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As I think I’ve mentioned on the blog before I’m generally not a huge drinker of alcohol, so when I do indulge in a tipple, it goes to my head pretty fast!

Since I lost weight and cleaned up my diet I do find that alcohol, and even a lot of sugar, can affect me quite badly. I am a total light weight! Usually all I like to drink now is the odd glass of red wine, some of my favourite spirits such as Jack Daniels, Sailor Jerry’s or Amaretto and perhaps a few cocktails. I’ve been finding that even just one medium glass of red will leave me feeling hung over the next day and generally very under the weather. Perhaps its also just because I’m getting older!

Of course I could just stop drinking all together, but I actually like the taste of wine and relaxing over a glass with James or sharing a cocktail with friends isn’t something that I’d like to miss out on.

What I have found recently is that there’s a few things I can do to help avoid the hangover the next day. Drinking plenty of water is a pretty obvious one but it is very effective. A few years ago I read an article about milk thistle supplements and how they can support the liver to metabolise alcohol and other toxins, hence why it is a common ingredient in ‘detox’ teas. I even used a milk thistle tincture when I was ‘detoxing’ a couple of years ago. These are the capsules I currently use:

I usually take one before I go out and then another the morning after. My colleagues at work have even tried this too and swear by it! In fact we have often sat in our office and dished out the capsules before a work night out! If you are interested in buying milk thistle online you can go to http://hollandandbarrett.com.

Another trick I use is to drink some coconut water before I go to bed and the morning after. Alcohol dehydrates you and its often the dehydration that is what gives you the headache the next day. Coconut water contains electrolytes that help to rehydrate your body, plus I love the taste and drinking it just makes me feel healthier all round!

Of course my last tip will be no surprise if you’ve been reading for a while:

Green smoothies and green juices of course! My body craves these after I’ve over indulged and they have never failed in making me feel better. The nutrients from the greens and the fruit and the added hydration from the liquid all work to help your body recover. If you have a poorly tummy try adding a little bit of ginger to help with any nausea and if your craving more unhealthy fatty things like bacon try adding some salted nut butter!

What are your tips for avoiding a hangover?

*This post is in collaboration with our friends at Holland and Barrett