Issue #194: The Hangover Part IV
Good morning. It’s Thursday, June 1st.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: Limiting Your Hangover
Speed Read: Spermidine
Thursday Night In: Spring-Time Frittata
“Even though a number of people have tried, no one has yet found a way to drink for a living.”
Number of drinks in roughly 2 hours for a 180 lb male to be at the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit of 0.08 - which is among the highest limits in the world. NOTE: This is only 2 drinks for a 120 lb female. Here’s a link to a personalized formula. (Wikipedia)
From the Lab
In the previous issue (#193) we detailed alcohol’s effect on the brain - but what about how we feel the next day?
Wish there was another way to say it - but, again, alcohol is a poison. That’s why our bodies do everything possible to get rid of it as fast as possible.
The liver goes into overdrive to process it out of the body - this requires a ton of water and nutrients, which is why we’re left feeling hungover and dehydrated.
This is also why heavy drinkers (1.5-2 oz per day - wait, that’s heavy drinking, according to the Cleveland Clinic, have a 90% chance of developing fatty liver disease.
The good news - this is reversible by not drinking for 1-2 months if caught early enough before it turns into cirrhosis. That’s why we can often get away with the debauchery of our youth. Man our body is amazing!!
But it’s not just the liver - when a poison enters our body our immune system gets ready for battle (see Issue #79). The high levels of cortisol and inflammation prevent us from fighting off any other invader - which is why chances are higher we get sick after multiple nights of drinking.*
So now we’re dehydrated and susceptible to getting sick - let’s just pass out and sleep it off.
Nope. As Matthew Walker (now famous “sleep diplomat”) tells us - alcohol is a sedative, we quickly lose consciousness, but we can’t get into REM sleep. The fragmented sleep isn’t rejuvenating - we wake up still feeling like crap.
So there we are with a high heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temp - waiting to feel better.
Before your reach for the Advil or Tylenol - we’ve got a few alternative tips to cure that hangover first.
The Thrive25 Hangover Protocol
Before/During Drinking
💦 Hydrate - as we said last week. When drinking try a 3:1 ratio of water to alcohol
💊 Take B-Complex vitamin and/or glutathione to support your liver and up nutrient levels that will get crushed by the alcohol
☣️ Toxin Clean-Up - try taking activated charcoal either while drinking or before you go to bed. It binds to the alcohol to process it faster out of the body. NOTE: This will also bind to other minerals so be sure to take some electrolytes (e.g., LMNT) in your water
🥖 Eat Fermented Foods - since alcohol crushes your gut bacteria, eating these foods (e.g., kombucha, pickles, sourdough bread, etc. - we know a guy with some great recipes!) ahead of time might help save your gut and lead to faster recovery
After Drinking
❄️ Get Cold - whether it’s a shower or a plunge, the boost in adrenaline and dopamine may help with recovery. When I was living in LA - the very best hangover cure was surfing in the chilly Pacific
🏃♂️ Get Moving - you might not feel like doing much, but a walk outside and some sunshine (Vit D) is always on our list
🚫 Avoid OTC Painkillers and Caffeine - yeah, you want that coffee, but it’s a diuretic and will further dehydrate you (at least wait until after you’ve completed our drinking challenge - Issue #192). As for painkillers - they crush our gut or liver, and taking them typically makes your long-term health even worse
There’s no magic pill for a hangover - but follow these before/after steps to lessen the aftereffects from what was hopefully a good time.
Now who’s reaching for a Hiyo instead??
*We don’t want to think about it - but remember our immune system is also used to ward off pending cancer. The CDC calls out alcohol for raising the risk of six types of cancer
Oh and if you need just one more reason to drink a bit less - alcohol also turns testosterone into estrogen (just saying)
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Max had been looking for something besides water as an alternative to alcohol that wasn’t riddled with sugar (does it exist??) - and we happened to be introduced to Hiyo at just the right time last year. Now he’s always got a 4-pack in the fridge to relax at night after a rough bedtime with his 3 kids!
Hiyo is a non-alcoholic option that is inspiring more solace on the sofa, more happy hours without hangovers, more presence at parties, and ultimately, a happier, healthier you. All Thrive25 readers get 15% off - use code THRIVE at checkout - CLICK HERE!
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
NO is Good (Not N2O Fast X Fans): Nitric oxide is awesome - it lowers blood pressure, improves blood flow and enhances exercise performance. Our body naturally produces enough for baseline activity, but eat some foods with more for enhanced performance. (Longevity Technology)
New Insights on Human Origin(s): We didn’t evolve from a single birthplace in Africa. Nope, instead we evolved from two distinct populations. That is, until researchers are able to look further back into history and discover a) we evolved from three populations, b) nah, actually it was just a single population, or c) something we’ve never even heard of. (NYTimes)
Spermidine, the Vitality Drug: As we age, our blood vessels lose their regenerative powers - leading to cardiovascular issues. But the molecule, spermidine (Issue #37), may have regenerative powers and supplementation (you just can’t eat enough aged cheese) may reignite this process. (Nature)
Thursday Night In | Spring-Time Frittata
School is out and temps are sky high - but it’s still spring.
Got more time to really make make that egg recipe awesome?? Check out this frittata full of nutrient rich-veggies. We promise to steer clear of eggs next week 😄.
Thanks for joining us today!
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
Got feedback, recommendations or stories to share? Tell us what’s on your mind here
Want this direct to your inbox? Sign up here
Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
Sign up for free:
The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.