Cheers!

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday this year, which means some of you will be paying for it Tuesday Morning with a throbbing head, cotton-ball mouth, and nausea. While you can’t “un-drink” all those Guinness,' you can get hangover relief from another tropical beverage:

Coconut water

Different from coconut milk, coconut water is the juice that spills out when you crack open a coconut. "With about 60 calories in each 11-ounce serving, the juice has a subtle sweetness that makes it great for sipping anytime, but it really shines for morning-after recovery. Each serving packs a walloping 660 mg of potassium, an important electrolyte, while most sports drinks, touted for their electrolyte content, contain only 44 mg."

That’s important because alcohol, a diuretic, dehydrates your body and leaches out the electrolytes—the sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium—your body needs to regulate blood pH, muscle function, and cellular activity. When electrolyte levels drop, the hallmark hangover symptoms result. Alcohol also breaks down in your body into a slightly toxic compound called acetaldehyde. This metabolic byproduct contributes to those post-party head and body aches as well.

“It has 15 times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink and two bananas’ worth of potassium per serving, with less sugar, no fat, and none of the artificial ingredients found in all of the leading sports drinks.”

Once found only in tropical climes, coconut water is quickly spilling into the American market, with companies like Vita Coco, O.N.E., Zico, CocoWater, and Amy and Brian all offering it.

You can find coconut water at most natural grocers or your closest palm tree.

And please remember to drink responsibly!

posted by Sharon A. Wyse L.Ac.