The SMART drinking guide

One of the most important rules of drinking is to make sure you’ve don’t do it on an empty stomach. ‘We need to slow down absorption via the stomach to both protect against the neurotoxic elements and to minimise that dramatic ‘suddenly wasted’ effect. Eating before drinking is key, especially with blood sugar balancing protein present as meat, fish, eggs, beans, goat’s cheese, nuts and seeds.

Eating before drinking is key, especially with blood sugar balancing protein present as meat, fish, eggs, beans, goat’s cheese, nuts and seeds.

‘Nuts and olives on bars are there to help people keep drinking as the fats present slow down alcohol release into the bloodstream and the saltiness keeps up thirst’ Charlotte tells us. ‘Drinking more slowly with a meal is how cultures with healthy attitudes to alcohol tend to include it as part of daily life and this supports health promoting ‘moderation’.’

And there are certain foods that can even help with a hangover. ‘Support of ‘phase two’ liver detoxification processes is key to minimise alcohol’s toxic effects and help the body metabolise it more efficiently. The mineral sulphur is needed for the liver detoxification pathway that disables alcohol. Sulphur is rich foods such as onions, garlic, fennel, asparagus, beans and cabbage. Raspberries, turmeric and green tea also optimise phase two liver clearance of alcohol. The B vitamins that alcohol depletes are also needed for alcohol clearance, so ironically less tolerance can be seen as we get older through reduced levels and less efficient liver clearance.’

The mineral sulphur is needed for the liver detoxification pathway that disables alcohol.

‘This is especially important for women as alcohol raises circulating oestrogen as is metabolised by the same liver pathway as alcohol, which as a toxic substance, the liver will prioritise breaking down to eliminate. This is part of its breast cancer risk factor and why it can exacerbate symptoms for those with PMS, fibroids, endometriosis and peri-menopausal hot flushes.’

‘Alcohol increases urination through lowered produced of anti-diuretic hormone, so dehydration – coconut water, broths with chicken, loads of celery and a sprinkle of good quality rock salt, organic cloudy apple juice and virgin bloody Mary help replace electrolyte minerals for healthy rehydration.

This can help energy levels and stop you turning to the coffee which can also increase urination in those susceptible. At the very least, drink water between drinks to quench thirst and you may find you simply drink less alcohol this way.’

Exactly why you want  fry up the next day

‘Fry-ups provide dense sources of proteins, fats, B vitamins and zinc, even if the foods are often cooked in ways that also produce trans fats and lesser quality sausages and bacon contain preservatives and loads of salt.’ The best food for a hangover cure is one of a fry-ups main components. ‘Eggs are especially good as they contain high levels of cysteine, a sulphur “amino acid”, one of the building blocks of protein. They are an age-old hangover cure in many cultures for good reason.’

As well as affecting the body, alcohol can also have huge effects on our mood. ‘Alcohol – like any addicting substance – creates an immediate surge of the rewarding and motivating neurotransmitter (brain chemical) dopamine, so if we have turned to it for stress relief before, our brains learn that it will have this self-medicating effect again and set up a craving association response.’

Alcohol – like any addicting substance – creates an immediate surge of the rewarding and motivating neurotransmitter (brain chemical) dopamine

However, it can lead to a dangerous cycle where we become reliant on alcohol for a mood booster. ‘The same cycle happens with the neurotransmitter serotonin, which creates stimulation and euphoric mood immediately after a drink, but a significant drops occurs soon after, leaving us wanting to recreate that ‘high’ with the next drink or the association with needing alcohol to ‘have a good time’. This is especially true if we tend to low levels (with depressive tendencies or SAD) which also prompts sugar cravings as insulin (the hormone produced to transport sugar) takes the building blocks for serotonin into the brain.

It is therefore important for us to ensure we lead as happy lives as possible. ‘If we also don’t have enough ‘natural joy’ in our lives (laughter, hugs, comfort, support, socialisation, music, exercise) we may be more likely to turn to alcohol or other sugar sources to prop us up and this can become a long-term conditioned pattern and coping strategy.’

The problem with using alcohol to relax

Many people also use alcohol as a way to relax after a long stressful day and achieve a restful sleep. ‘For many, alcohol may seem essential for ‘switching off’. This is because its first response is to relax us by heightening the relaxing brain chemical GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid), which literally shuts off brain chatter, a blessed relief for many. However, long-term, this can have disastrous effects. ‘Having alcohol to create this effect (rather than finding ways to relax without) becomes a cycle where the brain starts to need alcohol to pick up the GABA, and without it we can then become tense, anxious and unable to sleep. Using alcohol to help sleep is a false economy: the GABA rush does stupefy and relax us at first, but then lowered levels throughout the night can impair sleep and jolt us awake in the small hours.’

Using alcohol to help sleep is a false economy: the GABA rush does stupefy and relax us at first, but then lowered levels throughout the night can impair sleep and jolt us awake in the small hours.

So how do we escape this vicious cycle? ‘Reducing alcohol can create a phase where less GABA (and dopamine) is available to the brain and you may feel this agitation and inability to self-soothe, while your brain resensitizes to accessing its own stores. This can be difficult, especially for those who tend to depression and fatigue, but it’s crucial at this stage not to turn to other sugar sources to replace this effect and ‘normalize’. That simply replaces one addictive cycle with another. Women may also experience more alcohol cravings pre-menstrually, as will anyone during times of stress for soothing self-medication.’

Long-term, alcohol can have negative effects on our mood. ‘Alcohol intake, like stress itself increases release of dopamine and serotonin in the short-term, but ultimately the initial surge leads to a crash after and from there, tendencies to more ‘roller-coaster’ disordered release, rather than the more smooth and sustained production that allows regulated and consistent mood.’

Alcohol intake, like stress itself increases release of dopamine and serotonin in the short-term, but ultimately the initial surge leads to a crash

‘The resulting mood swings and even depressive and anxious tendencies are exacerbated by the B vitamin, zinc and other nutrient depletion that alcohol creates – all of these are vital for our neurochemistry and how we respond to stress or challenges in life. They are also necessary for energy production, interlinked with mood though motivation and as these become depleted, reliance on the quick-fix ‘up’ of alcohol increases.’