5 Hangover Cures Philly Healthy-Eating Pros Swear By
Maybe you are a super responsible human who didn’t get swept up in the last-day-of-summer shenanigans yesterday. But if you did happen to get a little carried away (hey, it happens), you’ll want to take note of the five hangover helpers these Philly healthy-eating pros turn to when they’ve had one margarita too many. We suggest you read up, take notes, and if all else fails, go get yourself a tried-and-true greasy meal.
(And psst: before you head out on the town next time around, make sure to check out what Philly healthy-eating pros eat to ward off a killer hangover before a night of drinking.)
1. Reach for the coconut oil
Jessica Baumgardner of Health Coach Philly says that swishing some oil around your mouth before you brush your pearly whites can not only help to rid your mouth of bacteria, but can also kill that gnarly alcohol aftertaste that can stay in your mouth well after your last shot. Her directions: “Scoop out a spoonful of coconut oil and drop it in your mouth. Swish it around for 15 to 20 minutes, pushing and pulling the oil around your gums, cheeks and in between your teeth. When you’re done, spit it into the trash and rinse your mouth with warm water, then brush your teeth.” And whatever you do, don’t swallow the oil. Remember: The whole idea is that it just pulled a bunch of gunk from your mouth, so the last thing you want to do is then ingest all that gunk.
2. Sweat it out
Emily Benton, holistic health practitioner and director at Simplex Health, says that breaking a sweat makes her feel sooo much better after a night of drinking. But don’t feel the need to do a crazy-intense workout (meaning: maybe don’t try SoulCycle for the first time when your head feels like a balloon). As she says, “Just 20 minutes of a walk or jog or just sitting in the back row of hot yoga in constant child’s pose” does just fine.
Baumgardner agrees that it can be helpful to sweat out all that alcohol you drank the night before. As she notes, getting your heart rate up with exercise releases endorphins and helps to stimulate your body’s lymphatic system, whose sole purpose it is to rid your body of toxins.
3. Hydrate like it’s your freakin’ job
Baumgardner recommends downing as much lemon water as you can stomach to hydrate and help out your liver — lemon gives your liver a helping hand in the detoxifying department — which is probably working tirelessly to filter the alcohol out of your system.
Caroline Ginolfi, of @Plantbasedblonde, suggests a big ol’ glass of filtered water or coconut water before bed to try and keep your hangover at bay before it hits.
4. Bring on the green juice (the greener the better)
After Benton gets in a nice sweat sesh, her next move is to get her hands on a veggie-packed green juice. The more veggies, the better, she says: “Kale, cucumber, celery, spinach, ginger — keep adding!”
Ginolfi’s go-to for hangover-helping greenness is a loaded green smoothie sweetened with banana or dates and some beet and ginger juice or ginger tea — especially helpful if you’re dealing with nausea — and coconut water to replenish electrolytes.
5. Load up on vitamins and vitamin-rich foods
Ginolfi reminds us that a night of drinking “creates oxidative stress and depletes the body of antioxidants, B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium, among others,” essentially throwing our bodies out of whack. While greasy, processed foods (hi, McDonald’s breakfast sandwich) might be calling your name, Ginolfi suggests that colorful fruits, veggies and leafy greens are going to be the most helpful in getting your sorry caboose off the couch and on with your day.
Baumgardner reiterates that after a night of drinking, your body’s vitamins have been depleted. A great place to start is with B vitamins, which she says will help your liver out. She suggests gulping down one or two B-complex vitamins. Benton shares that she has found that taking a B-12 supplement before bed helps with the “hangover all together!” So, there’s something to remember for next time.
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