Easy Remedies for Hangover Symptoms

Doctors are not sure about the causes of hangover symptoms. There are theories, though. One of them has something to do with the effects of alcoholism that could disrupt biological rhythms. But other theories would take into account the result of alcohol withdrawal. Some experts suggested that impurities in alcohol cause you to feel nauseous. 

Hangover symptoms can be managed, fortunately. The surefire way to avoid them, though, is to avoid drinking alcohol. If you cannot evade it, then you just need to find that remedy that works for you. 

Before highlighting the easy remedies to treat a hangover, let us first discuss the symptoms. 

Fatigue, weakness, and thirst are just common hangover symptoms. They are typically accompanied by headache, muscle aches, as well as nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Some people experience vertigo, depression, anxiety, and irritability. 

The intensity of these symptoms may depend on the person. And hinge on one occasion to another. For instance, you might have nausea and dizziness on this occasion. But you will get just a headache on the next time you drink. 

The symptoms typically start to show up after you have stopped drinking. That is when the alcohol concentration starts to fall. When your alcohol concentration in the blood goes back to zero, the symptoms will peak at this time. 

You will experience these symptoms for a few hours to up to 24 hours. 

What are the Proven Ways to Treat Hangover Symptoms 

Drink a Lot of Water 

Alcohol causes dehydration because it has diuretic effects. It is the reason you frequently urinate after drinking. By losing a lot of fluids and electrolytes, your body will not function properly. 

Furthermore, excessive alcohol use can lead to vomiting. And when you vomit, you are further losing fluids and electrolytes. 

But dehydration is not the only culprit for a hangover. Nevertheless, increasing your water intake can alleviate those hangover symptoms. Water can also prevent those symptoms from occurring. 

To prevent symptoms, you should consider alternating between alcohol and water. It does not prevent dehydration, though. However, it can assist you in lowering your alcohol intake. 

After drinking alcohol, you need to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water each time you feel thirsty. 

You may also drink coffee or tea. The caffeine in coffee can help with the grogginess. However, do not drink too much as coffee is a diuretic. Thus, it may worsen your dehydration.

Take Supplements

Studies are limited to supplements that could alleviate the effects of alcoholism. However, there are some supplements you can try to reduce the symptoms of a hangover. 

One of them is red ginseng. It reduced blood alcohol levels. It also reduces the severity of the symptoms. 

You may also try prickly pear. It may help in treating hangovers. It decreases the symptoms while reducing the risk of hangover severity. 

Ginger, too, is a great remedy. You may mix it with brown sugar and tangerine extract. This concoction can improve nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which are all hangover symptoms. 

Siberian ginseng may also treat hangover symptoms by decreasing their severity. 

However, studies about these supplements are limited. Thus, you should take them with caution. Or do not expect too much on them. 

Take Olive Oil 

That is before you start drinking. It is a folk remedy, though. But you can try it as well. Some people swore by it. This remedy has the same effect as consuming a pizza or fatty food. Some said that they lubricate your intestines. As a result, alcohol takes a lot longer to be absorbed. 

Consume sugar 

But you must do it while you are drinking. The fructose in sugar is said to speed up the metabolism of alcohol. As a result, it reduces hangover risks. However, you will not get the result when you take it after drinking. 

Eat Breakfast 

Apart from drinking a lot of water in the morning, you should also fill your stomach with a healthy breakfast. The electrolytes in your food can replenish your dehydrated body. It also brings back the calories into your body. But you need to avoid those greasy meals. You may try toast and cereal. 

Make sure that your breakfast is high in carbs. Drinking lowers blood sugar levels. Thus, you experience fatigue and headaches. For that reason, make sure to include toast and juice in your first-morning meal. 

Avoid Drinking Darker Beverages 

Although the surefire way to avoid hangover symptoms is not to drink alcohol, you should avoid darker alcoholic beverages if you must drink. Clear liquors can cause hangovers less frequently. Thus, consider vodka and gin and avoid tequila and whiskey. 

Alcohol contains ethanol. But darker liquors have congeners, like methanol. Methanol metabolites are toxic. As a result, they cause a severe hangover. 

Effects of Alcoholism 

If you continue to drink alcohol, then this habit will surely affect your body in and out. One of the effects is on the brain. It causes temporary memory loss and coordination. If you do not stop drinking, it may cause long-term irreversible side effects. 

Excessive alcohol use can disrupt your brain functions. It also damages different parts of the brain, like the cerebral cortex and limbic system. It impacts your body’s communication pathways. 

Your heart is also vulnerable. Heavy drinking can weaken your heart and affects how oxygen is delivered to your vital organs in the body. It also increases triglyceride levels. You will also develop high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. 

Down the road, it leads to a lot of problems. As you continue to drink excessively, you will develop cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac death. 

The liver is another organ in your body that will be greatly affected by alcohol. When you drink, this organ breaks down alcohol and excrete it. But too much of it can overwhelm your metabolism. As a result, you will develop a fatty liver. It is a chronic condition that can cause building up of bad fats in the liver.

The effects of alcoholism are aplenty. That’s why you must avoid drinking alcohol altogether. You are not only preventing hangover symptoms but you are also preventing alcohol from causing harm to your body organs.

Imagine Not Getting Flu Shot Every Year — Researchers are Working on It

Researchers are experimenting on a flu shot that could change the vaccine you get per year. If the experiment is a success, this new vaccine could last for several flu seasons. In that case, you do not need to get it every fall. Furthermore, it is more effective than the one you are getting now. 

Current Flu Shot Not Perfect

The flu shot that you get now is beneficial in preventing you from getting the flu. But it is not perfect. The vaccine is only effective about 60%. It can go down as low as 10% on a bad year. 

One of the reasons for this is that the virus changes constantly. For example, the strain that is present in one flu season will be gone the next year. It will be replaced by another strain that has not been around for a decade. It makes flu scary and tricky to treat. 

The present flu vaccine can only prevent three or four strains of the virus. In that case, scientists will GUESS the type of strains they put in the vaccine per year. 

That’s why they are now experimenting on a universal flu shot. In theory, it would cover every strain of the flu. 

It would use an ice cream cone approach. Imagine a shop serving a variety of flavors. It served all flavors on the same cone. The present flu vaccine is aiming at the ice cream. But the universal flu shot aims at the cone. 

Doctors are now testing this universal flu vaccine to find out how participants would respond. If the universal flu shot would work out as researchers are hoping, it would protect patients from flu pandemics. 

What is a Flu Pandemic

It is a situation where a new flu virus strain emerges. Only a few people are immune to it. Thus, it can easily spread. Flu pandemics happened in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009. 

Unfortunately, researchers are experimenting on the universal flu shot for a decade now. And if it would be a success, it would only be available on the market for another decade. 

The experiment got an extra push when the current US President Donald Trump signed an EO to develop a better flu shot. Although it will still take less time, the development of a semi-universal flu vaccine can still take many years to complete. But the future flu vaccine will protect you against a group of flu viruses. 

Currently, the flu shot manufacturers are taking smaller steps to provide a better flu vaccine. The flu vaccines that you can find on the market now are made of chicken eggs. Yes, they are like the ones you eat for breakfast. 

Scientists will just choose the flu strains that they believe will attack during the upcoming flu season. Then, they put the viruses in the egg and they multiply. Once they grow, they utilize the viruses to produce the shot. 

Viruses Do Mutate

While the viruses are inside the eggs, they can mutate. In other words, the ones that were put by the scientists in the eggs might not match the viruses that are making people sick during the flu season. And it is one of the reasons the flu shot has low effectiveness rates. 

Some pharmaceutical companies now are growing the flu viruses in a lab. But it still needs to grow the virus, a task that can be tedious. The most accurate method, according to some scientists, is to create the protein of the virus and forgoing the method of growing the virus. 

That is, they clone the virus’ codes for the protein they want. They just require the virus sequence and genetic map. And this is the kind of technology that is being utilized today to create the current vaccines. 

While waiting for the universal flu shot, you can do something that can prevent yourself from getting the flu. 

How to Prevent the Flu Virus 

The flu virus is difficult to defeat because it can be easily transmitted through the air. Furthermore, it can survive on surfaces for 48 hours. Then, if it is in your hand, it can thrive there for an hour. Thus, it makes sense to use hand sanitizers. Disinfecting wipes are also allies during the flu season. 

Because illnesses, like the flu, can be spread by the hands, hand hygiene is a vital aspect in preventing the flu virus. Apart from making it a habit to wash your hands, you should also heed to the following tactics: 

Sleep 

Not getting sufficient sleep will make you more susceptible to colds. Hence, make sure that you sleep for more than six hours a day. You must target at least 8 hours per night, especially during a busy week. 

Have the Habit of Disinfecting Phone 

You touch your phone continually. After touching it, you touch other surfaces. It is a great way for the virus to be moving around. Thus, it makes sense to use alcohol wipes on your phones and clean your house once a day. 

Drink a tea

Tea contains catechins. They are a type of antioxidant that can prevent the spread of flu virus. Instead of drinking coffee, why not opt for tea. 

Take vitamin D

This type of vitamin may help in strengthening your immune system. It can also help in fighting infection. Vitamin D can be found in various sources, like dairy products, fatty fish and sunlight. 

However, you must not overconsume it. Keep in mind that there is little evidence that can suggest it can lower the risk of acquiring influenza. But, proper nutrition is vital in ensuring that you have a responsive immune system. 

Avoid touching your face 

The prime entry points for the flu virus are the nose, eyes, and mouth. By simply rubbing your eyes or scratching your nose can put you at risk of getting the flu. Thus, make sure to avoid it. You need to make an effort not to touch your face without first sanitizing your hand. 

Get the flu shot

No matter how careful you are, viruses can still attack you. Thus, make sure to get your flu shot to avoid getting sick. Although the flu virus may only make you mildly sick, some people died because of it.

The Latest Medical Technology News For Stroke Prevention - Diet Sodas Can Increase Stroke Risk

For this latest medical technology news, let us take a look at the connection between diet sodas and stroke. Then, explore the many stroke prevention options available. 

Diet sodas are said to be a healthier alternative to those sugary beverages. However, this low-calorie drink can put you at greater risk of stroke or heart attack.  

In a study of health data involving more than 82,000 women in a long-term study of women’s health, 5.1% stated that they downed diet beverages a day. But researchers found that this group had a higher likelihood of developing coronary heart disease that might lead to stroke. 

Furthermore, 23% of women drinking more than two artificially sweetened drinks would have a higher risk of strokes. They are also likely to suffer from heart disease. These women are also likely to die from any cause. 

Several previous studies also showed a link between diet sodas or beverages and dementia, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and obesity. They can lead to heart disease. 

This latest research is a confirmatory study that shows a direct link between vascular risks and sweetened beverages that are artificially flavored. The researchers could not provide causation though. However, it requires careful attention. 

Now, many researchers are asking what is the content of these drinks that make them harmful. Is it about the sweeteners? Are they causing harm to our metabolism and gut health? These questions remain unanswered. 

However, we do know that they can cause obesity. 

In past studies, researchers focused on cardiovascular disease. However, this recent study dealt with the most common type of stroke. The more interesting thing about it is that the researchers looked at the people who are more vulnerable. 

The researchers also analyzed the data of women without a history of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, the data showed that the risks are higher for women who were obese or African-American. 

Higher Risk Among Postmenopausal Women 

Postmenopausal women are at high risk because of the absence of natural hormones that provide protection against heart disease and stroke. 

Health experts point out the possible danger of artificially sweetened drinks for weight loss. Some critics said that low to no-calorie sweeteners are considered safe. 

They said that there is substantial evidence showing that these sweeteners could aid people in reducing sugar consumption. 

It leads to one question — what is the alternative to diet sodas or beverages? 

There are plenty of them. I have listed them below. However, your best option is still water. 

1.Fresh Lemonade

It is a classic beverage. It is a common pick-me-up beverage. Having a fresh lemonade in the morning or after working out can hydrate your body. 

You can add agave nectar to give it a sweet taste. However, lemonades alone have a citrusy flavor that does not require additional sweetness.

2. Kombucha

It is in the recent health trends in 2019. And it has shown no signs of fizzling out. However, it has a poignant flavor that not everyone would like. 

Typically, it has no sugar. Rather, it has probiotics that can promote gut health. 

You can find it in grocery stores and health shops. Or you can make it yourself. 

3. Sparkling Water 

You can add cranberry juice and drink it at lunchtime. It is a low-calorie alternative to diet soda. 

4. Maple Water 

It is not sugary and not processed. It is taken from the maple tree sap containing 98% water. It has no additives and preservatives. But it does contain little sugar.

Last year, the American Heart Association issued a statement that low-calorie and artificially sweetened beverages could help promote weight loss. But only in adults and not in children. 

However, those low-calorie sweetened drinks could be useful in allowing people to transition from drinking sugary beverages to just water. 

Because there is solid science behind the connection between consumption of these beverages and adverse health results, it is only prudent to limit your intake. 

Scientists are still discovering various connections. However, it is ideal for us to just consume water and other non-calorie beverages. Many individuals now are drinking bottled water. In fact, it surpassed the number of drinkers of carbonated soft drinks. 

What Are The Ways To Prevent A Stroke? 

There are various things you can do to prevent a stroke. 

Lower Or Regulate Blood Pressure 

If you are hypertensive, your stroke risk is doubled or quadrupled. It is one of the biggest contributors to stroke risk. Hence, it is vital that you monitor your blood pressure regularly. 

If you need medical intervention, you can take blood pressures. However, make sure to consult your physician about it. 

Lose Weight 

Obesity raises your chances of a stroke. However, before you start to lose weight and achieve better health and wellness, make sure to ask your doctor. In that way, he can give proper weight loss strategy ideal for your situation. 

To start losing weight though, you have to consume less than 1,500 calories per day. But the number of daily calories will depend on your activity level. Then, make sure to boost your physical activities. 

Try tennis and golfing. 

Be Active 

In any medical technology news you read, health experts will always recommend increasing your level of exercise. 

By exercising more, it promotes weight loss while it lowers blood pressure. Aim to exercise at least five days a week. 

There are several videos you can watch to help you boost your exercise level. This is one of the videos that I watch every morning. 

In the morning, you can go for a walk around your neighborhood. While performing any exercise, you must aim to achieve a level that it becomes difficult to breathe but you can still talk.

You must also opt to take the stairs rather than an elevator. 

Avoid Drinking Alcoholic Beverages

Having one drink a day may slightly reduce your stroke risk. However, if you cannot control your drinking habit, make sure to avoid it completely. 

Treat You Atrial Fibrillation 

It is a form of irregular heartbeat. It causes clot formation in the heart. The clot can go to the brain, thereby, increasing your chances of a stroke. 

This irregular heartbeat is said to increase your risk of stroke five times. Thus, you must take it seriously. 

Final Thoughts 

In this recent medical technology news, you should consider avoiding sugary beverages, whether they are diet sodas or canned fruit juices. 

Instead of consuming them, opt for water and other healthy, low-calorie, non-sugary beverages, like the ones listed above.