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So it’s New Year’s Eve and you want to have some drinks. Although you want to enjoy yourself, you also don’t want to undue all the hard work you’ve done to trim down and lose fat or bulk up and build muscle. Well, conveniently for you there are five simple steps that you can follow to minimize the negative effects of alcohol and survive the night.
I. EAT A NUTRIENT DENSE MEAL
Have a nutrient dense meal prior to drinking. Most people are aware of this as a good rule of thumb, but often neglect it. Giving your body some nutrients to digest as it’s processing the alcohol will help reduce the toxic load from the alcohol and definitely allow you to feel better than pounding drinks on an empty stomach.
II. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
Drinking lots of water before and throughout the drinking experience will help diminish the dehydrating effects of ethanol, helping to prevent those headaches and dry mouth. Water also helps you rid your body of toxins. Pro-tip: If you can add a touch of Himalayan pink sea salt, you’ll be loading yourself with trace minerals that your body requires and make the water more bio-available too. Getting the electrolytes in your body will also help with waning energy levels after too many drinks.
III. TAKE THESE KEY SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a free radical scavenger that will help rid your body of all those inflammatory agents that come from the alcohol. You can’t OD on this stuff, so take generous amounts before and after you drink. Supplementing 200 mg of ascorbic acid before and after drinking is a great approach. Another option is to make sure that balanced meal in item 1 is loaded with foods high in vitamin C. Pro-tip: One of the highest vitamin C-containing foods is actually bell peppers. Other excellent choices which many people don’t realize are high in vitamin C are dark leafy greens and other cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower.
Another key supplement is apha lipoic acid. This is a potent anti-oxidant that also stimulates your body’s production of one of the main protectors against toxins coming in from alcohol (glutathione), and it even helps you to recycle the other antioxidants you get in from food. Providing your body with plenty of alpha lipoic acid via supplementation before and after drinking is an effective approach.
IV. CHOOSING THE RIGHT ALCOHOL
As for choosing your alcohol, the clearer the alcohol and the less sugary nonsense you mix in, the lower the amount of toxins and sugars. In turn, there’s less chance of wrecking your energy levels and fat-loss goals. As you move from better to worse on the alcohol spectrum, you’re going to generally experience a worse hangover and gain more weight from the alcohol in a per ounce of alcohol comparison. Generally speaking, it’s better to take it straight, and you’ll thank yourself later. Pro-tip: drink vodka waters, made of vodka, water, and lime. They are tasty, and they keep you hydrated.
V. AFTER YOU’RE DONE DRINKING
Having these toxin-fighters we’ve mentioned in your system through the alcohol-drinking experience is important, but making sure you have them in your system after drinking when you’re passed out is even more crucial. This way, you’ll hopefully get some restorative sleep, cleaning out the toxic load from the alcohol more effectively. So make sure you take an extra dose of all items above before hitting the hay.
Also, raw honey provides enzymes and energy for the brain (1) that will boost your immunity and provide your brain some energy while you’re sleeping. Most people notice they toss and turn and wake up earlier when they drink, not getting as much deep sleep as normal. Raw honey will help you to maintain deeper sleep despite the alcohol in your system.
Krill oil provides omega 3 fatty acids that help fight the detrimental effects from alcohol on the brain. Krill oil also provides a powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin, which serves as a great combo to fighting the inflammatory effects of alcohol.
So focus on these five items before you drink, while you drink, and after you’re done drinking to survive New Year’s Eve. Give it a shot and let us know how much better you feel the next morning!
In Excellent Health,
Garrett & Luc