Home
Rodale Bookshelf
New Choices in Natural Healing: Hangover

Chapter List

Special Limited Time Offer!
Order today and
Save an Extra 15%!
Use coupon code: LSAVE15

Hangover

See Your Medical Doctor When...

You have severe headache pain that is still present the day after your hangover.
You continue to feel nauseated or haven’t regained your appetite after 48 hours.
You feel disoriented despite abstaining from alcohol for two to three days.
You have bouts of diarrhea that go on for more than three to four days.

Acupressure

To relieve the headache and gastrointestinal distress of a hangover, press point LI 4, located in the webbing between the thumb and index finger, close to the bone at the base of the index finger, says Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, California, and author of Acupressure’s Potent Points. (To help locate this point, refer to the illustration on page 565.) Hold this point with your thumb on top of the webbing and your index finger underneath, says Dr. Gach, then squeeze into the webbing, angling the pressure toward the bone that connects the index finger to the hand. He suggests stimulating the point for one minute, then repeating on your other hand. This is not recommended for pregnant women because it can cause uterine contractions, he says.

For a headache accompanied by sensitivity to light, Dr. Gach recommends the B 2 points, situated on the upper ridge of each eye socket close to the bridge of the nose. (To help locate these points, refer to the illustration on page 564.) He says to gently pinch the area with your thumb and index finger and press upward into the indentations of the eye sockets. Hold for two to three minutes while you concentrate on taking slow, deep breaths, he says.

Aromatherapy

In Aromatherapy: Applications and Inhalations, San Francisco herbalist Jeanne Rose, chairperson of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, suggests an aromatic cocktail to ease hangover queasiness: Mix four ounces of water, the juice of half of a lemon and a drop or two of fennel essential oil, then drink it before breakfast.

For information on preparing and administering essential oils, including cautions about their use, see page 19. For information on purchasing essential oils, refer to the resource list on page 633.

Ayurveda

For hangovers, stir one teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch of cumin into one cup of fresh orange juice and drink, says Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc., director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Food Therapy

No matter how much you drink, have a few more before retiring—but this time, make it water. “The big problem with a hangover is dehydration, and you can make the morning after a little easier by drinking two or three large glasses of water before going to sleep,” says Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California, and author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition. He also recommends replenishing your system the morning after with plenty of fruits rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, grapefruit, strawberries and guava, and foods rich in the B vitamins, including whole grains, fish and beans. “Vitamin C may help speed the alcohol out of the body, and the B vitamins are believed to do the same thing,” he says. (For more food sources of vitamin C and the B vitamins, see “Getting What You Need” on page 142.)

Homeopathy

Nux Vomica is a homeopathic remedy for hangover that works for many people, says Mitchell Fleisher, M.D., a family practice physician and homeopath in Colleen, Virginia. He suggests taking one 6C or 12C tablet every three to four hours as needed until you begin to feel better.

Nux Vomica is available in many health food stores. To purchase homeopathic remedies by mail, refer to the resource list on page 637.

Imagery

Picture yourself on a ship in a stormy sea. See huge waves tossing your ship wildly in every direction. Imagine the storm slowly subsiding. The giant waves become smoother and smoother until the boat bobs on the water, as if you were gently being rocked like a little baby. Now safely pull into port, says Dennis Gersten, M.D., a San Diego psychiatrist and publisher of Atlantis, a bi-monthly imagery newsletter.

Juice Therapy

“Fresh juices are wonderful hangover medicine, since they flush out the system and rehydrate the body at the same time,” says Eve Campanelli, Ph.D., a holistic family practitioner in Beverly Hills, California. She recommends a blend of 8 ounces of carrot juice, 1 ounce of beet juice, 4 ounces of celery juice and ½ to 1 ounce of parsley juice. “Drink one glass in the morning and a second glass later in the day,” she suggests. “This will stimulate the liver and alleviate the diarrhea that severely dehydrated people often experience.”

For information on juicing techniques, see page 93.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

“An easy way to get the nutrients that help treat a hangover is with a product called E-mergen-C, which is a ready-made mixture of the necessary B vitamins, vitamin C and minerals. It is very helpful for relief from hangovers,” says Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California, and author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition. You can find E-mergen-C in drugstores and most health food stores. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

Shop with Us: Brands A-Z; Products A-Z; Autoship; Ways to Shop; Member Discounts

Customer Service: Contact Us; Help Desk; Shipping Policy; Return Policy; Ask a question; Track Your Order

My Account: My Account; My Order History; My Shopping Cart

Health Library: Vitamin Guide; Guide to Herbs; Health Concerns; Home Remedies; Seniors Health; Women's Health

About Us: Our Blog; Our Philosophy; Corporate Discounts; Affliliate Program; Terms of Use

Featured Partners

Email Sign up: Weekly health news, sale announcements and coupons!

Call us M-F 9am-5pm: 1-800-439-5506

Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Information about each product is taken from the labels of the products or from the manufacturer's advertising material. MotherNature is not responsible for any statements or claims that various manufacturers make about their products. We cannot be held responsible for typographical errors or product formulation changes. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.All discounts are taken from suggested retail prices. Prices are subject to change.