3 Unexpected Hangover Helpers

We've all been there... Even the heavyweights who can drink like sailors with almost 0 adverse side effects (such as yours truly) have woken up on a Sunday morning and blown off a Church date with Grandma saying we "had food poisoning."

There is nothing worse than a hangover - that specific kind of headache, the waves of nausea that come and go for two days, the stench of tequila in your spit that just makes you want to swear off the sauce forever. Here are a few rather unorthodox methods of easing the after-alcohol-aches that I've discovered over time.

1. TAKE A SHORT WALK IN THE SUNSHINE. It sounds counterintuitive, considering all your body wants is to lie in bed with the curtains drawn. However, by forcing yourself to get up and move, you're increasing your body's ability to flush toxins. In addition, the physical activity and sunlight will release endorphins in your brain, calming you and making you feel better. I discovered this when, the morning after my very first college bender, I was required to be at breakfast for a sorority function. The 7 minute walk from my dorm to the cafeteria did wonders for the raging misery of my hangover.

2. NIBBLE ON SUGARY FOODS. If you look at the ingredients list on a bottle of anti-nausea medicine, you'll notice that one of the main ingredients is sugar. When I was a kid plagued with nausea-inducing migraines, my grandmother would give me a cup of flat Coke, which made a huge difference. Small amounts of sugary - not too fatty - foods throughout the day can ease the urge to vomit as well as feed the hollow pit that gets denied due to your fear of puking. I recommend crunchy chocolate chip cookies (which are good for nibbling) or french toast sticks and a bit of maple syrup. remember though - take it slow! One bite at a time, champ.

3. SIP COCONUT WATER INSTEAD OF REGULAR WATER. The main culprit behind a hangover is the dehydration caused by alcohol consumption, and the best way to fight the illness rather than just the symptoms is by drinking water. However, water often tastes stale after a night of drinking and a morning of vomiting. Sometimes it feels like it isn't quite hydrating you fully, or it actually increases the feeling of nausea or headache due to metal content. Try coconut water instead. It has electrolytes which your body needs after sweating everything out on the dance floor the night before, as well as a sugar content which can help fight nausea. I always find it more refreshing, and it seems to go straight to your cells in a way that plain H2O doesn't.