Anyone who has suffered a self induced hangover will know you lose much more than the time spent suffering, it can cost us our dignity, our relationships, our job even and is really not great if you have young children who have to fend for themselves while you recover. You can't function properly, your head throbs, you may be sick and unable to function properly for several hours. As you mature you have to ask yourself if the pain is worth it.
So lets take a look at why it hurts so much when we consume alcohol and is there a way to prepare for a night out. I am not advocating anyone goes out and drinks to excess regularly as it really is bad for your health. However, having a night out with friends should be an enjoyable experience which can be ruined by the aftermath.
When we drink alcohol it will reduce our B Vitamins levels in our brain which can be one of the reasons why we suffer so much pain in our heads.
B Vitamins are important nutrients that help us with:
cell health
growth of red blood cells
energy levels
good eyesight
healthy brain function
good digestion
healthy appetite
proper nerve function
hormones and cholesterol production
cardiovascular health
muscle tone
The brain needs these vital nutrients on a daily basis and we don't store (apart from B12 in the liver) so they can easily get 'stripped out' by alcohol helping give us a seemingly endless thumping headache and waves of nausea.
Many people just enjoy a glass of wine or beer when with their friends and its not a health or addiction problem, however as get older we can find the after affects become much harder to handle. The dizziness, the spinning senses, the need to heave up our guts in the middle of the night or just the relentless thumping of your head that lasts the whole of next day and the weakness and incapacity it brings. With the increase in young people drinking shots, downing bottles of alcohol BEFORE even leaving home, drinking until incapable of being able to stand up - as fun as it may seem - you also need to think about the future, what you do today may effect you long term health. To understand the effects of Binge Drinking please read this article.
The reason the effects of alcohol can be so painful is the liver has to work harder to detox our body as we age. When you wake between 1 am and 3am, its your liver working very hard to deal with all the extra toxins you have added into your body. This is often when you will get up to be sick as the body is doing its best to reject the alcohol and cleanse your body. Read my blog about the LIVER to find out more.
So are there are ways to help you get over the worst of these effects?
If you are planning a one off event, or attending a wedding, a party, a evening out with friends - then preparing for it will help prevent the worst. Make sure you also drink water throughout that time. Get into the habit of having a glass of water with each glass of alcohol.
How I do this is I ask for a gin glass, with added ice, lime or lemon and just good old tap water (its mainly safe to drink in the UK). Its nice with lime cordial if you have to have a taste, but plain water is much better. You can of course buy bottled water - but avoid sparkling water. If you use a nice glass - it looks like you are drinking, so won't get the peer pressure that can make us increase our intake. Also eat a meal before you go
out, which will line the stomach making it harder for the alcohol to be absorbed directly through the stomach walls into the bloodstream.
Before you leave home, put a pint or one litre of water next to your bed. Leave a B Complex Vitamin tablet next to it and if you have any drop two Nux Vom tablets into the water. The above links are to Natural Dispensary where you can order good quality products. If you order any of these use my name as the Practitioner - Miranda Welton. Nux Vomica has been sho
wn to be of use for digestive problems, hangovers and headaches.
The next morning drink much more water and take another B Complex and more nux vom. Eat a breakfast (if you can face it) to replenish the carbohydrates and add in some protein to help your brain function properly.
So be mindful of your bodies needs by:
Leaving fresh water out ready
Ensure you take a good quality Vitamin B Complex
You can take Nux Vomica for extra support
Eating a meal earlier before you start drinking
Avoid drinking fizzy drinks like prosecco when you eat as it may cause digestive issues and lead to an uncomfortable night of restlessness
Avoid mixing drinks as this is one of the easiest ways to get a hangover or become quickly intoxicated
Drinking can also have other side effects. Domestic abuse situations are made worse when fuelled by alcohol or drugs.
It can have some dramatic effects on our behaviour such as enabling violence and unsociable actions which many would never think of doing if sober.
Its like all inhibitions and kindness is closed off enabling people to behave so badly that they can be seriously shocked if shown footage to back up others vison of how they have behaved. https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-and-mental-health
To read more information on the effects of alcohol and the whole body this is a great article https://science.howstuffworks.com/alcohol.htm
These days with camera phones everywhere, whatever you do can come back to haunt you. So take care, enjoy yourself but be mindful of what you do. If you are in a relationship with someone who overindulges and can be aggressive, then my personal advice would be to seriously look at your life choices and seem helpful guidance and support.
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