Natural Health: Hangover remedies

Do you know of a natural remedy that really works for a hangover?

I know that the best ‘cure’ is to not drink so much in the first place, but I find that even a little alcohol tends to affect me more than it did when I was in my 20s.

You are right – the best measures are preventative rather than trying to repair the damage after the fact, especially since you no longer bounce back the way you used to.

Essential oils are surprisingly effective, both before and after any event. A blend of fennel, juniper, and geranium oils (added to a base oil) rubbed on the soles of your feet before heading out for the night should help speed up the elimination of alcohol, while stimulating the pressure points for the kidneys.

For the morning after, citrus oils — such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, mandarin, or even lemongrass – will help to settle a queasy tummy if you are feeling a little worse for wear.

Coffee is often touted as a quick fix to kickstart the day after a night out, but since caffeine is a strong diuretic, it is the last thing that we should turn to when our bodies are really crying out for hydration. Drinking water on the night, preferably glass for glass with your alcoholic drinks, helps in most cases to minimise hangover symptoms.

I have written before about the Chinese kudzu vine, which can both inhibit the desire for drinking alcohol and moderate the effects of alcohol on the body. This perennial vine has been used effectively by Chinese physicians for over 2,000 years to treat alcoholism. The recommended dosage of kudzu is 1,000mg, twice daily.

The other top hangover remedy is N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), since it is involved in the production of glutathione, an antioxidant that helps to clear the toxic residues from the body after indulging in alcohol. NAC works best when taken both before and after drinking alcohol.

I’ve been out of work all week with the flu — fortunately a rare occurrence. Up until yesterday it’s been viral — aches, pain, low energy etc — but now I’ve developed a deep cough, which is exhausting. What would you recommend?

It can be really difficult to recover when your immune system has taken such a bashing, and a persistent cough certainly can leave you feeling completely drained.

To deal with the immediate issue of the cough, I highly rate thyme as a simple and effective natural remedy. You can brew this up yourself from the garden, or use the dried herb from your kitchen cupboard – a tablespoon of fresh herb or teaspoon of dried per cup of boiling water steeped for 3-5 minutes. This is a particularly good option where asthma or sinusitis is an issue.

If you don’t fancy making your own herbal brew, or are simply feeling too run down to fuss about in the kitchen, then grab a bottle of Weleda’s Cough Elixir. This is a pleasant tasting remedy, which includes thyme, aniseed, marshmallow root, and white horehound, along with homeopathic ipecac, drosera, and pulsatilla. It doesn’t suppress symptoms, rather it works to stimulate the body to effectively rid itself of the catarrh and clear the airways. Simply add the appropriate dosage to a shot glass and top up with warm water.

An onion poultice works well when the cough has gone deep and won’t budge.

Roughly chop a small onion and bake on a low heat in the oven until it is soft, then set aside until it is warm/cool enough to apply to the skin. First apply olive oil to the lung area of the chest, then the chopped onion, and cover with plastic wrap followed by a warm towel.

To help address the long-term issue of recovery, black elderberries really help to strengthen and support your immune system. Both the berries and the flowers are effective in preventing and treating ear infections, coughs, colds, allergies, catarrh, and hayfever.