Food and water. Having a meal or snack before you drink may help slow the rate your body absorbs the alcohol, so if you do choose to drink, it's a good idea to eat beforehand. Drinking water (or soft drinks) can also help, as long as it means you drink less alcohol.
Eat before you drink.
Having a snack or a meal before your first beverage will help give your body the time it needs to process alcohol and help prevent nausea, headache, and upset stomach. A little bit of starch or dairy goes a long way in coating your stomach lining and preparing your body for alcohol.
Best: Water
Water is another great choice to drink if you plan on drinking alcohol: Drinking water before drinking alcohol may help you feel less thirsty.
Our bodies tend to lose potassium when we drink alcohol (especially when drinking excessive amounts),2 so eating potassium-rich foods prior to drinking can help boost the amount in your body. Spinach, avocado, potatoes, lentils, milk, and yogurt are also high in potassium and great to snack on before drinking.
What is an alcohol belly? An alcohol belly is basically an increase in belly fat that's linked to drinking a large amount of alcohol. This is caused by a large amount of visceral fat or hidden fat.
Worst: Caffeine
“Alcohol can cause gastroesophageal reflux, so it may be helpful to avoid foods that can further trigger heartburn, such as caffeine, acidic foods, spicy foods, and mint,” says Dr. Kuo.
Dairy. If you're regularly throwing back shots, you may irritate the lining of your stomach. In that case, it's best to focus on a diet that minimizes other gut issues like dairy. If you're even a little bit lactose intolerant, alcohol + dairy can make you feel awful.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
Some evidence suggests alcoholic drinks can make your stomach produce more acid than usual, which can gradually wear away your stomach lining and make it inflamed and painful (gastritis). Over weeks or months, this could mean you develop painful ulcers in your stomach lining.
Depending on how much you drank, your starting weight, your age, and how you've treated diet and exercise since you stopped drinking, it's not uncommon to lose anywhere between 6-15 pounds after a month without alcohol.
As magnesium is so important to over 400 different chemical reactions and is depleted by alcohol, I recommend supplementing with 300-500mg of Magnesium glycinate or bisglycinate. Glycine helps to slow alcohol absorption and helps support the detoxification of alcohol through producing the antioxidant glutathione (5).
Two nutrients are known to play an important role in alcohol metabolism, namely nicotinic acid and zinc [20,21]. Dietary intake of these micronutrients is necessary, as the body is unable to synthesize them itself [22,23].
Thiamine deficiency, although rare in most developed countries, is common in people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Up to 80% of people with an addiction to alcohol develop thiamine deficiency.
Alcohol intolerance occurs when your body doesn't have the proper enzymes to break down (metabolize) the toxins in alcohol. This is caused by inherited (genetic) traits most often found in Asians. Other ingredients commonly found in alcoholic beverages, especially in beer or wine, can cause intolerance reactions.
According to the pH level, gin, tequila, and non-grain vodkas are the lowest acidity options; choosing drinks made with these alcohols will be best on your stomach.
Acute alcoholic gastritis appears quickly and often disappears in a few days. Chronic gastritis due to alcohol, however, may last for months or even years.
Myth: I don't drink every day OR I only drink wine or beer, so I can't be an alcoholic. Fact: Alcoholism is NOT defined by what you drink, when you drink it, or even how much you drink. It's the EFFECTS of your drinking that define a problem.
Bananas. Bananas contain a good amount of potassium. Eating a banana will help to replenish the body's potassium levels after a night of heavy drinking.