The New Year’s celebration is one of the biggest in the world. For many, the revelry involves alcohol, and lots of it. But when a new day (and year) dawns, party goers often feel the aftereffects of their festivities in the form of a nasty hangover.

If this is your predicament, don’t reach for greasy foods, caffeine, or medications, which can worsen the effects of alcohol on your body. Use these natural remedies instead for a fast and healthy hangover recovery.

1. Water

One of the most tried-and-true, widely recognized remedies for too much alcohol is to drink lots of water. Many hangover remedies sound strange and follow bad logic, and will probably not do any good, but this simple tip makes sense. Water will dilute the alcohol in your body, minimize alcohol’s dehydrating effect on your body, and flush out toxins. Try to stay hydrated before, during, and after drinking and its negative effects will diminish considerably.

2. Fruit and fruit juice

Once you’re properly hydrated, start replenishing the vitamins you’ve lost and get your blood sugar back to normal with a tall glass of juice. Orange or tomato juice will replenish lost vitamins and contain natural sugars to help your body metabolize alcohol faster. Bananas are great for restoring depleted potassium levels associated with overindulging, and they have magnesium, beneficial for headaches. If you don’t have any fruit juice, down a Gatorade or other electrolyte-containing sports drink.

3. Ginger

Ginger has been used for centuries as an aid for motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting. Brew some ginger root tea for soothing relief, or pop open a ginger ale for a quick fix.
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Today marks the first day of fall! Before you clock out for the weekend take some time for a healthy dose of news. This week’s HealthBuzz consists of hot headlines from DIR and our partner sites, including Shape, IVillage, and Fitday, as well as some delicious banana recipes from Undressed Skeleton and Thinin10.

Don’t wait until the last day of the week to hear from us! Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest! Also, don’t forget to ‘Like Us’ on Facebook for the chance to win a year’s supply of guacamole from Wholly Guacamole!

Choose the Right Gym For You (So You’ll Actually Use the Membership)

With the fall and holiday season quickly approaching, gyms will be filling up with people wanting to maintain their health and figure for social gatherings and special events. Gyms can be uncomfortable and expensive and there is nothing like wasting money on a membership that you don’t use! Let us help you choose the right gym with this helpful guide.

Seven Fall Activities For the Whole Family

September 21 is the official day of fall! What better way to enjoy the weather then with your family? Stephanie Mansour from Step It Up With Steph shares seven fall activities for the whole family. There is even a healthy recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds! Fall has never been so healthy before.
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Bananas have become a household staple in U.S. According to Dole’s website, the average American eats 28 pounds of bananas a year – thats about 112 bananas annually. What people don’t know is that a majority of the bananas in grocery stores are imported from tropical regions such as Latin America and South America. Because bananas make a nutritious and portable breakfast or snack, it’s no mystery why Americans consume as many bananas as they do, especially since they’re packed with vitamins, nutrients and tons of health benefits. 

Health Benefits: Bananas are chock-full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, A1, B6, and B12, as well as potassium, magnesium and fiber. Bananas are also filled with fiber, which helps regulate the digestive system. In addition, bananas help lower blood sugar and blood pressure. The potassium in bananas controls the amount of sodium in the body, allowing calcium to be retained and thus promoting healthy bones. Another benefit of potassium is the ease of muscle cramping. Bananas can also help protect the lining of the stomach and neutralize stomach acid, which helps those suffering from ulcers or intestinal disorders. Finally, bananas can reduce the risk of developing kidney cancer among females if consumed four to six times a week.  
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If you haven’t jumped on the banana ice cream train yet, it’s time! After trying it for ourselves the first time this summer, we’ve been spinning our wheels to come up with new flavor ideas so we can keep enjoying this healthy, easy-to-make treat.

Banana ice cream is so simple to make. It’s essentially pre-peeled, sliced or loosely chopped frozen bananas whirled into a magical soft serve dessert in a blender or food processor. You can eat it as is and it’s quite delicious, if you enjoy the flavor of bananas. Or you can add in fun toppings like we did this time.
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School bells are ringing, but summer isn’t over just yet. The weekend air will still fill up with the scent of barbeques and many tables will be set with traditional summer fare at least through the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Yes, bikini season is coming closer to an end but there’s no reason to let all that hard work go to waste as you dine in these last few weeks of summer.

If you haven’t already tackled our Summer Food Bucket List, considering taking advantage of a few healthy food swaps that will allow you to enjoy the best flavors of this season before they’re long gone! These great switch-ups will help you cut the calories, bulk up on nutrition, all while keeping great summertime food on the table.

Guacamole Give-in

Try swapping traditional guacamole and tortilla chips for edamame guacamole with lentil chips, a great idea we found at HuffPo. Instead of using avocado for a traditional guac, use edamame (soy) beans to give the added bonus of protein and still a great flavor. Lentil chips are much higher in fiber than a corn chip and will fill you up faster, so you’ll need less to be satisfied.
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