The body breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde, which is 30 x more toxic than alcohol, especially when you drink more alcohol then your body can break down! 1st thing to avoid a hangover: follow the 5-steps in my Hangover Cure Video. Next, see below. Always drink a lot of water. No one can help you if you get dehydrated, you simply WILL get a hangover if you don’t drink enough clean, filtered, H2O! Be sure to eat too. Duh! Good food provides nutrients that heal – but I don’t need to tell you that!
1. Full Spectrum B Vitamin.
Alcohol depletes B vitamins and Bs are needed to detox alcohol, so it’s a B-vitamin double whammy. Also, B-Vitamins are an integral part of the methylation cycle in your brain. They say not to take Bs after 3pm, because B’s are energizing and can impact your sleep cycle. However, when you drink, you probably won’t sleep well regardless. Take B’s before bed and when you wake up in the morning. Also, before your first cocktail and during, if you remember. Over consumption of alcohol will also create a B12 deficiency, hopefully this isn’t you, as you’ll likely need a whole health plan to help you out with over-indulgence.
2. Magnesium.
Alcohol drains minerals from your body and magnesium is one of the first to go. They say as high as 95% of the population could be magnesium deficient. This mineral is also greatly drained from stress and other minerals compete for absorption in the body. So taking this mineral can only benefit you. I use Calm (brand) Magnesium powder, straight up a teaspoon mixed with hot water from the kettle to dissolve, then room temp water to fill the glass. Down the hatch: before bed and when I wake up. Can also use the 1:1 Mag:Calcium
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C stimulates the liver to breakdown alcohol and is a powerful antioxidant. Like the two co-enzymes mentioned above, Vitamin C is water soluble, thus it’s hard to take too much. In other words, have at ‘er. Ener-C comes in powder packs that taste great, just add water, delish and fizzy. I usually have one in my purse and take it while I’m out at the restaurant. Otherwise, high quality camu-camu in vitamin form is excellent and quick.
4. Milk Thistle
Milk thistle has antioxidants that will help clear the liver of toxins, silymarin and silybin (highly liver supportive). Silymarin may even help regenerate liver cells! If you have a really social summer or holiday season planned, add milk thistle (tonic) drops to water daily and do some pre-toxing!
5. NAC – N-acetyl-cysteine
Alcohol depletes glutathione, so does Tylenol (good to supplement NAC if you take Tylenol, very hard on your liver). NAC is a form of the amino acid cysteine that can help increase glutathione (the body’s number one endogenous antioxidant) and will reduce acetylaldehyde.
Enjoy your summer. Enjoy your holidays. Don’t over do it. Eat healthy. Like and Share.
xx Shannon aka 40-Girl