A doctor has shared her top pieces of advice for those planning on getting ‘merry’ this festive season.
If you’re hoping to indulge in a mulled wine or two over the Christmas period, Dr Neena Chandrasekaran’s tip could be of interest in you. That’s because it will hopefully prevent you from getting a sore head the next morning.
While some try to ward off hangovers by eating carby foods like bread, or glugging milk to line the stomach, the 34-year-old expert has some different advice.
The medic, who specialises in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, said: “If you are going for a night out on the town and you are going to drink alcohol, eating cheese before drinking alcohol can decrease your risk of having a hangover.”
Why, you may ask? Dr Neena Chandrasekaran, who lives in Florida, US, was quick to explain her reasoning.
She said: “Cheese has a lot of protein, fat and complex carbs that can coat the stomach, which decreases the absorption of alcohol.
“Cheese can help the body metabolise alcohol better and prevent liver damage. Cheese also replenishes nutrients because it is full of B vitamin and calcium – these specific nutrients are depleted from the body when drinking alcohol.
“Calcium, which can be depleted through alcohol specifically helps to improve nerve and muscle function, and B vitamins are needed for energy and metabolism.”
It sounds like a great excuse for a cheese and wine night, if you ask us! And it seems like people agree – as the clip has amassed 2.5 million views and plenty of positive comments.
One viewer joked: “Cheese as a cure? Say less.” Another laughed: “Like I needed an excuse to eat cheese.” And a third added: “I’ve never had a hangover… and I’m 97% cheese at this point so that adds up actually.”
Before you go out and demolish a charcuterie board followed by an entire bottle of wine, we do have some words of warning for you.
There is no miracle cure for hangovers – and Dr Neena pointed out that you can still be left feeling rough if you over-indulge.
What’s more, the NHS recommends sticking to 16 units of alcohol a week when you can. To put things into perspective, this equates to around six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine.
The doctor added: “Just remember, no alcohol is better than any alcohol. However, if you are going to drink, try to remember to try some cheese before alcohol.”
