Nurse a Hangover, Naturally

By Marcy Franklin

Overindulged at a holiday soiree? Here are five ways to ease your post-party pain:

1. Honey. Studies show the sweet stuff can speed your body’s alcohol metabolism because of its high fructose content.
2. Ginger. A go-to cure to calm a queasy stomach, ginger also has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that help ease body aches and pains, says Linda B. White, coauthor of The Herbal Drugstore (Rodale, 2000).
3. Lime and sugar water. This ayurvedic cure helps stabilize blood sugar, which often goes out of whack after imbibing, says Bill Gottlieb, author of Alternative Cures: More Than 1,000 of the Most Effective Natural Home Remedies (Ballantine Books, 2008). Mix 2 teaspoons lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon sugar into 8 ounces of water, and drink slowly.
4. Asparagus leaves. A new Korean study shows an extract made of asparagus leaves stimulates the liver enzymes that break down alcohol in the body. Toss some chopped leaves into an egg-white omelet or bowl of soup.
5. Bananas. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, sopping up water-soluble minerals like magnesium and causing hangover symptoms. Replenish and renew with magnesium-rich bananas. —Marcy Franklin