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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Ginger is often used to add flavor to dishes, but it’s also relied on for medicinal purposes in various cultures. India, for example, introduced the Western world to ginger root when Europe was trading it heavily in Asia. In Eastern households, it’s common to use a lot of ginger in dishes to add plenty of flavor and spice. And in Western cultures, ginger is typically used to sweeten foods like ginger ale, gingerbread, and ginger cake. In addition to being incredibly versatile for cooking, ginger is also surprisingly nutritious touting a number of health benefits.

Health benefits: Ancient Chinese medicine men were the first to document the health benefits of ginger root. Several studies found that the roots can help pregnant women lessen symptoms of morning sickness.

Cancer treatment is another benefit of ginger. The University of Michigan conducted a study that linked ginger powder to the death of ovarian cancer cells. In addition to this study, the University of Minnesota found that ginger can slow the growth of colon cancer cells. Ginger root can also help reduce menstrual cramping, migraines, heartburn, and pain and inflammation.

Nutritional statistics: One quarter cup of raw ginger root has approximately 19 calories, 0 g of fat, 3 mg of sodium, 0 g of sugar, and 0 g of protein. 
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I wanted to create a no-added-sugar version of the classic Old Fashioned that would remain as true as possible to the spirit of the original while incorporating modern flavors and drink-making techniques.

My road map while developing this cocktail was to build upon the characteristic spice that rye whiskey brings to a cocktail, so I started with Tuthilltown Spirits™ particularly spicy Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey.

For a non-sugar sweetener, I chose Truvia® natural sweetener because it has a unique vanilla-citrus character that works well with whiskey, and it can easily be made into a flavored syrup to bring down Hudson’s higher alcohol content.

I wanted to keep the rye whiskey forward in the cocktail so I incorporated ginger into the syrup instead of adding it directly to the build, and also included lemon grass to bring out Truvia’s natural mellow citrus notes.
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By Steven V. Joyal, MD, VP of Medical & Scientific Affairs at Life Extension.

Spices add delicious flavors and tantalizing aromas to food, but many people don’t realize that spices offer a variety of beneficial, potentially lifesaving, health benefits. Consider your spice rack as a kind of natural medicine cabinet, and unleash amazing health benefits while you spice up your life with the following five spices!

Cinnamon: Derived from the bark of the tree bearing the same name, cinnamon is high in antioxidant activity. Clinical studies show beneficial changes in blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes dosed with cinnamon spice from one to three grams daily. Experimental research suggests that cinnamon may reduce the likelihood that cells in the colon undergo cancerous changes. Essential oils of cinnamon have antimicrobial activity, too, and this helps provide a scientific basis for cinnamon’s traditional use as a natural treatment for diarrhea.

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There are a number of juice cleanses available that promise fast, foolproof results. From the Blueprint Cleanse, which promises no uncomfortable side effects to the Zen Cleanse which aims to flush toxins from your body.

With juice cleanses becoming more mainstream than ever, it’s important to do your homework and research what kind of cleanse is right for you before you begin. While some cleanses include whole foods and offer nutritional benefits, others suspect that cleanses and fasts are little more than diet hype.

“A juice cleanse is very safe and easy to do. One of the best ways to start gently detoxing the body is to add fresh vegetable juices to a good diet,” said Cherie Calbom, MS, author of The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet and Juicing for Life. “This will start the body on a gentle detox.  Then you can progress to a day or two of vegetable juice fasting where you give your digestive system a rest.  This helps your body rejuvenate and repair damaged areas.”

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