Avoid 'This Food' the Day After Drinking! Proper Hangover Remedies for Stomach Health
During holidays like Chuseok or the year-end season, it's common to have joyful gatherings with family and friends that involve alcohol. While these occasions are enjoyable, the hangover and discomfort that follow the next day are not as pleasant. Many people seek spicy and hot foods to relieve their hangover, but did you know that this can actually put more strain on your stomach and liver? The effects of alcohol on our bodies are more complex than you might think, and what you do after drinking can greatly impact your health. Today, let's delve into the proper ways to alleviate a hangover and the precautions you should take after drinking.
Vomiting After Drinking: A Harmful Habit for Your Esophagus and Stomach
The Dangers of Vomiting
It's common to see people vomit after drinking because they feel unwell. While vomiting can provide temporary relief from discomfort, it is a risky action that can put a significant strain on the esophagus and stomach. The stomach acid that comes up during vomiting contains strong digestive enzymes that irritate and damage the lining of the esophagus. Repeated vomiting can lead to inflammation of the esophageal lining, causing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or, in severe cases, a serious complication called esophageal perforation. This damage can have long-term negative effects on esophageal health, not just immediate pain.
Vomiting and Stomach Health
Frequent vomiting can also cause serious issues for stomach health. The stomach secretes acidic digestive juices to aid in digestion, and if vomiting occurs, leaving the stomach empty, the continued secretion of stomach acid can damage the stomach lining. This can lead to gastritis or stomach ulcers, and prolonged over-secretion of stomach acid can cause chronic gastrointestinal disorders. Damage to the stomach lining can cause direct irritation to stomach tissues by stomach acid, leading to symptoms like pain, heartburn, and indigestion, and in severe cases, even bleeding.
How to Avoid Vomiting After Drinking
The most important way to avoid vomiting is to drink in moderation. When drinking, it's advisable to drink water or fruit juice alongside alcohol to dilute the alcohol concentration and replenish body fluids. Water helps promote the breakdown of alcohol in the body and prevents dehydration. If you've overeaten and feel uncomfortable, it's better to drink warm barley tea or plum tea to soothe the stomach instead of forcing yourself to vomit. If your stomach feels too uncomfortable, take ample rest and eat soft foods that are gentle on the stomach.
Sleeping Without Brushing Your Teeth: A Red Flag for Dental Health
The Relationship Between Alcohol and Dental Health
Going to sleep without brushing your teeth after drinking can severely affect dental health. Most alcoholic beverages contain a high amount of sugar, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive in the mouth. Beverages like beer and wine contain a lot of sugar that promotes bacterial activity and provides nutrients for bacteria that cause cavities. Additionally, drinking reduces saliva production, and since saliva inhibits bacterial growth and regulates acidity in the mouth, reduced saliva production worsens the oral environment, increasing the risk of cavities.
The Impact of Alcohol on Teeth Staining
Wine and beer contain substances that can cause staining on the tooth surface. Tannins in wine are well-known for causing tooth staining, and the polyphenols in beer also affect teeth discoloration. These substances easily adhere to the tooth surface, causing staining, and if oral hygiene is poor, discoloration can become more pronounced. Staining is not only a temporary cosmetic issue but can also damage the enamel layer of the tooth, increasing the likelihood of cavities or periodontal disease.
How to Protect Your Teeth After Drinking
After drinking, it's best to brush your teeth as soon as possible. Brushing helps remove the sugar and bacteria from alcohol and snacks, preventing cavities and gum disease. If brushing is not possible, frequently rinsing your mouth with water can help regulate the acidity in the mouth and inhibit bacterial growth. Also, when drinking beverages that stain teeth, using a straw can minimize direct contact with the teeth. Maintaining oral health requires special attention to dental care after drinking.
Eating Spicy Food to Cure a Hangover Can Harm Your Stomach and Liver
The Temptation of Spicy Food
When feeling bloated from a hangover, many people reach for spicy ramen or seafood soup. These foods can provide a temporary feeling of relief, but they can actually put a greater burden on a stomach already irritated by alcohol. Capsaicin in spicy food stimulates the stomach lining and promotes stomach acid secretion, worsening symptoms of heartburn or gastritis. Especially if the stomach lining is damaged or inflamed, spicy food can worsen the condition and cause pain.
Hangover Remedies for Liver Health
After drinking, the liver works excessively to detoxify alcohol. During this process, spicy or greasy foods can add an extra burden to the liver, hindering the detoxification process. The liver uses energy to detoxify, and consuming irritating foods can interfere with this process, delaying alcohol detoxification and causing liver damage. Furthermore, irritating foods can cause liver cell inflammation or worsen existing inflammation, adversely affecting long-term liver health.
Hangover Foods That Protect the Stomach and Liver
Clear soups, bean sprout soup rich in asparagine, and dried pollack soup containing methionine are good hangover foods that do not burden the stomach and liver. These foods aid alcohol breakdown and provide the necessary fluids and nutrients to the body without straining the stomach or liver. Drinking warm water, ginger tea, or barley tea can soothe the stomach and help replenish body fluids. Sweet honey water or electrolyte drinks help expel harmful substances generated during alcohol breakdown and aid liver recovery.
Choosing Foods Good for the Stomach and Body the Day After Drinking
Hydration is Key
Drinking alcohol causes a rapid decrease in body fluids, leading to dehydration. Therefore, sufficient hydration is essential for hangover relief. Drinking water, electrolyte drinks, ginger tea, or barley tea helps expel alcohol from the body more quickly and alleviate dehydration symptoms. Hydration assists alcohol breakdown enzymes and helps relieve symptoms like headaches, nausea, and dizziness caused by alcohol. Additionally, drinking water facilitates the liver's alcohol detoxification process, reducing the burden on the liver.
Nutrition for Liver Health
The day after drinking, it's beneficial to consume nutrients that support liver health. Vitamin B complex aids liver detoxification and helps recover from fatigue. Consuming vitamin C and E through fruits and vegetables provides antioxidant action to prevent liver damage and promote recovery. Tomato juice or orange juice is rich in antioxidants that improve liver function, and tomatoes, in particular, are high in lycopene, which protects the liver and aids detoxification. Regular intake of these nutrients helps maintain liver health and minimize alcohol-related damage.
The Effects and Precautions of Exercise After Drinking
The Benefits of Moderate Exercise
Light exercise after drinking helps promote blood circulation and facilitate the excretion of alcohol from the body. Activities like walking or stretching can relieve the discomfort of a hangover, relax the body, and help restore condition. Sweating during exercise helps expel alcohol and toxins remaining in the body, providing effective hangover relief. Additionally, exercise improves mood and helps recover the energy depleted by drinking.
Avoid Excessive Exercise
However, excessive exercise during a hangover can worsen dehydration and increase fatigue. Alcohol promotes diuresis, reducing body fluids, and excessive exercise can exacerbate dehydration, leading to dizziness, headaches, or even fainting in severe cases. Alcohol also suppresses heart function, so excessive exercise during a hangover can burden the heart and increase cardiovascular risks. After drinking, it's crucial to choose an appropriate level of exercise based on body condition, and light stretching or walking is recommended to relax the body.
Simple and Healthy Hangover Food Recipes
How to Make Bean Sprout Soup
Bean sprout soup is a traditional hangover remedy known for its effectiveness. Bean sprouts are rich in asparagine, which helps break down alcohol and aids in recovery from fatigue. To make bean sprout soup, simply add green onions and garlic to bean sprouts and season with salt or soy sauce. Keep the broth clear to avoid straining the stomach. Bean sprout soup gently envelops the stomach, reducing irritation and replenishing body fluids.
Recipe for Dried Pollack Soup
Dried pollack soup is rich in methionine, which helps restore liver function. Soak the dried pollack in water, lightly fry it in oil, and add water to boil. You can add tofu or eggs for extra protein. Dried pollack soup is nutritious and suitable as a hangover food without burdening the stomach. The broth is rich in amino acids and minerals, helping replenish the nutrients lost due to drinking the previous day.
Conclusion: The Importance of Health Management After Drinking
Drinking occasions are an important part of our society, but improper management after drinking can have fatal health effects. Special care is needed, particularly regarding vomiting, brushing teeth, and choosing hangover foods after drinking. To protect the stomach and esophagus and maintain liver health, it's important to practice proper drinking habits. If you end up drinking, choose suitable hangover foods and ensure sufficient hydration to protect the stomach and liver and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
