Depending on how you spent your spring break, your body might be craving some serious hangover cures. If you’ve ever had a hangover, you’re likely familiar with the unrelenting urge to fill your gullet with every type of fried food in sight–even better if that fried food is smothered in something creamy and fatty like cheese or hollandaise or oozing egg yolks.

Aside from these greasy foods, many people also turn to a remedy called ‘Hair of the Dog’. The legend goes that if you drink more booze the next day, or the ‘hair of the dog that bit you’ (the dog being the evil alcohol that’s causing your pain), you will feel better.

Although these are commonly accepted ways to ease your tummy after some heavy partying, they’re actually not scientifically proven to cure anything. They might make you feel good for a moment, but they’re not healthy in the long run. What you want to do is replenish your fluids and nutrients to help your body combat the toxins. Here are some ways you can do that and hopefully return your body to a healthier state after a little too much spring break fun.

Reach for some good ol’ H20 (duh)

Drinking alcohol can dehydrate you considerably, leading to headaches and other general nastiness, so drink lots of water to help flush out toxins and rehydrate yourself.

Boost hydration with coconut water

Coconut water is an excellent hangover remedy because it contains five electrolytes found in human blood. Electrolytes help keep your body properly hydrated by maintaining an optimal balance of water inside and outside of your cells. This also supports proper functioning of your internal organs.

Soothe your tummy with ginger

Ginger is known to have natural nausea-fighting powers. Soothe your tummy with ginger tea, or just chop up a small nub, steep it in some hot water and sip away your tummy upset.

Make a hangover-busting smoothie

The diuretic effects of alcohol tend to leech essential potassium from your body. Replenish it by blending up some potassium-rich foods like spinach and banana. Find more smoothie ideas here.

Try some soup for your hungover soul

When you’re hungover your sodium levels are depleted. While too much salt isn’t good for anyone, your body actually needs a certain level of sodium to function properly. A hot bowl of soup, such as chicken noodle, can replenish your optimal sodium levels.

 

Try these remedies next time you have a few too many drinks and your body will thank you. What’s your favorite way to soothe a hangover? Share in the comments or over on Twitter at @luvoinc.