During the festive season, we seem to spoil ourselves with overeating and drinking. As alcohol drinking has become part of the world’s celebration, chances are that we will drink too much, resulting in the unwanted symptoms which we call “hangover” in the next morning.
A hangover is the body’s reaction after the consumption of too much alcohol. Once we consume alcoholic beverages, the alcohol will get into our blood and be transferred throughout our body. The alcohol will affect every cells that contain water — meaning most cells in our body. Then, the liver will release the enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to transform ethanol into a toxic compound before releasing them out of the body as carbon dioxide and water.
The causes of a hangover are still poorly understood, but most believe that it is the result of the body’s hormonal and immune responses that trigger different symptoms including fatigue, nausea, headache, sensitivity to light, dehydration or dizziness, etc.
There are no medicines or medical treatments that can completely cure a hangover but some foods and beverages can tremendously relieve the hangover symptoms, some of which include fruits and vegetables that are easy to find in Thailand. So, before you go out for a party tonight, make sure that you have these foods in your fridge… bananas, watermelon, nuts, avocado, oatmeal, asparagus, sweet potatoes, ginger, tomato juice, and coconut water.
