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English football fans who drank away the pain last night are probably nursing a headache today.
While those extra pints of beer may have seemed like a good idea last night, the consequences are less than ideal on a Monday morning, especially if you have five days at the office ahead of you.
If you were one of the many who downed one pint too many while watching the drama unfold in Berlin, FEMAIL has advice on how to get through what could be a very long day at the office.
Here we consult with expert nutritionists to debunk the myths about what will and won’t work to relieve your headache.
What’s more, experts also clarified whether old favorites, like a cup of coffee or a fried food, could actually make us feel worse, rather than better.
Got a hangover after the Euro 2024 final? Here, FEMAIL consults experts on the best way to cure a hangover (image: file)
Will a hair of a dog do any good?
While it may seem like a good idea, especially if you’re on vacation and have nowhere to go today, drinking more the next day never works, according to health professionals.
Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at Unbeelievable Health, said you’re just adding more misery to a body that’s already trying to recover: “Don’t believe the hair of the dog myth.
“Even though it may seem like a good idea at the moment, it will just prolong the hangover.”
According to official advice on the NHS website, you shouldn’t touch another drop for at least two days: “If you’ve been drinking heavily, doctors recommend you wait at least 48 hours before drinking any more alcohol (even if you don’t have a hangover), to give your body time to recover.”
Choose tea instead of coffee
Drinks expert and founder of DrinkWell, Tom Bell, has revealed his top tips for curbing a hangover.
It might be tempting to grab a cup of coffee to cheer yourself up after a night of heavy drinking, but Tom revealed that’s not the best idea.
He explained that hangover sufferers should stay away from caffeine because it can aggravate the hangover rather than relieve it.
Instead, she advised hangover sufferers to drink a cup of chamomile tea, which will help calm the nervous system and settle an upset stomach.
It may be tempting to grab a cup of coffee for a caffeine boost, but experts suggest it’s better to opt for chamomile tea (photo: stock image)
Try pickle juice
If you’re looking for a pick-me-up to cure a hangover, Tom suggests drinking a cup of pickle juice.
The expert explained that pickle juice contains sodium and potassium, key ingredients for replenishing electrolytes after drinking an excessive amount of alcohol.
A glass of pickle juice will help you rehydrate and relieve hangover symptoms much faster than any amount of water or soda, according to Tom.
Drink a lot of water
According to Sue Jones, Director of Wellbeing and Nutrition at We Are Wellbeing, the well-known pain of a hangover is due to dehydration and the sooner you reach for the cold water tap, the better.
She told FEMAIL that drinking water should always be the first thing to try to relieve a headache, even if you’re feeling sick: ‘Dehydration is a key cause of hangovers and some of the most common hangover symptoms include headaches, nausea and tiredness.
And if you drank rum and Coke last night, you may be in more trouble than those who drank gin and tonic.
‘There is evidence to suggest that some people are more sensitive to dark-coloured drinks, such as whisky, brandy, dark beer and red wine, because they contain higher amounts of congeners.’
Will being sick help?
While staying close to the bathroom may make you feel better, the process of being sick only serves to further dehydrate the body.
Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, explains: ‘When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed very quickly from the stomach into the bloodstream, so vomiting now will make very little difference to your blood alcohol level.
“To get over a hangover you need to rehydrate. Vomiting dehydrates you even more, so this is totally counterproductive.”
A day of eating to cure a hangover…
Wine and meal kit retailer Virginia Hayward has teamed up with nutrition experts and dietitians to reveal the best dishes and ingredients to choose if you’re hungover.
The following meal plan aims to refuel the body and replenish energy levels using key hangover-reducing nutrients including antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamin B6, tryptophan, and carbohydrates.
Breakfast
- Smashed avocado on toasted whole wheat bread with poached egg
- Whole wheat toast with nut butter and banana slices
- Whole grain muffins with poached eggs
- shakshuka
Lunch
- Baked potato with tuna and green leafy vegetables
- Sweet potato with baked beans and spinach
- Brown rice with poached salmon and green leafy vegetables
- Whole wheat pasta with vegetable sauce
Dinner
- Homemade chicken fajitas with tomato sauce and guacamole
- Red Lentil Dhal
- Chicken ramen or pho
- Smoked paprika and chickpea stew
Appetizers
- Hummus with vegetable sticks
- Whole wheat crackers or whole wheat bread with nut butter
- A handful of nuts
- Apple slices with nut butter
- Banana dipped in melted dark chocolate and topped with finely chopped nuts
Drinks
- Spinach, banana, milk, peanut butter and ice smoothie.
- Ginger tea with lemon and honey
- Glass of milk
- Fruit juice
Source – Virginia Hayward
At the office? Take a nap at lunchtime
Nutritionist Shona says: “Sleep can help give our bodies time to renew and recover, so if you have time to take a quick nap, it could work wonders.”
Load up on carbs
Dr Lee says: ‘When you wake up with a hangover, your blood sugar levels will be low, which can make you feel lethargic, weak and may give you a headache.
‘Alcohol also reduces the kidneys’ ability to absorb water, meaning you urinate more and become dehydrated. It can also cause an electrolyte imbalance, meaning sodium and potassium levels are disrupted.
‘Eat some carbohydrates for energy, try to replenish vitamins and minerals, eat some protein and avoid fatty, oily and salty foods if you can.
Coconut water has been shown in medical studies to be an excellent choice when rehydration is needed as it contains high levels of electrolytes, is less acidic, and has a relatively low sugar content.
…but not a bacon sandwich
Is it really worth it to eat breakfast at McDonald’s or a bacon sandwich (both popular hangover remedies) or is the combination of fat, salt and carbs likely to set you back?
Nutritionist Shona says: “Foods containing high levels of unhealthy fats (such as fried and processed foods) should be avoided as our liver has to work harder to process these types of fats when it is already under pressure from alcohol. Unhealthy fats can also make any inflammation in the body worse.”
Britain’s National Health Service recommends having broth to get you through the day, as it is “a good source of vitamins and minerals that can replenish depleted resources. Plus, it’s easy for a fragile stomach to digest.”
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