Football didn’t come home, after all. If you’re suffering from the hangover blues, here’s what to do
Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions bowed out of the World Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Croatia. Despite the setback, up to 10 million pints were consumed at the semi-final stages.
If your head is feeling worse for wear after the football then fear not. Daniel Fenton, Clinical Director and GP at London Doctors Clinic is on hand to offer practical advice to have you feeling fresh in no time.
Take antacids before going to bed
“These are an absolute lifesaver for reducing stomach acid and will help you to feel less nauseous the following morning.”
Beware of ‘Hair of the Dog’
“We’ve all heard of drinking through the hangover.
“Whilst this sounds like a great idea and may kill the pain for a short time, in practice it only makes things worse. In just a few hours, it makes you more dehydrated, aggravates your stomach and worsens the headache. It also means you are very likely to have a serious drinking problem.
“It’s better to rehydrate and top up with electrolyte-rich sports drinks and lots of water to replace the salts and sugars lost by the diuretic effect of alcohol.”
Be careful if you’re hitting the gym
“This may well make you feel better after a night’s drinking, as it will certainly get the endorphins going and lift your mood.
“However, you should still be careful if you are planning a run the morning after drinking. If you’ve had a real bender, your liver is already pretty beaten up and over-exercising can aggravate it even further. Make sure you drink a lot of water. The fluid you lose in ‘sweating it out’ needs to be replaced and in excess amounts.”
Watch what you eat
“Raw eggs do contain some of the essential amino acids that the liver uses to digest alcohol so it has a theoretical basis.
“Mixed with tomato juice, Worcester sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper and chilli sauce, raw eggs have been glugged down by our transatlantic cousins for many years after a big night out.”
Stick with clear alcohol
“We’ve all experienced the red wine hangover! There are ingredients in many drinks called congeners which do contribute significantly to hangovers – red wine and fortified wines contain a lot of them.
“You probably already know this from experience. Vodka, gin and white rum have less of this ingredient so you may experience less of a hangover – per unit of alcohol consumed. Think about it though. This is not necessarily a good thing.”
Espresso Martinis are not your friend
“The addition of caffeine acts as a stimulant and can make you feel really lively whilst cheering on England.
“However, one too many caffeine-infused drinks will leave you feeling dry as a bone, as caffeine acts as a diuretic and causes you to make more frequent trips to the loo.
“Dehydration is one of the factors contributing to that morning hangover headache, so it may be better to keep it simple and have a drink without the stimulants.”
