Talk of the upcoming release of The Hangover 3 as well as various friends’ plans for the Memorial Day Holiday weekend has led to questions about which oils will help combat the not so fun effects of too much to drink.
When tons of fun partying until all hours moves into the yuck of the morning after…
You know the feeling – Fuzzy headed
if you are lucky,
and a full on jackhammer working on your skull if you are not so lucky with body aches, dry mouth, queasy stomach, nausea, etc.
What is the best way to battle a hangover???
To not get drunk! Too late for that? Yup, I have been there too. Here are some suggestions.
Water – Alcohol dehydrates the cells in the body, so add some water back. Drink small amounts often. No need to overwhelm your already sensitive stomach with a gallon of water in five minutes. If water is lacking the flavor your crave, a good idea to naturally flavor your water is to try adding some lemon or lime – good flavor, stimulates the liver and is refreshing. Real fruit is so much better than flavored powders.
Simple Food – Stick to toast, crackers, soups and pasta. Start with snack size portions to make sure that your stomach is ready for it. Avoid those grease-soaked fries and fast food burger. Drowning a hangover is grease will actually impair your liver function for longer and extend your hangover symptoms.
Essential Oil Blends – Get a little relief by using therapeutic grade essential oils. Blends combining any of the oils below will help reduce the effects of your symptoms and aid your body’s natural ability to heal itself. These should be added to a lotion, cream or oil before applying to your body. Reapply often as you are recovering from your night. After applying to your skin, hold your hands in front of your nose and simply inhale. This will get you some quick relief while your body is absorbing the oils through your skin and spreading them through the blood steam. Suggested oils include:
Peppermint – Helps with pain from headaches and settle your stomach
Lavender – Soothing and relaxing for those body aches, but it’s also an analgesic for that pounding headache
Ginger – Great for nausea and stimulates localized circulation (Cardamom is an alternative)
Black Pepper – Increases circulation to help flush toxins and eases aches & pains
Frankincense – Clears the head and cooling to help battle those sweats
Juniper – Powerful detoxifying affects
Roman Chamomile – Calming an upset stomach and aiding in sleep
Rest – Don’t forget this simple tool to help your body heal.
As I researched various hangover cures, milk thistle (herb) kept coming up because it is used to fortify and protect the liver from the effects of alcohol. I need to do more digging on that one. If it gets added to our herb supply, I promise it will get its own post down the road.
A little science about why your body feels so bad
As you drink alcohol, it hits the blood stream and causes the Pituitary Gland in the brain to stop producing vasopressin (also known as the antidiuretic hormone). Without this chemical, our kidneys do not absorb water (needed to hydrate our cells and flush out toxins), instead it sends it directly to the bladder. That is why you have to pee every two seconds when you start drinking.
This dehydration is one reason your head hurts the next day – your organs deal with their own water loss by pulling it from the brain, causing it to decrease in size and pull on the membranes connecting the brain to the skull...ouch.
All of that peeing that you did stripped your body of salt and potassium, both of which are needed for your nerve and muscle function. If you don't replenish your salt and potassium, headaches, fatigue and nausea may rear their ugly heads.
Alcohol can cause blood vessels to dilate – again where your headache comes into play.
Can’t forget our liver. Alcohol also affects the body’s store of glycogen turning it into glucose (sugar) and sending it around the entire body. This will impact your digestion and over all functioning of your immune system.
To learn more about the benefits of essential oils and healthy living, visit www.kristajean.com.
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