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Not surprisingly, having
a mag called The Hungover Gourmet attracts
a lot of attention from folks that've
had a little too much to drink. As a public
service, we have collected some of the
best hangover cures – from the weird
to the classic – for our faithful
readers. Have a cure of your own that
you'd like to submit? Fill out our THG
Submission Form.
My Own Cure
The Hungover Gourmet has, unfortunately,
had plenty of experience with hangover
cures through the years. I can attest
to the fact that things like Alka-Seltzer
make me throw up, so I steer clear of
them. However, after much experimentation
I've found this reliable regimen: before
going to bed drink a large glass of water
and take four extra strength ibuprofen.
Don't take acetaminophen as this has been
known to cause health problems over the
long term. When you get up, repeat the
process and then eat breakfast. I like
eggs, sausage or pork roll, and an English
muffin. Keep your caffeine consumption
down as it will only rob your body of
hydration. Have some juice. Relax.
This May Not Work with
Beer Cans
If you're up for a funkier, flashier approach,
Haitian voodoo practitioners recommend
sticking 13 black pins into the cork of
the bottle. Great for wine but not so
hot for anything else.
Hair of the Dog
We've all heard this one and sometimes
it just seems like a desperate excuse
to get the party revved up again. But
there is some scientific fact at work
here. The ethanol in the booze makes your
head stop hurting, which is caused by
the methanol in the booze. So, it's really
just a vicious circle.
Beans and Breads
Know what causes Delirium Tremors? Insufficient
Vitamin B1 or Thiamine. Beans, rice, grains,
cereals, peas and other fiber-filled goodies
are loaded with B1 and will help settle
down the shakes. This might be the perfect
time to try our Hangover
Chili. You can also go out an pick
up some B1 tablets and while you're there
grab some B2 (for your bloodshot eyes)
and B12 (which'll get the blood rushing
through your veins again).
Get Juiced Up
"Getting juiced" the morning
after takes on a whole new connotation.
Juices contain water which helps rehydrate
your body and citrus juices like orange,
pineapple, grapefruit, etc. are loaded
with natural sugars that help your body
break down any alcohol that might be in
there.
You Say Tomato...
Tomatoes are another great hangover helper,
and it comes in many convenient forms.
Have a Bloody Mary or a Bullshot (Campbell's
Condensed Beef Consome Soup, tomato juice,
Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt, pepper,
lemon). Also, juices like V8 or plain
ol' tomato juice are loaded with the vitamins
and nutrients your body is sorely lacking
after a night of well, you know.
A Ride in the Saddle
Sex, or any physical exertion, will get
the blood pumping and help your body sweat
out the alcohol, which is poisoning your
system. Plus, it will help you rest afterwards
until it's time to get up and do it all
again!!
OTC Cures
We polled members of our crack staff and
they suggested such readily availableall-in-one
over-the-counter cures as Dramamine, Pedialite
popsicles (rehydrate without the ghastly
taste of actual Pedialite), and Excedrin
Migraine (complete with caffeine, a pain
reliever and an anti-nausea med).
Listen to those Old Wives
I know we've all heard it a million times:
"Before before liquore, never felt
sicker." Well, this one happens to
be true. The carbonation in beer –
or champagne for that matter – speeds
up the body's ability to absorb alcohol.
This isn't exactly a cure, but more of
a prevent defense to keep in mind. If
you start with beer or champagne, stick
with beer or champagne. You'll thank me
later.
Stay Clear of the Brown
Stuff
Want to know what drinks (in excess) will
provide the easiest hangover? Think clear
my friends. A cocktail with plenty of
ice (think vodka and soda or gin and tonic)
will give you a nice buzz without delivering
a crippling hangover the next morning.
Beer (especially lite beer) will hurt
you in the long run, but won't be as bad
as long as you remember to rehydrate before
passing out. Once you get into brown liquors
and red wines, you're on your own. Scotch,
brandy, rum, bourbon, red wine and port
(a fortified wine which is as scary as
it sounds) will all deliver a nasty hangover
that'll ruin your day... or days in some
cases.
What's the Deal with
Hangover Preventers?
We've all seen the ads and checked out
the sites. Chaser works by absorbing the
elements in alcohol that cause hangovers.
Wingman provides your body with vitamins
and nutrients that will ward off the effects
of a hangover. And there are plenty of
other tablets, pills and powders that
taken during your night of debauchery
will supposedly help you wake up feeling
refreshed and happy. The only drawback
I see with these items is that many of
them require you to take them while
you drink. Right. While drinking I've
forgotten: my name, who I was dating,
that hard liquor makes me speak in tongues,
that I don't smoke, where I left my keys,
where I live, who my friends are and many,
many more things. (Oddly enough, liquor
has also made me remember old girlfreinds'
phone numbers at 4 AM, but that's another
story, another part of the brain.) I don't
know about you, but the odds of me remembering
to take some stupid pill or tablet with
every drink is, um, unlikely.
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Cures
for What Ails Ya
