What Makes GABA Oolong such a Good Hangover Cure Tea?
It's Natural and Organic: Your poor body is trying to get itself sorted out after a taking a hit from a major infusion of ethanol (your liver converts ethanol to acetaldehyde – the toxic culprit of the hangover – see more on this below.) So, the last thing your body needs is chemicals and pills and unnatural stuff! A soothing cup of Oolong tea is about as natural, clean and pure as you can get - non-GMO, no additives, pure plant leaf and water. Your body welcomes it and embraces it and it feel good! Its earthy, grounding, pleasant tasting and enjoyable. A good start to hangover recovery!
Gets You Back in Control: You deserve to feel good about yourself – yes, even if you overdid it a bit last night! Few hangover treatments address low mood swings and increased anxiety or impairments in concentration, memory and reaction times – all things frequently reported by hangover sufferers. This is one of the amazing things about brewing up a cup of GABA Oolong tea. Just the experience alone of putting the kettle on, brewing up some tea and casually sipping on it helps get you back in control - and gives you that warm toasty and homey feeling. All of a sudden, even though the body feels lousy, life is not so bad after all. Then, as you sip some more, the real magic starts – those GABA and Serotonin neurotransmitters kick in and you begin to feel better about yourself and, before you know it, the body is feeling less painful and your mood is a little more cheery. You are on your way to having a good day!
Good Healthy Stomach Foundation: Many teas, and in particular GABA Oolong tea, helps neutralize stomach and digestive issues. Brewing up and enjoying a cup of Oolong tea before your stomach tackles anything else can help support your stomach and prepare it for whatever else you feel like adding to the mix. For example, some people choose to eat greasy foods or a big meal of some description which they find helpful in coping with the hangover. GABA Oolong tea will help this to sit well and aid in alleviating any adverse reactions and provide a degree of balance in the stomach.
Hydrates: Dehydration is one of the main causes of hangover symptoms. Tea, being mostly water is one of the best hydrating beverages that you can drink. It's possibly more effective than some of the highly touted sports drinks and other dehydrating drinks out there. Some people say, “but hey, caffeine is a diuretic and therefore dehydrates you”. Well for one thing the amount of caffeine in GABA Oolong tea is so minimal (many people actually drink it in the evening and say it helps them sleep) so there is no issue there. Secondly, tea is mostly water and the hydrating benefit of it overwhelmingly outweighs the miniscule effect of possibly needing to go to the bathroom a little earlier than normal. Many doctors and health advocates say your cups of tea can, and should count toward your daily eight-or-so recommended cups of water per day. So, enjoy as much tea as you want!
Provides Needed Electrolytes: Electrolytes are minerals that, among other things, work to maintain your body’s pH balance and nerve function. The main electrolyte minerals are calcium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, magnesium and sodium. GABA Oolong tea contains small amounts of all these minerals except sodium (it is naturally sodium free). There are also levels of most of these minerals in good, clean everyday water.
Supports Cognitive Functions: The natural calming and soothing effect of sipping away on a hearty brew of GABA Oolong brings a subtle balance and equilibrium to the body which aids the mental faculties such as reasoning, memory and clarity of thought. The science behind GABA is that it is a calming neurotransmitter which prevents anxiety and stress creating neurons firing into the brain and thus brings on a calmness and a feeling of wellness and being in control. Scientific studies are still ongoing as to whether GABA, taken orally can reach the brain via the blood brain barrier and/or via the Enteric Nervous System in the stomach - indications are that is does get to the brain one way or the other. Aside from the GABA content, Oolong tea also contains L-theanine which we know crosses blood brain barrier and affects positive chemical reactions. Oolong Tea also contains other powerful antioxidants including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), but that's another whole health story. (coming soon)
What about some of these other Hangover Cures on the Market?
Marketing hangover cures and remedies is a multi-million-dollar industry and many companies taking advantage of hangover sufferers and peddling their wares, many of which unfortunately are not very beneficial.
Hangover Beverages: Most of the hangover beverages like Pedialyte, Gatorade and various Sports Drinks do provide some electrolytes, hydration and increase in blood sugar levels. But in reality, you can get these same benefits from drinking plenty of water and eating some food.
Hangover Chemicals: There are a lot of chemical options such as Flyby and Ibuprofen which can offer temporary chemical relief. They can certainly help alleviate a splitting headache and may be needful if you are suffering from that. But they don’t really provide stable bodily sustenance or improve health.
Hangover Patches: Hangover patches such as Bytox are suggested to apply prior to drinking and keep on for at least 8 hours afterwards. These patches are intended to provide needed antioxidants and replenish vital levels of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. The Bytox label lists tea as an ingredient. The patch does not hydrate and needs to be accompanied by drinking liquids
Enjoying GABA Oolong Tea with Friends:
A few years ago, one of my daughters would sometimes have parties and get togethers at our home with her friends, some of whom would stay overnight. The next morning after a big night, there were always a few “less than optimal” looking folks around. So I decided to bring out my GABA Oolong tea and brew some up and serve it to everyone. Before long, after sipping away on a cup or 2, they were all quite chirpy and chatty and life was purring along again. Aside from the tea helping to re-hydrate and provide some electrolytes, I believe the GABA Oolong tea energy also contributed to everyone’s well-being and their sense of feeling a little more back in control. These get-togethers happened quite a few times over the years and it became almost a tradition - they would expect a good brew of GABA tea the morning after. They knew it would take the edge off and get them feeling good about themselves again - - and it always did.
Information on what causes a hangover and some common symptoms:
It goes without saying that the best way to solve a hangover problem is to not drink so much in the first place – but hey, it still happens sometimes! And so here’s basically what happens on the inside: Alcohol comes into the body in the form of ethanol. The liver breaks ethanol down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which is toxic. In large amounts, acetaldehyde can lead to symptoms like nausea and sweating. But before acetaldehyde can cause much damage, the body breaks it down into another chemical called acetate, which is then converted to water and carbon dioxide and easily eliminated. But when we consume large amounts of alcohol, the liver can’t keep up and acetaldehyde accumulates, causing nausea and vomiting, sweating and other unpleasant symptoms.
The chemistry in the brain also takes a hit when alcohol is consumed. Our neurotransmitters begin to have a difficult time functioning as they normally do. Alcohol increases the release of dopamine and GABA and suppresses the release of glutamate. Once the alcohol has worn off and hangover mode kicks in, the brain has to come to terms with the fact that it was tricked into these feel good sensations by the alcohol and in reality the body is now low on GABA and serotonin – hence the feelings of anxiety and uneasiness that often accompany a hanover.
Common Hangover Symptoms:
Alcohol withdrawal: When you are drinking, your brain is gradually adjusting to the effects of the alcohol. When these effects start wearing off, however there can be withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, headache, and restlessness that occur.
Dehydration: Because alcohol is a diuretic, there is a need to use the toilet more often when you are drinking. As a result, you will become more dehydrated not only during the time you are drinking but your body continues to suffer from dehydration afterwards. Aside from causing thirst and a dry throat, dehydration can also cause headaches, dizziness and impaired concentration.
Upset Stomach and Gastrointestinal Effects: Consuming alcohol can irritate the lining of your stomach, leading to symptoms like nausea and vomiting as well as increase acid production in your stomach and digestive system. Alcohol can also affect the passage of food matter through your gastrointestinal tract – unnaturally speeding up or slowing it down - which can be directly associated with symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
Electrolyte Imbalance: Alcohol intake affects your body’s electrolyte levels causing an imbalance with some essential minerals. This may in turn contribute to headaches, irritability, and physical weakness.
Immune System Weakened: The immune system is often impaired when consuming alcohol. Temporary changes in the functions of the immune system caused by alcohol can cause things such as nausea, decreased appetite, an inability to concentrate and focus, as well as being more prone to picking up viruses or sicknesses that may be going around.
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): Drinking can hinder the body’s natural production of sugar (glucose). A low blood sugar level can be associated with tiredness, fatigue, dizziness, and irritability.
Dilation of Blood Vessels (Vasodilation): Consumption of alcohol can sometimes cause your blood vessels to widen. This is known as vasodilation and can cause headaches, nausea and dizziness.
Sleeping Issues: Although excessive drinking can cause some people to feel tired and sleepy, it often hinders the body from experiencing a high-quality deep sleep. It can cause you to be restless and wake up during the night. As a result, the day after is often accompanied with more tiredness and drowsiness than usual.
Buy a pack of Organic GABA Oolong tea now and you'll be prepared for your next morning after!
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Disclaimer: Information provided in in this article does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any kind. This information is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional.