In the season of beach parties, roof top bars and barbecues – find out how to save yourself the pain of a hangover! Get our expert tactics to feel refreshed after a night out and protect your body from damage.
- Discover how to pre-tox properly, our hydration hacks
- Know which one drink to avoid during the day before going out
- Find out which drinks are healthier options
- Get our emergency morning after protocol!
1. HYDRATE BEFORE, DURING & AFTER
Booze causes us to lose a lot of water, meaning we get dehydrated – this is actually the reason why our heads hurt the morning after drinking too much.
Our bodies rely on H2O for every single function, so remember to drink plenty of water and caffeine-free herbal teas before, during and after drinking alcohol.
Our favorite hydration hacks:
- Soak 1-2tbsp Organic Burst Chia in your bottle of water for 10 min (optional: with a squeeze of lemon juice) and have before, during and after your night out. Chia is powerfully hydrating as it absorbs 10x its weight in water.
- Supercharge this by using coconut water instead of regular water (see this easy Coconut Chia Fresca recipe.
- Add electrolytes to your water with 2 teaspoons of Organic Burst Baobab to help you stay mega hydrated. As well as tasting refreshing and citrusy, you’ll benefit from the immune boosting Vitamin C content, plus the electrolyte potassium, which both get used up when drinking alcohol.
2. PRE-TOX
Alcohol is known to deplete an array of nutrients in your body including vitamins B1, B6, B12, folic acid, zinc, magnesium and more - making you feel edgy, anxious and exhausted the day after a long night out.
Having foods rich in these vitamins and minerals is a good strategy to help lessen the hangover:
- Organic Burst Spirulina is a B-Vitamin powerhouse. It’s rich in Vitamin B6 (known to help hangovers) as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B12 and more. Have 8 tablets (or 1 teaspoon) before going out and the same again the next day.
- Have magnesium-rich foods during the day – seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and sesame), raw cacao and avocados are all excellent sources.
- Papaya, watermelon and strawberries are also good sources of magnesium and have other amazing benefits such as hydration (watermelon), antioxidants (strawberries) and digestive enzymes (papaya), key for feeling fresher the following day!
Alcohol depletes B Vits, making you restless. Replenish w/ spirulina before and after night out.
TWEET IT
>> READ ON to find out which drink to avoid during the day
3. LINE YOUR STOMACH
The golden rule of alcohol is to never drink on an empty stomach. A lot of the alcohol you consume is absorbed straight through the stomach lining, this is why you can feel the effects so quickly.
The difference between feeling normal vs. waking up the next morning with a queasy stomach and throbbing head can be as simple as 1 good meal.
If you don’t have time to eat before your night out, at least eat a sturdy snack containing protein before a single drop of alcohol passes your lips.
Some good snack options:
- Some soup
- Chia pudding
- Organic plain or plant yogurt
- Spirulina Superbites
4. AVOID COFFEE ON THE SAME DAY
Choose caffeine OR alcohol in any 24 hour period – if you’re going to be drinking in the evening, don’t load up on your usual double shot macchiato that morning because caffeine puts an extra load on your liver, which you really want to be working at its best if you’re chucking alcohol at it later on!
Avoid coffee on the day you're going out. Caffeine is dehydrating, leading to a stronger hangover.
TWEET IT
Caffeine is also powerfully dehydrating, which will add to the effect of alcohol.
If you cannot function without caffeine – go for green tea as it has way less caffeine.
Try a wheatgrass latte in the afternoon – mix 1tsp Organic Burst Wheatgrass with 1 glass of milk of your choice (we love almond or coconut milk).
>> READ ON to discover which alcohol is a healthier option
5. PROTECT YOUR LIVER
Start eating liver-supportive foods in advance of a big party – ideally a week or two before.
- Organic Burst Chlorella is the perfect liver protector because it actually cleanses toxins from the body. Take 4 tablets or 1 teaspoon in lemon water, juice, or your favourite smoothie every day, then you can increase the dose to 8 tablets or 2 teaspoons after 3-4 days.
- Organic Burst Wheatgrass is rich in chlorophyll and is another favorite to have before drinking and eating out.
- Apple cider vinegar is a great liver helper. Take a teaspoon in a glass of warm water each morning
- Turmeric either fresh or dried, is very powerful for the liver, add to cooking, in a warming tea or add the fresh root to a smoothie (it blends easily).
6. CHOOSE YOUR POISON CAREFULLY!
Some drinks have a much more dramatic effect on how you feel the next day, due to sugar and additives such as colors and preservatives that put a strain on your pancreas and your detoxification organs.
Brightly coloured alco-pops, mixers, and syrupy liqueurs are the worst culprits.
For this reason, most cocktails are best avoided – unless you can control what goes into them and if you can make your own cocktail (such as our very popular Cheeky Chia Cocktail).
If possible, go for organic sulphate-free wine, or clear spirits like gin or vodka mixed with sparkling water and lemon or lime juice.
EMERGENCY MORNING AFTER PROTOCOL
Finally, if all else fails, here’s our emergency morning after protocol:
- Lie in as long as you can, recovery takes place in your sleep!
- Get outside and enjoy some fresh air and exercise – a gentle walk is fine. Strong daylight has a natural anti-depressant effect, hiding under the duvet all day will only make you feel worse.
- If you live close to the beach (yes there are some lucky people out there) – go for a walk barefoot and have a little swim. Grounding is powerful for recovery.
- This sounds wacky but it really works: drink some sauerkraut juice - because after drinking and eating out, your gut flora is compromised. Sauerkraut is very helpful as it contains beneficial bacteria. If you don't have sauerkraut but have other pickles they might also do (just make sure they're naturally pickled and don't contain added sugar or chemicals!)
- Rather than reaching for a greasy breakfast, go for some natural yogurt to help rebalance the gut flora and ease your queasiness.
- Take a booster dose of Organic Burst Chlorella tablets (or powder) to help the liver process the onslaught of harmful toxins. Numerous studies show chlorella helping remove alcohol from the liver, as well as cleansing it from other chemicals such as environmental pollutants. Amazing stuff!
- Rehydrate with plain water, lemon water, fizzy water – you get the gist.
Party responsibly people!