As we ring in the new year, it's probably fair to assume that some of us are feeling a little worse for wear today.
Many of us will have opted to drown our sorrows with plenty of booze over New Year's Eve and will have woken up up this morning a little worse for wear.
Take a look at this video of a German kid drinking 'beer' at a football game:But if you're showing all the symptoms of major alcoholic overindulgence then I have good news for you: A doctor has gone viral on social media this week after sharing their "life-changer' tips to minimize the serious effects of a hangover.
Per a report from News.com/au, Daniel Fenton, a British GP and Clinical Director at the London Doctors Clinic, has put together this handy step-by-step guide showing how you can avoid worsening your hangover in the future. Scroll down to check out these genius booze lifehacks:
1. Take antiacid pills before bed:Dr. Fenton recommends taking antacids to reduce nausea, heartburn, and indigestion caused by alcoholic drinks, stating: "These are an absolute lifesaver for reducing stomach acid and will help you to feel less nauseous the following morning."
When it comes to what to drink, Dr. Fenton claims that red and white wines are the most dangerous, and that clear spirits are your best bet to avoid worse aftereffects, stating: "We’ve all experienced the red wine hangover.
"There are ingredients in many drinks called congeners which do contribute significantly to hangovers and red wine and fortified wines have a lot of them.
"You probably already know this from experience. Vodka, gin, and white rum have less so you may get less of a hangover per unit of alcohol consumed."
Dr. Fenton also cautions drinkers not to binge on espresso martinis, as their high caffeine content means that they can worsen the effects of dehydration.
Dr. Fenton states: "The addition of caffeine acts as a stimulant and can make you feel really lively while at a party. However, one too many martinis 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 caffeine infusion."
When it comes to avoiding a nasty hangover, paying special attention to your diet is key. Make sure to line your stomach before boozing, and eating eggs may help as well.
Dr. Fenton states: "Raw eggs do contain some of the essential amino acids the liver uses to digest alcohol so it has a theoretical basis.
"Mixed with tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper, and chili sauce, raw eggs have been glugged for many years after a big night out. Who knows if it works? The thought of it puts me off drinking, so that may be something."
Many people mitigate the effects of a hangover by drinking the next day. But Dr. Fenton recommends against this, stating: "We’ve all heard of drinking through your hangover."
"While this always sounds like a great idea and undoubtedly does kill the pain for a short time but in practice, it only makes things worse in a few hours."
"It makes you more dehydrated, aggravates your stomach, and worsens the headache. It also means you’ve very likely got a serious drinking problem."
"It’s better to rehydrate and top up with electrolyte-rich sports drinks and tons of water to help you rehydrate and replace the salts and sugars lost by the diuretic effect of alcohol."
So there you have it: if you stick to these tips then you might find it easier to cope with the day after a big party. But please bear in mind that the best way to manage a hangover is to manage your alcohol intake from the start!
