Herbs can be effective in reducing hangovers

One of my favorite fall moments is a good glass of wine with great friends during dinner while sitting next to a warm fire. Yet, when one glass turns into a few more, this just doesn’t sit well with me the next day.

Mitigating the impact that alcohol has on our body can help to sidestep that dreaded hangover effect. Especially after having too much bourbon. It’s not so much the alcohol that is the problem as it is the byproducts created as our liver breaks down what we drank.

Acetaldehyde is one of those byproducts and it is considered even more toxic than alcohol. But there are other things that come with alcohol that cause problems. These issues can include feeling run down, tired, achy, and having a headache.

Brain fog and inability to focus are common. We may also not be able to sleep, feel irritable, and shaky.

There are toxins from molds that grow on grains and grapes that, even in very small amounts, can wreak havoc. Beer is perhaps the worst. One mycotoxin, called Ochra-toxin A, is produced by the fungal species Asper-gillus and Penicil-lium that grow on malt and barley used in making beer.

It’s not just the stuff we buy in the store that can be a problem. There are risks to home brewed alcohol as well. Ethanol can be a serious problem as most home brewers are aware.

Another species of mold, black aspergilli, can grow on grapes in the vineyard. When the grapes are crushed, the toxins are carried over to the barrels used during fermenting.

Along with sulfites, these do not get broken down and persist all the way to the bottle and right into our glass.

Yeast is a necessary component in making beer and wine. This organism devours the sugars and gives us back alcohol in return. But yeast is not our friend in general. Think of yeast infections and candida overgrowth.

Encouraging yeast to grow in our digestive system is not a good idea.

Sugar feeds yeast and alcohol starts with a lot of sugar. That’s why it is so high in calories, even higher than sugar itself. Another source of sugar, and potential overgrowth of bacteria in our gut, is the flavoring we put into our drinks, like fruit juice and syrups. Many of these contain high fructose corn syrup and food colorings.

It’s not unhealthy to drink every once in a while. Alcohol itself can have beneficial properties when used in moderation. But because alcohol just doesn’t typically come by itself, unless you drink vodka, we will be well served to be sensitive to how our body responds and adjust intake accordingly.

Breaking down and processing these toxins is key to feeling better. Glutathione is the mother of all antioxidants and plays a big role in cleaning things up. It’s very hard to take it directly, though there are some liposomal forms that are proving capable of getting into our body. The next best thing is to take glutathione precursors.

N-acetyl-cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, and milk thistle all can help restore glutathione. Both vitamin C and E work together to recycle glutathione.

Milk thistle helps boost levels, along with some of the B vitamins. Supporting our livers natural detoxification process can be done by taking dandelion root, artichoke, garlic, and beet leaf.

Keep your immune system up with vitamin D, vitamin C, and probiotics. Magnesium can be lost at an alarming rate so this should be restored, as well as potassium. You could consider a good phospholipid curcumin to reduce the achiness.

Consider organic wines, vodka, gin, and perhaps even tequila as these tend to be the least toxic in terms of grains, molds, and sugars. Tequila is made from agave which is high in fructose. Instead of adding more sugar to drinks, think about using soda water, lime, lemon, olives, jalapenos, salt, or even bacon.

Come on down and we can talk more.

Scott Porter, a functional medicine pharmacist, is the director of the Center for Functional Nutrition at Sandpoint Super Drug.