcohol consumed, the higher the chances of a hangover. However, tolerance levels differ for every individual.

 

Symptoms of a Hangover

Signs and symptoms of a hangover typically begin several hours after consumption of alcohol. Depending on how much was drunk, and the tolerance level, one may experience any of these symptoms:

  • Feeling high
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches and muscle aches
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
  • Elevated body temperature
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Sensitivity to light and noise
  • Blurred vision
  • Mood disturbances, such as depression, anxiety and irritation
  • Erratic motor functions
  • Dizziness
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Bloodshot eyes

Hangover symptoms may be short-term, but regularly drinking alcohol may cause more severe symptoms that become chronic diseases. Some of the damages of alcoholism:

  • Jaundice (liver disease)
  • Liver cirrhosis (fatty liver)
  • Easy bruising
  • Swelling of lower part of the body
  • Bleeding in the gut
  • Liver cancer

 

Causes of Hangover Symptoms

The amount of congeners in alcohol is said to be one of the main contributors of symptoms of a hangover. Congener refers to the impurities (zinc and other metals) that are produced during fermentation of alcohol which are added to enhance the taste, aroma and color of alcoholic beverages. This substance is thought to make the effects of a hangover worse.

Congeners are ingredients produced as byproducts of fermentation and distillation. They include acetone, acetaldehyde, tannins, and some flavorants in different alcoholic beverages.

Alcoholic drinks with higher amounts of congeners are red wine, champagne and bourbon. White wine has a lesser amount than red wine, and vodka has the lowest concentration.

Ethanol in alcohol causes a dehydrating effect that leads to thirst, headaches and most other symptoms. Metabolic disturbances in the brain from high consumption of alcohol causes a “brain hypoglycemia” or low sugar that leads to other symptoms like difficulty concentrating, mood changes, trouble sleeping and erratic motor functions.

 

Diet Suggestions

Hangovers happen mainly because of the toxicity of the alcohol, dehydration and the oxidative stress it causes the liver. If sufferer is not a regular drinker, the recovery period may be shortened by flushing the toxins out of the body as soon as possible.

If you tend to get hangovers from alcoholic beverages, take precaution the next time you plan to drink:

  • Know your limit and stop before you pass your tolerance threshold
  • Do not drink on an empty stomach
  • Avoid darker colored alcoholic beverages
  • Do not mix alcohol with carbonated beverages

To counter the “brain hypoglycemia”, drink a fruit juice that is high in fructose (fruit sugar) before going to bed (if you are still sober). Fructose can help metabolize the alcoholic chemicals that cause hangover symptoms.

Also, drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins. Always keep Celtic sea salt handy and put a pinch (or about 1/8 teaspoon) into every 8oz glass of water up to maximum of 1 teaspoon a day. Drink to keep hydrated, which will lessen much of the symptoms.

Continue to drink juices and plenty of fluids even after two or three days to ensure as much of the toxicity is eliminated from the system.

 

Recommended Healing Foods to Remedy the Occasional Hangover

Hangover is not pleasant.  The remedy is not pleasant, but juices help. Most likely you’ll be making this for a loved one or a friend to remedy hangover. The last thing the sufferer wants to do is to be doing juicing.

Carrot, green apples and green vegetables help to cleanse the digestive system, thus removing toxins as much as possible through elimination. Most green leafy vegetables are highly cleansing and building and is essential for the body’s circulatory system, especially to the brain.

Beetroot juice not only cleanses the liver but also help detoxifies alcoholic toxicity. Celery is a great source of calcium and magnesium that have a calming effect on the central nervous system.

Calcium and magnesium in most of the vegetables listed below are an essential combination that can help prevent and relieve headaches.


Carrot

Green apple

Celery

Cucumber

Beetroot

Bittergourd

Asparagus

Watercress

Arugula

Fennel
Cantaloupe
Watermelon

Chayote

Grapefruit

Lemon/Lime

Ginger root

The most effective juices to for removing toxins derive from the bitter juices, for example bittergourd, arugula, watercress or grapefruit. They are excellent in the cleansing, repairing and nourishing of the kidneys and liver that are affected from too much consumption of alcohol. The high content of vitamin C in grapefruit and lemon continues the necessary detoxifying work.

Cantaloupe and watermelon juices are diuretic.  They are also helpful for flushing out the toxicity from your system through the kidneys.

 

Some Suggested Combos (measurement for one portion):

hangover-remedy

  • 2 green apples + 6 ribs of celery + 1 bittergourd (about 6 inches) + ¼ lemon with peel
  • 2 green apples + 1 fennel + ½ bunch of watercress + ¼ lemon + 1-inch ginger root
  • 2 green apples + 6 ribs of celery + 1 cucumber + 10 sticks of asparagus
  • 1 fennel + 1 medium-sized beetroot + 1 grapefruit + ¼ lemon + 1-inch ginger root
  • Big glasses of cantaloupe juice or watermelon juice with a squeeze of lemon

 

Learn how to make great-tasting green juices.

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About Sara Ding

Sara Ding is the founder of Juicing-for-Health.com. She is a certified Wellness Health Coach, Nutritional Consultant and a Detox Specialist. She helps busy men and women identify their health issues at the root cause, in order to eliminate the problems for optimum physical/mental health and wellbeing.

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Comments

  1. Hi Sara,
    awesome information!
    There are plenty of healthy foods to cure a hangover.
    My solution is hydrating with a lot of water, eating whatever I feel like and sleeping again!
    Thanks for the share, next time I’ll be experiencing a hangover I’ll try your recipe. 🙂

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