Holiday (or any day) Hangover Tips

There are 24.4 million Google search results for “can you die from a hangover”. And I’m pretty sure I’ve clicked on nearly a million of them.

Thanks to years of restaurant experience and my fair share of interest in oenology (study of wines), I couldn't count the number of hangovers I’ve had in my life (let alone the past year) even if I wanted to. What can I say, I love-me-some vino. And let’s be honest, the highest volume of alcohol consumption is more often than not during the holidays. But why, you say? Please refer to the below:

1. Celebrating
2. High family to time ratio
3. Party party party
4. Children Christmas “Pageants”
5. Short days, loooong nights (of drinking)
6. Celebrating
7. Cold AF
8. Instagram FOMO

Let’s face it, we all let a little too loose now and then and need some help surviving the next day. Here are a few of our tips and tricks, with love ❤, from us here at PortoVino.

Disclaimer: we are not doctors (nor do we want to be) these are just a few survival tips from us as professional wine consumers.

Water with a Twist

It’s become quite ‘on trend’ to choke down ounces and ounces of warm lemon water upon waking up in an effort to help with digestion and detoxification of your liver, blah blah blah.  Admit-tingly, I do this religiously because I’m impressionable (and partially because of all that wine) but to be honest, it actually is quite helpful whether hungover or not. Whilst this may just be a fashionable health trend, warm water with lemon does actually help stimulate your body, your metabolism and, in my opinion, it’s far more palatable on those really horrifying mornings when even the taste of cold, plain water makes you queasy.

A different type of twist…

Now I’m going to go all yogi guru on you (sort of). Understandably, the last thing you often want to do is move any more than you have to when you’re in a state of hangover-induced paralysis. But trust me on this one. Roll right out of bed, onto the floor faceup and twist your body by bringing your left leg across to the right side of your body. Snooze there for 45 seconds and switch. Twisting your torso helps things to ‘move along’ within your digestion system, stimulates your kidneys and liver to promote detoxification and once the twist is released, blood floods back into those main organs and provides a surplus of oxygen. It’s like wringing out all that holiday cheer from the night before.

Just like this guy!

Here’s another good option if you’re feeling really into it: https://www.lexiyoga.com/detoxification

Ba-nanas

Not everyone has lemons laying around, especially if you used all of them in your drinks the night before, but most convenience stores & gas stations have bananas and now you may know why. Not only are these little tubes of potassium easy on the stomach, they have their own to-go container! Bananas are packed with essentials vitamins and minerals. So have a banana before bed and another one in the morning and you'll be ready to go like this little guy before you know it. Trust us on this one!

Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey

Another confession: I take a shot of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar each morning because I’m a masochist and enjoy the horrifying experience. Not really. Taking a shot of ACV in the AM on an empty stomach raises the acidity level in your stomach which aides in digestion and nutrient absorption. And doing something absolutely painful as soon as I wake up in the makes me feel like I have some sort of unimpressive superpower. However, I know for a fact that when I’m hungover trying to register taking a shot of anything is mission impossible. Combining ACV with honey, which naturally helps your body process alcohol more quickly and bring you out of your hypoglycemic coma, add about 8 ounces of water and you have a far less painful hangover serum to help you consider getting through the day.

Eat Breakfast

I know, you’re queasy and couldn’t imagine keeping anything down. Except maybe a cheeseburger. But if you actually have to survive and prosper after that first meal, I’d recommend staying away from those tempting greasebombs. My morning after food-mantra is to reach for simple but fiber-filled with a little fat to help with palatability. My go to to is toasted Ezekiel bread and a bit of butter. Sprinkle with pink himalayan sea salt to add back some sodium and you’re off to the races. If you can stomach it, try to add an egg to the mix for some protein to help you power through the morning.

Drink, Drink, Drink

No, we don’t mean SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS. That makes me feel hungover just thinking about it. Wherever you can sub in more fluid, go for it. It will help flush your body (yes, there will be several potty breaks) and replenish the life that slowly evaporated from your body throughout the night prior.

Broth

Soup is a killer alternative to solid foods when you’re not feeling great, especially during these cold winter months. In NYC, I was lucky enough to have access to the greatest hangover invention there is, Brodo, a walk-up bone broth and soup counter from genius Chef and hangover savior Marco Canora. Served to you in a to-go coffee cup, you can choose from several broth types and life-giving add-ins and be on your merry little way. I’d stumble up to that counter just off the subway on my way to the restaurant, sunglasses hiding the sins of the night prior, knowing that salvation was just at the bottom of these 16 ounces. And now bone broth can be found pretty much everywhere and in very convenient, portable and microwavable packaging.

Tea

Everyone knows the power of tea, even when you’re not slowly dying of a hangover. My three favorites are: ginger tea, when I can’t even tie my shoes without becoming nauseated, green tea to give me a minor high and am in need something near tasteless, and yerba mate tea when I can’t stomach drinking coffee and can’t afford to be entirely useless.

Electrolytes

This is, of course, a no brainer. Drink a ton of water. Pee a lot. Repeat. Plus the extra steps to the powder room count as a workout, right? Nothing is going to be quite as beneficial as plain old water, but throw in a few ounces of coconut water here and there to stave off palate fatigue  and that’ll help do the trick. There’s also these nifty hydration tablets from Nuun that taste awesome and come in a variety of flavors offering various benefits from vitamin replenishment and added caffeine if you need another boost.

Sweat It off

LOL, NO. Pretty much what I think every time I contemplate working out whilst suffering a slow, dehydrated death. But, it typically pays off. Though I wouldn’t actually quantify my attempt at stumbling on the treadmill at an incline as a workout, it does get my blood pumping and helps your body flush toxins. Plus I have a tendency to experience dry mouth when I prance around the gym so drinking water to rehydrate becomes far more appealing.

Just Do It.

Sadly, we are no longer interns in our 20s and can’t afford to call out sick and remain motionless in bed for an entire 24 hours. Now we are functioning adults (did anyone laugh out loud at that one?) with kids or partners or jobs that actually require our presence. So really, ya just gotta get up and do it. And to be honest, it helps if you do it well. After years of surviving painful mornings, I’ve come to realize the more I look like hell, the more I feel like hell. So get up, wash your face, throw on a face mask while you drink your lemon water or ACV solution, twist it out and get your groove on.

There's also this?

If you have the time, resources and hello, stamina, by all means. And please let me know how it goes? I’m pretty much open to all ideas. https://www.theivdoc.com/services/hangover-treatments

When it’s all said in done, no one enjoys being hungover and there’s no way to actually prevent or cure a hangover except to avoid one all together. But hey, when you do wake up the next morning like death hath cometh, just remember the good times and good company from the night before...and drink some water!