Memorial Day weekend is this weekend. Celebrating Memorial Day tends to involve a lot of alcohol consumption. It did when I used to drink.

First, let’s remember what Memorial Day is about. It is about remembering every single man and woman that has given their life for our country. Take time to remember and honor the heroes that have signed the blank check to protect the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans. Freedom isn’t free, and we owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to these men and women that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Mojo, TSM Lansing
Mojo, TSM Lansing
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Some think that Memorial Day is the “start” of summer or that Memorial Day is the day the pool opens. All these might be accurate, but they are not the reasons we have Memorial Day. I am a proud American and I will pay my respects, and I hope to attend a parade.

Now that we’ve discussed what Memorial Day is truly all about, let’s expand on your alcohol consumption. I am an alcoholic in recovery for nearly 5 years. For me, sobriety is my best and only choice. Hands down.

There are tons of folks just like you that can handle drinking without letting it affect their life in a negative way. You know your limit, most of the time. Sometimes hangovers do happen. It always sounded fun to take that extra shot of Jack or Fireball, until it wasn’t. Usually later in the evening or the next day, I felt terrible.

Let’s face it, when it’s warmer, the tunes are cranked up and the grill is ready to go, life is festive. I love hanging out with friends and family. I have no desire to drink and sometimes people drinking around me reminds me why I don’t drink. I’m also a great designated driver.

I encourage you to drink responsibly. I encourage you to make good decisions. I also recognize that there will be hangovers. When I used to drink, I would get them sometimes and I developed ways to combat them.

The best choice to avoid a hangover altogether is by drinking responsibly or not drinking at all. Act like you’ve been here before.

If you have a hangover, here are some ways to help combat your “meh” and nausea.

Chase With the Hair of the Dog

This concept worked for me, and I have heard it works for others. The idea is to take a shot of something to help cure your hangover. Truth be told, when I drank, I used this method. It worked for a little while. It made me feel better, or so I thought. Sure, it takes the edge off the hangover, but it slows down the process of recovering from the toxins. Water would be a good idea.

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Eat a Greasy Breakfast

I used to think that going out and scarfing down a big, greasy breakfast would help get rid of the hangover. For me, it gave me comfort, but I did feel sluggish oftentimes after eating the meal. Boosting your blood sugar is important after a night of drinking. Foods that can help rehydrate you will help your body recover sooner. Gentle foods like fruit and bread are good options. Eggs are good too.

Make Sure to Hydrate

Getting hydrated will make you feel a lot better. Electrolytes are magical. Grab a sports drink or some Pedialyte and that should help you recover sooner. Be sure to not over hydrate, it can lead to swelling of the brain. Don’t drink gallons at a time.

Get a Lot of Rest

If you combine hydration and rest, then you will feel better. The two best ways to get back to feeling one hundred percent are resting and hydrating. Lay low, hydrate, and recover. Then remind yourself of what you drank so you don’t do it again.

Maybe Try Some THC & CBD

With marijuana being legal now in the state of Michigan for recreational use, you might want to have some on hand for the next day if you anticipate a wild night. That can help you the “next morning” when you are trying to figure out what happened the night before.

Again, I am an alcoholic in recovery for nearly 5 years. My suggestions to you are don’t binge drink or don’t drink at all. Have a plan and drink responsibly. Have a designated driver no matter what. Hangovers happen, you’ll be ok.

If you have a suggestion for a hangover cure to share with others, please drop a message in the app.

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