How to Use Herbs to Prevent a Hangover

Let's face it. While drinking can be fun and social, the next day often isn't. I've had mornings where I know I've had at least one drink too many. And these mornings hurt—A LOT.

So, I've learned that the best thing to do isn't always to simply NOT drink. I understand that preventing a hangover is my number one priority. Sure, you can work the next day to fix your hangover—but in my experience, the only thing that helps with the next morning is time.

That's why I now take care of my hangover before it even happens. I use herbs and drink plenty of water to help prevent it. I've used this routine several times and it's been a while since I've woken up the next morning feeling sick.

The number one thing you need to think about is protecting the liver, so the herbs I choose are ones that help strengthen it. Aside from the obvious "drink less," the following measures will really help the liver process the alcohol quicker.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Milk Thistle capsules
• Dandelion Tincture (roots and leaves)
• Burdock Root
• A lot of water
• Eat a healthy meal with the alcohol

1. Eat and Drink Enough Water
   
   Make sure you eat something before you start drinking, or at least during. And over the course of the night, drink enough water. If you have other things to digest and process besides the alcohol, it will really help. Water speeds the digestive system along.

2. Take Milk Thistle
   
   Pop around two milk thistle capsules 30 minutes before you start drinking and two more after your are finished drinking. Milk thistle is very healing to the liver; not only can it help protect that sensitive organ, it also helps process the alcohol and move it out of your system. The sooner this happens, the better, and milk thistle helps a lot.

3. Take Burdock Root and Dandelion Tincture
   
   There are also two tinctures you should take: burdock root and dandelion (the whole plant). Both of these plants help the digestive system and the liver. You can take them before you drink, after and throughout the next day. Follow the instructions on the bottle for the proper way to take it. Most have you mix a few drops of the tincture in some warm water.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you aren't allergic to the herbs.
• Drinking less or not at all is always preferred.
• If you're really sick, you may need to go to the hospital to get your stomach pumped.
• Make sure you discuss these suggestions with your doctor.

[cbis]

on 7/21/2008 Here are some useful sites to find good tips about preventing or curing alcoholic hangovers and have a better morning after!

http://www.fighthangover.com
http://www.partysmart.net
www.wikihow.com/Prevent-a-Hangover
http://ezinearticles.com/?Hangover---How-To-Prevent-and-Cure-hangovers-Quickly&id=392008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangover

[kohuether]

on 7/20/2008 Only problem is, those pain killers can put strain on the liver, and the liver is unhappy because of the alcohol. The liver helping herbs prevent you from wrecking your liver. Water is good, too - but I believe you need both especially if you want to be healthy. Ultimately, water helps the liver flush the alcohol out and detox - the herbs speed that process up.

Entropy, it is an error to think about herbs the same way we do medicines. Plant based remedies have a totally different affect on the body. They balance. You just need to choose the right herbs for your situation. Yes, there are counterindications but the information is readily available and you can look it up.

Most herbs mix fine with alcohol. In fact, alcohol releases certain active consituents that aren't absorbed and activated that well with things like water and even digestive enzymes. When you buy an herbal tincture

[lilredridin]

on 7/12/2008 Something I swear by is when I get home or done drinking for the night and ready to head to bed, I take a couple tums or something like that then take two tylenols. I feel this helps so much and I usually feel pretty great the next day =)

[Entropy997]

on 7/12/2008 What you do is you don't drink water while you drink. You simply drink a ton of water once you've finished you're *evening*, or once you've become pretty much sober.

For example: say, you and some friends drink through a bottle of vodka at your place some night. Once the evening has come to a close and you're ready to go to sleep, drink a ton of water. Wait a bit and let it settle for 15 mins or so, then drink a bunch more.

You'll feel no headache at all if your body is like mine. It's not a wive's tale: it's science.

[Hannah828]

on 7/10/2008 If you drink two glasses of water for every alcoholic beverage you drink, then why drink at all? You will remain stone cold sober and you will have wasted money on what you were doing for pleasure to begin with.