Dr. Ohhira’s Guide to Holiday Cheer (and not too much Beer!)
Tips to avoid hangovers and other troubles this New Year’s
A cocktail or two (or three) will provide you with some holiday cheer and may warm your belly on cold winter nights. But that’s not all alcohol can do for your belly – too many drinks can actually cause an imbalance in gut bacteria by adding toxins to your body. Thankfully, Dr. O-Hero™ can help! He’s put together a quick cheat sheet for you this holiday season including: the best types of alcohol to drink (that’s right, some are less toxic than others!) as well as some natural and proven detox/hangover tips.
But first, let’s take a brief look at how and why alcohol affects our bodies as it does.
Alcohol – A Brief Overview
The active ingredient in alcohol is called “ethanol”. Yeasts create ethanol when they digest sugar in certain foods such as grains or grapes (beer and wine). Ethanol is a toxin that actually kills living cells — that is why it is used to sterilize needles, your skin etc. So in essence, when you drink alcohol, you are ingesting toxins into your body. This means that your liver, gut and kidneys have to work overtime to try to rid your body of the alcohol.
“The health effects of alcohol on your body are really quite complex,” said Ross Pelton, CCN and one of the world’s leading experts on health, nutrition and substance side effects. “They can vary between the type of alcoholic beverage, an individual’s overall health and the amount of alcohol consumed. So, if you are going to enjoy some holiday cocktails this season, try to choose beverages with the least amount of toxins possible.”
So what would Dr. O-Hero™ do? Here is his list of the alcoholic beverages that produce the least amount of toxic byproduct. These are ordered from best to worst:
Vodka
Gin
Tequila
Whiskey
Dry cider
Dry champagne
Dry white wine
Red wine
Beer
Don’t forget that adding sugary mixers (to vodka for example) will increase the toxic level and push it further down the list. Instead opt for soda water, fresh fruit, sea salt etc. You can find some “healthy cocktails” here!
Natural Detoxification
If you do drink too much and are feeling hung-over (or want to avoid more serious health challenges) there are some natural ways to assist your body in the detox process.
- Massage – helps the body detox by pushing toxins out through the lymphatic system
- Drink Lots of Water – water helps to flush out your system and keep you hydrated
- Ohhira’s Probiotics® – everyone knows that we get rid of most toxins and waste through our bowels. But if the digestive system isn’t working properly, it can’t get rid of toxins as effectively. Taking a daily probiotic supplement such as Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics® (and extra doses before and after drinking) will help maintain a healthy digestive system and can restore good bacteria that are lost to alcohol consumption.*
- Exercise – sweat out those toxins. Both perspiration and heavy breathing help get rid of the bad substances.
- Vitamins – there are many known nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B1, and Vitamin E that can be taken before, after or during consumption to help prevent a hangover.
- Glutathione – one of the body’s most important antioxidants, glutathione plays a major role in alcohol detoxification by binding to toxins and transforming them into compounds that can be secreted. Reg´Activ Liver & Detox is the perfect, natural solution for your holiday cocktail woes!*
- Take a Bath – Toxic waste in our body’s can be cleared by our skin, which is after all our largest organ. Take a detoxifying bath as described here or here.
- Yoga – certain yoga moves are especially helpful. Do a seated twist and imagine you are squeezing the alcohol out of your organs.
Hopefully this information helps you to have fun AND make healthy choices this holiday season! Remember be safe and here’s to a happy New Year!
Do you have any healthy cocktail recipes or natural detox tips that have worked for your hangover? Share with us in the comments below!
REFERENCES
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19038698
http://www.oprah.com/health_wellness/Things-That-Are-Good-in-Moderation
https://authoritynutrition.com/alcohol-good-or-bad/
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Hangovers/beyondHangovers.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/mar/07/safe-level-alcohol-consumption
http://myscienceacademy.org/2012/09/22/how-your-body-gets-rid-of-toxins-naturally/
http://advocateforhealing.com/which-alcohol-has-the-least-toxins/
http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1007121-14-cocktails-can-toast-health/
http://bembu.com/natural-ways-to-detox-your-body
http://www.lifeextension.com/protocols/lifestyle-longevity/hangover-prevention/page-02
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/natural-hangover-cures4.htm
http://wellnessmama.com/8331/detox-bath-recipes/
http://www.shape.com/blogs/working-it-out/yoga-poses-detox-naturally
It Takes Guts® 