You’ve had one hell of a night. Stories were shared, jokes were cracked, and maybe a few laws were broken. But there’s a price to pay for all that fun. You realize that the moment you wake up the next morning with a horrible headache. Your mouth’s dry, like it’s stuffed with cotton, and every movement you make hurts, as if you’d gone ten rounds with the bouncers the night before. Worse of all, you’re pretty sure you left the house yesterday wearing underwear, but you have no idea where they are now.
Congratulations, you have a hangover.
Unless you want to remain in this pitiful state, you’ll need to act fast to replenish everything your body lost from the previous night’s drinking. Unfortunately, recovering your dignity isn’t as easy. Here are 6 things that can get you back in prime condition so you could do it all over.
1. Sports Drinks and Coconut Water
Sports drinks and coconut water are rich in electrolytes. These are the compounds that help regulate both the body’s hydration level and the blood’s pH levels. They’re also important in maintaining proper nerve and muscle function.
Drinking any of the neon colored beverages screaming SPORTS! at the drugstore will help you recoup all the electrolytes you pissed away in the bar’s dingy bathroom (filled with cellphone numbers promising a good time) last night. Coconut water also has potassium that boosts your recovery time.
2. Bananas
Speaking of potassium, everyone knows that bananas are chock-full of the stuff. They’re also light on the stomach, which is perfect if yours feel broken from too much throwing up. Kiwi or spinach are also good alternatives, but bananas are cheaper and much easier to eat.
3. Eggs
Everyone’s favorite breakfast staple is also a champ when it comes to helping us mend from hangovers. It contains cysteine, an amino acid that breaks down the acetaldehyde, the chemical byproduct that results from your liver breaking down ethanol. It’s what’s responsible for your headache.
4. Chicken or Tomato Soup
Soups are every drunkard’s morning-after friend. For maximum recovery, go for chicken mami or a good sopa de lima. The sodium content will restock your dwindled reserves, while the broth helps to rehydrate your body.
5. Oats
I’m not a big fan of oatmeal, but I should really learn to love it since I have no plans to stop punishing my liver in the foreseeable future. One hot bowl is filled with essential B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and iron.
6. Tea
A lot of people drink coffee after a night of heavy drinking, but that’s a bad idea. Coffee is a diuretic, just like beer, which will only dehydrate you further. Also, the high amounts of caffeine in it will make your headache worse, so stay off it unless you really enjoy the head-splitting migraines.
A gentler choice would be green tea, which has antioxidants to keep your organs healthy. Ginger tea can reduce nausea and motion sickness, which is great if you’re as clumsy as me when hungover. Peppermint tea can ease stomach pain.
