There’s something about a cold margarita in the warm summer sun that hits a certain spot.

I went on a date for the first time in a long time a couple weeks ago. Somehow I found myself 4 guava margaritas deep in the middle of the afternoon. Take a single mom out of quarantine and… You get the idea.

Thankfully, one of the gifts I’ve acquired from years invested in holistic health is the ability to prevent and treat the dreaded hangover. I’m here to share that gift with you.

Here’s how you can mindfully indulge and not feel like complete garbage the day after.

Preventative Tips

We cannot do a deep dive into holistic hangover remedies without also giving honorable mention to preventative care.

To prepare for a night of drinking, your routine should include…

• drinking plenty of water the day & night of (duh)
• eating nutrient rich food before and after drinking
• taking a B-complex vitamin before bed (B vitamins help the body process alcohol)

Natural Remedies for the Morning After

Now, if you’ve already screwed up… this next part is for you.

1. Drink More Water & Some More & Some More

Even if you already made the dreaded mistake of not drinking enough the day and night before, it is better late than never. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to dehydration, and your body cannot recover until you begin the process of rehydrating.

2. Restore Your Electrolytes

Since alcohol is a diuretic, you are losing electrolytes as you become dehydrated. This imbalance is what can lead to extreme fatigue.

Add sports drinks or broth into your liquid rotation the next day. By restoring your electrolytes, you are also replenishing important minerals, like sodium, potassium, and calcium.

3. Utilize Herbal Remedies for Nausea or Anxiety

Ginger aids in digestion and is one of the best known natural remedies for an upset stomach. If nausea is one of your morning after ailments, brew some ginger tea, eat some ginger chews, or buy a concentrated ginger shot.

Recent research supports the idea that for some, anxiety is one of the lingering side effects of alcohol consumption. Chamomile is known for its ability to soothe anxiety and overwhelm. If you often experience anxiousness, have some chamomile tea on hand and include it in your day after routine.

4. Take Your Vitamins & Choose Nutrient Dense Foods

Many of the most common and uncomfortable hangover symptoms are a result of nutrient deficiencies. Vitamin B is known to be particularly affected by alcohol, and low levels can lead to fatigue.

Take a quality B-complex vitamin and try incorporating vitamin B rich foods such as eggs, legumes, beef, salmon, and leafy greens.

5. Go to Sleep

Alcohol use is pretty synonymous with impaired sleep. Even if you manage to get to bed early, it inhibits our body’s ability to get the deep and restorative type of sleep we need.

Resting gives our bodies the ability to heal. It works when we are sick, and it works when we are hungover.

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Making an investment into your overall health and drinking in moderation will help you avoid turning a night out into a miserable morning. Staying hydrated, making whole food a priority, adding quality vitamins and herbs into your routine, and prioritizing rest can both alleviate and prevent hangovers.

With this in mind, you too can indulge in 4 guava margaritas in the middle of a Friday afternoon and still enjoy the weekend!