The infamous hangover, characterized by a throbbing headache, an unquenchable thirst, soreness in the muscles, and the inability to move for hours; a hangover is the ultimate way to keep you from being productive. Yet, for some reason while studying abroad in Paris, France, I found myself reliving this pain every other day (if not every day) but still willingly engaging in the festivities that inevitably led to this perpetual state of discomfort, despite the fact I had 9:00 a.m. classes.
Why? Because I was living in Europe, and wanted to take advantage of being able to legally drink in a country celebrated for its wine, and gallivant from one bar to the next with my new French friends, that’s why.
Unfortunately, all the fun and debauchery definitely had it’s price (not that I was unwilling to pay it by any means) and the hangovers never ceased, regardless of how many Advils I’d take.
As fabulous as it was to prance around pretending to be a Parisian party girl every night, I knew that I wanted to take advantage of the cultural, historical, and gastronomical elements this remarkable city had to offer. I also had to make sure I got to French class every day seeing as I was there to study abroad. So, I needed to figure out how to rid myself of hangovers because I was determined to have my cake, or more like champagne in my case, and eat it (or drink it), too.
Luckily, I discovered some helpful tips throughout my travels and time as a collegiate here at Davis that I would like to share with you in hopes that they may aid in mitigating the pain of one too many tequila shots so you are ripe and ready to hit the town again by nightfall after a day of sightseeing, studying, or whatever else you may need to get done.
First, take some Ibuprofen. It’s necessary to remedy the headache you’ve woken up with or to prevent the one you’re most likely going to get.
Caution: Do not take Tylenol while hungover as you’re likely to still have some alcohol residue in your body, and when the two are paired, you can cause further damage.
Second, alcohol is a diuretic and causes you to urinate constantly, leaving you dehydrated and deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. This damages the delicate balance of electrolytes (sodium and potassium), and impairs the intestine’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals (like vitamin C and Calcium) from foods. So, replenish your body by drinking lots of fluids, like water, Gatorade, or orange juice, but make sure the fluids you choose are decaffeinated and not overly sugary. Also, eat easily digestible fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, carbohydrates, and fiber, like bananas, pickles, and apples.
Why?: Your liver is essential to metabolizing alcohol, but it needs water to do so. Because alcohol makes you urinate excessively, your liver is dehydrated and takes water from other organs in the body, such as your brain and stomach. This leads to those throbbing headaches and that seemingly incurable nausea we agonizingly endure the day after we drink.
What can you do to try and prevent them in the first place?
It’s important to know how to nurse a hangover, but the best solution is to take preventative measures that will help you avoid feeling hungover in the first place: drink slowly, don’t binge, and ALWAYS keep in mind that moderation is key. As silly as it may sound, find a discrete way to keep track of how many drinks you are having whether it’s counting on your cell phone or buying your own drinks and adhering to a limited budget you set prior to drinking.
Remember to always eat before you drink. Have a meal high in carbohydrates, like pasta, pizza, or a sandwich. This way, the alcohol will be absorbed by the food in your stomach rather than go straight into your blood stream, prolonging the effects of alcohol and minimizing the potential damage.
I hope these tips are helpful to figuring out how to balance soirees, Smirnoff, studying, and sightseeing. Bon chances, mes amours!