As much as many of us would love to wake up fresh as a daisy on January 1st, this can be tricky to achieve with a foggy head after a night full of booze. Fortunately, there are ways to soothe some of the worst parts of a hangover, allowing you to at least reply to some of those 'Happy New Year' texts.
With this in mind, well-being, fitness, and nutrition expert Penny Weston has shared her go-to hangover cure and claims it has various health benefits to set you in good stead for the very first day of the year.
Speaking with the Mirror, Penny advised remorseful revellers to take a good glug of coconut water the morning after, which, if nothing else, will make you feel more like you're sunbathing in a tropical paradise than sheltering away in your slippers in rainy England.
Penny explained: "Coconut water is said to have many health benefits. It is known for its high concentrations of electrolytes, fibre, vitamins and minerals, such as potassium and magnesium. It can help with kidney stones, boosting metabolism, body hydration and improving the immune system.
"The reasons we feel terrible with a hangover are sleep deprivation, alcohol poisoning and dehydration. Coconut water can certainly help with rehydration as it is naturally isotonic and is absorbed quickly to help you rehydrate faster. Potassium helps keep fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.
"You could also try adding some coconut water to your alcoholic beverages during the night instead of using tonic or soda water, which may help lessen the hangover the next day."
Although this hack may seem like a lot of effort when you're still at the 'checking last night's photos on Instagram ' stage of the morning, Penny claims it's actually fairly easy.
She continued: "It is quite simple to make your own coconut water. The hardest part is actually finding a natural coconut and opening it! You need to perforate the coconut with an opener and when you’ve made the hole, pour the water into a glass and set aside.
“Then open the coconut fully and cut the coconut meat into approximately two-inch pieces and fill about half a cup. Then blend the coconut meat and add the coconut water. You can also add some filtered water too. If you want to flavour it more, add some sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to your own taste.”
Although this admittedly isn't a fruit you see everywhere, you can pick up a coconut for just 79p at your local Asda. For those who might feel too fragile to face the blender, you can treat yourself to a one-litre bottle of Coco Loco coconut water for £1.99 from Aldi.
If coconut just really just isn't your thing, however, there are various other hangover cures you can try this New Year's Day.
Superintendent pharmacist Abbas Kanani, MRPharmS advises enjoying a nice fish butty after a heavy night out, explaining: "Drinking alcohol increases the number of compounds that causes inflammation, so eating a fatty fish bap can be a good way to help lessen hangover symptoms."
Kanani does however caution against the usual go-to cup of coffee, warning: "Coffee is a diuretic and can dehydrate you even further, intensifying headaches and making you urinate more so that you lose electrolytes. Water, fresh juice and coconut water are much better options, helping to hydrate you, replace lost electrolytes, and provide you with energy that you probably haven’t got much of."
Do you have a life hack to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
