When you’re suffering the day after, it’s pretty common to question your sanity of the night before. Was it really worth feeling this awful…? Hopefully it was!

Hangovers happen when your liver is struggling to clear out the excessive toxins and chemicals you ingested during your night of debauchery. Your blood sugar dips. Your body is dehydrated and fatigue takes over. Basically, you have created a toxic internal environment and your body is letting you know. Here are a natural hangover cures to help calm that horrible feeling…so you can enjoy St. Patrick’s Day in style.

1. Hydrate

To help the detox process, it’s a good idea to drink water before, during and after imbibing. Before going to bed, try to down two big glasses. In the morning, drink water again. Water is great, but tomato juice with sugar and lime helps replenish electrolytes and get blood sugar back on track. No tomato juice? Try a glass of water with a dash of salt and sugar before bed and upon waking.

2. Tiger Balm

A popular topical remedy, it’s blended from camphor, menthol and clove oil and known for its analgesic properties. It is one of the best topical headache cures; dab the eye-stinging salve on the back of your neck and your temples (don’t get it in your eyes!), massage it in and wait a few minutes for your headache to melt away.

3. Bananas

When you’re hungover, your body has lost a lot of potassium that needs to be replenished, so eating a banana when you wake up will provide much needed relief. Even a banana smoothie with honey is a sweet way to feel human again. Or, if you’re still able to stand after you get home from drinking, having a banana before you pass out will help start the recovery process even sooner.

4. Honey

One of those miracle foods that has so many applications, and hangover help is one of them. The fructose helps your body metabolize the alcohol and it also contains potassium, just like bananas.

5. Carbs

One of the best ways to ditch that, “if I eat, I may just die” feeling is to go against what your body is telling you and eat something – preferably a healthy portion of carbs to sop up all of that alcohol and mix it with food as your body processes it. It’s best to go with something bland like bread with butter or plain pasta, or you might even want to top that pasta with a healthy tomato sauce and that bread with peanut butter and banana.

What’s your favourite hangover cure?

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