Insight Nutrition Blog

Most people know to drink plenty of water to counter the dehydrating effects of booze. And there are an array of products on the market containing nutrients formulated to restore what alcohol depletes—even tablets of activated charcoal, which are supposed to absorb toxins. Michael Gerber, M.D., H.M.D., of the Gerber Medical Clinic in Reno, Nevada, has some additional advice: Alcohol is an antioxidant and can have beneficial effects. But its breakdown product, acetaldehyde, a cousin of formaldehyde [embalming fluid], can cause free radical damage. Here are some  night before and morning after tips:

•  500 mg of B1 before bed can metabolize acetaldehyde out of the body quickly and help you avoid the morning-after headache.
   
• 1,000 to 2,000 mg of vitamin C—the universal detoxifier—before going to bed is also good hangover prevention.
   

If you didn’t take preventive steps the night before, there are several things you can do in the morning.

•  A little buffered aspirin with 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate [baking soda] in water, taken along with 3,000 to 5,000 mg of vitamin C, will usually relieve your pain. 
• Even better is 1,500 to 2,000 mg of acetyl L-carnitine, which restores memory and brain activity quickly and helps prevent brain damage.
• Coconut water - Different from coconut milk (the fatty nectar made from the pressed meat of the coconut), coconut water is the juice that spills out when you crack open a coconut. With about 60 calories in each 11-ounce serving, the juice has a subtle sweetness that makes it great for sipping anytime, but it really shines for morning-after recovery. Replenish electrolytes and speed the removal of acetaldehyde by downing this tropical treat. Packed with 15 times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink with less sugar, no fat, and none of the artificial ingredients, restores proper fluid absorption in cells, muscle coordination and nerve function. Each serving packs a walloping 660 mg of potassium, an important electrolyte, while most sports drinks, touted for their electrolyte content, contain only 44 mg.

  Of course, moderation—which is true prevention—is still the best medicine.

We all experience numerous disappointments each and every day. Our expectations go unmet, our plans are blocked by circumstance, our wishes go unfulfilled, and we discover that our lives are subject to a myriad of forces beyond our conscious control. In some cases, our response is powerful because we must invest ourselves and our resources to overcome genuine hardship. In others, our reactions are far more passionate than our circumstances likely warrant. The tension that permeates our bodies and minds when we are late for an event, interrupted at work, or sitting in traffic is not inappropriate, but it can interfere with our well-being in profound ways. When we stop worrying about relatively unimportant matters, we can be at peace and devote so much more of ourselves to what is truly important.

The small frustrations and irritations wield such power over us because they rob us of the illusion of control. But every problem is a potential teacher—a confusing situation is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, and difficult people provide us with opportunities to display compassion. There is a natural human tendency to invest copious amounts of emotional energy in minor dilemmas and frustrations in order to avoid confronting those more complex issues that are largely outside the realm of our control. The intensity of our response provides us with a temporary sense of personal power that helps us cope with challenges that might otherwise overwhelm us. But it is only when we let the little stuff go that we discover that the big stuff is not really so devastating after all.

In the stress of a singularly tense incident, differentiating between an inconsequential annoyance and a legitimate challenge can seem a monumental task. Ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will be as vivid in a year, a day, or even an hour. Needless aggravation is seldom worth the cost. You cannot distance yourself from life’s inconsistencies, irritations, and upheavals, but you can release your desire for perfect order and gain peace of mind in the process.

With growing evidence that prolonged inflammation influences the course and severity of many diseases, there is no doubt that reducing inflammation through diet is crucial.
Here are some helpful tips:

• Eat a diet rich in omega-3s, including wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, freshly ground flaxseed and walnuts.
• Incorporate plenty of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables in your meals. The more raw you can eat the greater the benefit.
• Reduce your intake of polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as sunflower, corn and safflower oils), replacing them instead with extra-virgin olive oil.
• Use naturally anti-inflammatory spices in your cooking: turmeric, ginger and red pepper and they are delicious too.