PHOENIX - It's a tradition almost as important as wearing green. St. Patrick's Day gives many people an excuse to drink, and that might happen even more with the holiday falling on a Saturday this year. More drinking generally means bigger hangovers, which means people will try to figure out how to cure said hangovers.
"If someone says something works for them, I'm not going to tell them that it doesn't, as long as it's not dangerous," says naturopathic physician Laura Glenn at Rejuvena Health & Aesthetics. Glenn said hangovers are mostly dehydration, so replacing lost electrolytes is the key to feeling better.
"Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids in between your drinks," Glenn said. Common cures that Glenn says are mostly myth include greasy food the morning after, ginger and pickle juice. These things don't actually replace the nutrients and electrolytes lost from alcohol.
"Fruit smoothies are a really good way to go for a lot of people. You can also put some avocado or fats in there so you get a combination of sugars and fat. Those electrolytes and vitamins back in," Glenn says.
Everybody's body is different, so the main thing is to find out what works for you. The only scientifically proven way to avoid a hangover this St. Patrick's Day is to avoid alcohol all together, but let's be real.