You're either reading this because you're just coming off of the beginning of the many holiday parties to come or you're just about to gear up for the beginning of the festive madness. Either way, over-indulging over the holidays is almost inevitable but there are ways to both prevent ourselves from overindulging and bounce back from it too.

When I refer to "hangovers" in this post, I'm referring more so to alcohol-induced hangovers, but those that suffer from junk food-induced hangovers (i.e. "food babies") may also find the following suggestions helpful. While some say hangovers are a result of alcohol withdrawal and others say it is a result of dehydration, we should also consider how many nutrients are depleted as a result of drinking.

Our B Vitamins, which are responsible for converting our food into fuel and energizing us, is our biggest loss, followed by Vitamin C (bye bye, immunity!) Vitamin A and Vitamin D. The bottom line is that hangovers make us feel pretty darn crummy. The best thing you can do for your body when it's in this state is to start replenishing it with the nourishment, rest and love it needs.

Natural Hangover Remedies

1. Drink water with freshly squeezed lemon

There's nothing more refreshing than this when you wake up with dry, cracked lips and your mouth is as dry as the Sahara. I used to have trouble just drinking plain 'ol water after over-consuming (how proper am I!) so I would often opt for putting a squeeze of fresh lemon in my water or even opt for coconut water. Coconut water is packed with electrolytes and potassium that will help to rehydrate your thirsty little cells quickly and sufficiently. Water with freshly squeezed lemon will also help to rehydrate you while also aiding in liver detoxification. Lemon juice has been known to increase our production of bile (which is necessary for digestion) while controlling it at the same time to ensure it doesn't cause any distress to the digestive tract and release in excess. The Vitamin C will also help to boost our fragile little immune systems after we've depleted so many essential nutrients (especially those B Vitamins).

2. Up the greens

Even when that cheeseburger or greasy breakfast is calling your name, arugula, spinach, swiss chard, kale, dandelion greens, chlorophyll and green smoothies/juices are going to be your best friend. There's certainly ways of satisfying that desire for comfort food when you're hungover while still getting nutrients back into your body. One of my favourite go-to's from the past is roasted sweet potato (or raw shredded sweet potato, sautéed in avocado oil) with sautéed greens (any of the above) and 2 eggs on top. If you need to "soak up the alcohol" with a slice of sprouted toast, be my guest – but make sure you're getting those greens in! They're packed with fibre which is going to help encourage elimination of toxins and waste. If you're able to choke down a shot of chlorophyll (or a healing serving of arugula) after a bender, it will provide you with a whole whack of antioxidants that will help to neutralize any free radicals produced during the detoxification process.

3. Spice it up with ginger

We know and love ginger for it's ability to kick nausea to the curb, but it's also great for settling a queasy stomach. It's also a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that may help to relieve pain and neutralize free radicals produced while your body is trying to detox itself. I guess this is a good time to mention that our body and the super powerful organs within it are always detoxing – our lungs, our kidneys, our digestive tract, our liver and even our skin (the largest organ!) So this whole idea that we need to "detox" and drink nothing but water, cayenne and lemon for days on end might not actually be the best for us after all. However, there are certainly ways of providing support for detoxification to ensure that toxins move and eliminate through our body safely and effectively. Back to ginger – one of my favourite ways of enjoying ginger is sliced fresh with a squeeze of fresh lemon, 1/2-1 tbsp of raw honey and a cup of hot water. I call this a "ginger brew" – the queen of anti-nausea/stomach aches and just downright deliciousness!

4. Eat your liver-loving foods

While one certain food can provide an array of health benefits for the entire body, there are certain foods that are especially effective at nourishing and detoxifying the liver. Some of these foods include: freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, beets, carrots, spinach, arugula, dandelion greens, avocado and olive oil. Each of these foods will help to increase production of liver detoxification enzymes that will encourage the flushing of carcinogens and other toxins. While things like beets and avocados might not be your go-to hangover food, there's ways of making them comforting and enjoyable. I mean, what's stopping you from whipping up a mean guacamole?!

5. Peppermint Tea

Sometimes the most simple things are the most effective. I'm sure all of us have a box of peppermint tea hiding in our tea cupboard. Whether you want to enjoy this hot or iced, you'll love reaping the benefits of this stomach-soothing substance including: improved digestion, boosted immunity, reduced inflammation, relief for an upset stomach and an aid in sleep (for when we need to catch those extra ZzZzZ's a little bit into the afternoon).

What's your favourite natural remedy for bouncing back from a hangover?

Rx For The Holiday Hangover