Herbs for hangovers

Man suffers from hangover — This is man suffering with a hangover. He needs water, some fresh air, a massage, herbal tea, and some lavender essential oil rubbed on his temples. Photo courtesy of Pexels.com.

Treating hangovers with herbs and home remedies

I think that the worst hangover symptom after a night of heavy drinking is a pounding headache. For me, the high from alcohol consumption is not worth the headache I get afterwards. I tend to avoid alcoholic beverages, but sometimes a person has to celebrate. Herbal remedies to the rescue!

I use herbal pain relievers like white willow bark, which work just like aspirin without irritating the stomach. It's easy! Make a hot tea out of the bark and sip slowly while inhaling the steam. You can also use white oak bark, if white willow is not on hand. Find more home remedies for headache pain.

How to make white willow bark tea

White willow bark tea is easy to prepare.

Just cut off some bark from a white willow tree limb with a pocket knife or small hatchet. Be sure to get a little of the inner bark, too.
Rinse well under boiling water to remove dirt and insects.
Boil a piece the size of a pack of chewing gum for 1 minute in 2 cups of water, then simmer for 10 more minutes.
Add peppermint, ginger, and rosemary for extra strength.
Drink down ½ cup as soon as it is cool enough, then sip on the rest throughout the day.

What is a hangover?

Hangovers are a result of drinking too much alcohol. Whether the culprit is beer, wine, cocktails, or shots of liquor, symptoms are the same. They include dry mouth, shaking, nausea, and headache. Thank goodness, herbal medicine and home remedies can help.

woman practicing deep breathing — Photo of woman doing deep breathing exercises in the fresh air provided by Wiki Media.

More natural remedies for hangovers

Hangovers can sometimes be cured by drinking a large glass of water and breathing fresh air.

Using peppermint, ginger, and rosemary essential oils in aromatherapy can also help.

Eating pieces of ginger root can also help a hangover, especially any nausea that is present.

Use herbal massages and baths to treat hangovers.

Massage is also an excellent remedy for a hangover. Use a good-quality, organic carrier oil like almond, grapeseed, or olive oil and a few drops of essential oil.

Good oils to try include bergamot, eucalyptus, lavender, fennel, or frankincense. These essential oils may also be added to a warm bath if no one is around to offer massage services!

Lavender essential oil can cure headaches and hangovers.

You can also rub a drop of lavender essential oil on the wrists and behind the ears. Careful, one drop is enough to clear the head and ease a pounding headache! Remember a little essential oil goes a long, long way.

Turn out the lights and relax a few minutes while inhaling the scent. Soon that miserable hangover will be a thing of the past.

Lavender essential oil should be in every medicine cabinet. One fluid ounce of the stuff will last months and costs less than $20.

People at a party with cocktails — The party is fun, but a hangover is not. When you drink too much, herbs can help you feel better fast! Photo of people at a party provided by Wiki Commons.

Relaxation helps a hangover.

When you have a hangover, it is best to relax in a calm atmosphere. Medicinal herbs for relaxing the nerves are also good for hangovers. Try wild lettuce, passion flower, bee balm, chamomile, or special blends like Sleepy Time Tea (available at most health food stores).

Medicinal herbs can help the liver to recover from too much alcohol.

Use milk thistle and turmeric to restore the liver naturally after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. It is very beneficial especially if a person drinks heavily on a regular basis.

Science, herbs, and hangovers

Alcohol contains the metabolite acetaldehyde which is toxic and harmful to humans.

Acute binge alcohol ingestion causes a hangover with many of the same symptoms as food poisoning. Dehydration, oxidative stress, and hormonal disruptions cause dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and muscle pain after consuming too much alcohol.

Studies show that herbs can help. The most effective have antioxidants, flavonoids, and vitamins that work to scavenge free radicals.

Some plants even help protect the liver and decrease concentration of alcohol in the blood.

Kudzu roots and flowers are useful for treating hangover. Substances in kudzu work to remove acetaldehyde from the body, stopping flushing, palpitations, and headache. Kudzu remedies also work to improve liver function.

More herbs for hangovers

An extract of Fructus evodiae is used in China for it's anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It works to metabolize alcohol and remove it from the blood.

Seeds of fenugreek and also been studied and show great promise for protection against alcohol toxicity in the liver.

Mango, a well known tropical fruit, is rich is polyphenolic compounds that decrease plasma alcohol levels after excessive alcohol intake.

Persimmon, asparagus, water dropwart, pear cactus, panax ginseng, St. John's wort, thyme, ginger, and various other herbs also offer protection from alcohol poisoning. More studies are underway to see exactly how these plants work to relieve hangover.

variety of alcoholic beverages — Alcohol comes in a variety of strengths, flavors, and colors. Photo of alcoholic beverages provided by Wiki Media.

Nutrition and hangovers

Nutrition also plays a part in the severity of a hangover. Minerals such as zinc, selenium, copper, iron, and magnesium have a direct effect on alcohol metabolism.

Hangover symptoms including concentration problems, regret, sleepiness, shaking, shivering, clumsiness, weakness, apathy, sweating, stomach pain, and reduced appetite are reduced depending on diet.

Food rich in zinc and nicotinic acid work to produce less severe hangovers.

For zinc, eat more meat, shellfish, and legumes. For nicotinic acid, eat more meat, fish, poultry, avocado, peanuts, whole grains, and mushrooms.

Other factors that can determine the severity of a hangover include genetics, environment, sex, age, race, biological rhythms, time of day, medicinal drug use, and recreational drug use.

Add magnesium to the diet.

Also try to eat something high in magnesium when suffering with a hangover headache. Greens, sea food, nuts, whole grains, and molasses are examples of foods with magnesium.

Vitamin C can also help. Learn more about the importance of vitamins and minerals in our diets.

Avoid all MSG, soft drinks, liquor, dairy foods, processed foods, and red meat.

When recovering from a night of excess drinking, be sure to add apples, fresh pineapples, cranberry juice, green salads, brown rice, cider vinegar, green drinks, and honey to the diet.

If you wake up often with a hangover, you may be addicted to alcohol. Read more about overcoming addiction.

*Always consult with a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy especially if you are taking over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6274469/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6780234/

Blessings to you and yours!

Thanks so much for reading my blog. Jan.

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