Eat orange and drink lemon juice to beat New Year hangover

Start the day with warm drinks or citrus juices, said Yamini Prakash, chief dietician, Kauvery Hospital. “Orange and lemon juice will help replenish the lost nutrients and water content in your body. Due to excessive drinking and sweating from the night before, the body is also dehydrated, so drink at least 2.5 litres of water over the course of the day,” she said.

This will also help counter fatigue and tiredness, said celebrity nutritionist R Prabha. “Detoxing the body is very important. Avoid sitting in the air conditioning as your body needs to sweat out the toxins from the previous night. Having cold-pressed juices will be extremely beneficial to restore water and nutrients as well, but only drink those before 6 pm as they can cause colds when consumed later in the evening,” she said.

Although many may feel too sick to eat, both recommend having a filling breakfast. “Try to avoid having bread in the morning. Rather, have lighter foods like idly and coconut milk, porridge, or rasam rice with lots of pepper,” said Prabha. Having a good mix of micronutrients and macronutrients is very important, as well as healthy protein and fibres, said Prakash. Avoid spicy and fried foods that will aggravate the stomach.

Hydrating and resting the body is the only way to counter headaches, said Prabha. “Take it easy the following day. Sleep deprivation can affect your performance the next day, so try not to strain yourself. Read a book, practice meditation, or go for a walk to give your body a break,” she said.