If you have big plans for New Year’s Eve, you might want to plan for the morning after, too.
Before you head out the door, set a limit. Research from Harvard suggests staying away from darker-colored alcoholic beverages. Clean liquors like vodka and gin tend to cause hangovers less frequently than whiskey and bourbon.
And a study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that people who consumed greater amounts of zinc and B vitamins the day before drinking had less severe hangovers.
But what if you do over-indulge? We are separating fact from fiction on what works and what doesn’t for hangover remedies.
There’s a lot of buzz on social media about drinking pickle juice to replenish electrolytes. But the truth is, sodium sodium-packed pickle juice can cause swelling, bloating, gas and stomach pain.
Also, stay away from your morning cup of joe. Experts out of Harvard say it can make you feel worse.
If you are feeling nauseous, studies show ginger and even ginger ale are great anti-sickness remedies.
How about eating a raw egg? Although raw eggs are high in B vitamins that are important in alcohol metabolism, a few eggs are not enough to make a difference.
And although your brain may be saying this is the way to go. In fact, a breakfast full of grease is only going to upset your stomach more. Instead, bananas, oranges, apricots and grapefruit are full of potassium and will replenish depleted electrolytes.
And although extreme, dunking your head in ice water can help relieve some symptoms. Cold receptors in the skin trigger a response in the brain that slows down the heart and diverts blood back to the brain.
If you’re wondering if the hair of the dog will do the trick -- the answer is no. Drinking another alcoholic drink the morning after only prolongs the pain. Once the initial buzz wears off, your hangover will return.
But the best way to avoid a morning hangover is to not drink too much the night before.