Get over your hangover

If you happen to indulge in a little too much eggnog this festive season, don’t despair—we’ve got a medicine cabinet full of hangover prescriptions to aid your holiday detox.

Vitamin B1- Help your body metabolize the nasty byproduct of alcohol, known as acetaldehyde (a cousin of formeldehyde), by taking 500 mg of B1 (thiamin) prior to sleeping.

Vitamin C- Taking 1,000 to 2,000 mg of vitamin C—the universal detoxifier—before bed can also prevent a pounding hangover in the first place.

Acetyl L-carnitine- Restore your memory quickly and prevent cell damage by ingesting 1,500 to 2,000 mg of this nutrient the morning after.

Nux Vomica- For the homeopathic route to recovery, take 4X, 6X, or 6C of Nux every half hour until you feel better. Some people even put the remedy in party punch!

Coconut water- Replenish electrolytes and speed the removal of acetaldehyde by downing this tropical treat. Packed with 15 times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink with less sugar, no fat, and none of the artificial ingredients, coconut water restores proper fluid absorption in cells, muscle coordination and nerve function.

Healing Foods—Rx: A Surprising Solution for Hangovers

By Einav Keet

Last night was great. Maybe too great, and you’re paying for it this morning—with a throbbing head, cotton-ball mouth, and nausea. While you can’t "un-drink" all those piña coladas, you can get hangover relief from another tropical beverage: coconut water.

Different from coconut milk (the fatty nectar made from the pressed meat of the coconut), coconut water is the juice that spills out when you crack open a coconut. With about 60 calories in each 11-ounce serving, the juice has a subtle sweetness that makes it great for sipping anytime, but it really shines for morning-after recovery. Each serving packs a walloping 660 mg of potassium, an important electrolyte, while most sports drinks, touted for their electrolyte content, contain only 44 mg.

That’s important because alcohol, a diuretic, dehydrates your body and leaches out the electrolytes—the sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium—your body needs to regulate blood pH, muscle function, and cellular activity. When electrolyte levels drop, the hallmark hangover symptoms result. Alcohol also breaks down in your body into a slightly toxic compound called acetaldehyde. This metabolic byproduct contributes to those post-party head and body aches as well.

You can replenish your electrolytes and speed the removal of acetaldehyde by downing electrolyte-rich beverages like coconut water. "Basically, coconut water is nature’s sports drink," says Michael Kirban, cofounder of Vita Coco. "It has 15 times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink and two bananas�?worth of potassium per serving, with less sugar, no fat, and none of the artificial ingredients found in all of the leading sports drinks."

Consequently, coconut water restores proper fluid absorption in cells as well as muscle coordination and nerve function. In Brazil, where coconut water trails only orange juice in consumption, the locals also sip on it to ease nausea.

Once found only in tropical climes, coconut water is quickly spilling into the American market, with companies like Vita Coco, O.N.E., Zico, CocoWater, and Amy and Brian all offering it. You can find coconut water at most natural grocers or your closest palm tree. Cheers!