Oktoberfest starts today, September 16th: On Munich’s Theresienwiese, people will once again laugh, dance, sway – and certainly drink a pint of beer or two. The consequences usually become apparent quickly the next morning in the form of headaches or nausea. These tips can help you survive your Oktoberfest visit without a hangover.
Rule number one: Eat before you sway and sway. The best are cheese spaetzle, oily foods such as Steckerlfisch or fried foods with a lot of fat, such as chicken. The reason: Oil lines the intestines and ensures that the alcohol is absorbed in smaller quantities and more evenly. Sounds sensible – and you can find hearty food on every corner at the Oktoberfest.
It’s easy to forget it while partying, but this rule pays off the next morning at the latest: mineral water between rounds of beer. Alcohol consumption deprives the body of a lot of fluid – and with it important minerals and salt. The result is a headache the next morning.
In addition, you should stick to one drink, so stay away from liquor. Before you go to bed, you should definitely remember to drink a large glass of water. It’s best to take a magnesium tablet from the pharmacy so that the reservoir is replenished straight away.
If you’re having trouble, you should, of course, drink enough – everything except alcohol, of course. Tap water, mineral water, tea and juice spritzers extinguish the fire and provide initial relief. Alkaline powder and healing clay are also recommended, both of which compensate for acidification caused by alcohol. To additionally detoxify the liver, artichoke juice or tea is recommended.
If you wake up with a hangover, you should of course have a hearty breakfast. Salty and sour foods are particularly popular with hangovers – rollmops, pickled cucumbers or a spicy scrambled egg can work wonders the next morning. If you want something a little healthier, you can use bananas as a source of magnesium and potassium or oat flakes for carbohydrates and vegetable protein. Coffee – preferably black as espresso – is also considered an effective helper, as the caffeine gets the circulation going. If you have a craving for spicy and hearty foods, you should satisfy your cravings with sandwiches and homemade stews. In general, it doesn’t hurt to replenish the body’s vitamin levels and eat lighter foods – because too much fat puts additional strain on the liver.
Get out into the fresh air. After an evening like this, it’s especially important to get some oxygen. This gives you a clear head, your circulation and metabolism get going again, and the body’s regeneration speeds up. Back at home, you can safely put an end to the hangover with another round of sleep.
