New Year’s Eve hangover: Follow this morning-after routine

If you plan to take the party-till-you-drop mantra too seriously for New Year’s Eve, chances are you’ll end up with a hangover — that throbbing headache and nauseating feeling that gets the better of you!

Drink smart and you can prevent it. Hydrate your system with water, even between drinks to dilute the effect of alcohol. Also, make sure you don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach. But if you do end up binge drinking, and are hungover the morning after, rest assured that you can cure it, provided you hydrate your body well and eat right (yes eat, even when the sight of food is making you nauseous), say nutritionists Kavita Devgan and Tripti Tandon.

Hydrate well: Dehydration is very common after excessive alcohol consumption, so it’s important to have a lot of water. “Right after you get up, have a glass of lukewarm water with the juice of a fresh lemon squeezed in it. Adding lemon to it will nullify the effect of alcohol,” says Devgan. Coconut water is good, too, as it will replenish the electrolytes in the body.

Say no to caffeine: When you wake up feeling miserable, a steaming cup of coffee is what most people find comfort in. “That’s where they go wrong. Coffee might give that kick, but it further dehydrates the body,” says Tandon.

Tea, however, is not a bad idea. “Go for a diluted version of milk tea or opt for ginger tea, green tea, lemon tea or jasmine tea,” she adds.

Go bananas! To help get rid of that splitting headache, in this case caused due to loss of magnesium from, the body, banana can help a lot. “It’s rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium. It’s an antacid, helps soothe the stomach, and cure nausea,” says Devgan. “Potassium helps take out the water retained in the body,” adds Tandon.

Yoghurt with a little bit of honey will also soothe the acidity. Fruits, especially citrus-y ones like oranges, will make your feel better.

Breakfast is a must: People think that skipping breakfast will help them get better, but in reality, a high- protein and carbs diet is what the body needs at such a time. Eggs are beneficial and will give you an energy boost. “A compound called cysteine in eggs helps the body get rid of toxins that build up with binge drinking,” says Devgan.

Another drink? no way! There’s this misconception that having another drink in the morning after can help cure a hangover. “Don’t even think about it, unless you want another hangover by evening,” concludes Devgan.

Author tweets at @shrutidargan

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