Holiday Hangover Remedies

Here's the Holiday Hangover therapy list back by popular demand for the 2017 season, and hopefully in time for New Year's Eve.

For those of you who feel their drinking has become a problem with far too many hangovers:
Here's a good article discussing "How to Sober Up: Climbing a slippery slope"

James Bond can drink martinis ad nauseam, and vanquish the villains without slurring a word. After a few drinks, I'm more likely to make an embarrassing faux pas, but both of us would appreciate advice on Hangovers.

There's probably no such thing as a hangover "cure", but there are some methods to help you fight the toxic effects created by a bout of drinking.




Disclaimer:

There's sporadic scientific evidence for the remedies suggested here, but please consult any appropriate health experts before adhering to these methods. I will stake claim to a suggestion listed here. If you have a hangover, then do some mild exercise after hydrating yourself. For me this works as well as anything, but I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere.

In the spirit of the season here is a list of hangover remedies for your holiday party survival:

1. Drink lots of water before and after sleep (unless you are on medically prescribed fluid restriction). Sports drinks (not energy drinks) may
   be a good alternative as well since they contain sugars, and
   needed electrolytes.
   
2. Take a shower or bath after a drinking bout.
   
3. Ingest sweet foods that contain fructose (helps the body metabolize alcohol).
   
4. Do some mild exercise, or take a brisk walk (stimulates the
   circulation etc).
   
5. Vitamin B complex tablet (within recommended daily dose).
   
6. Cysteine (within recommended dose) as it counteracts
   acetaldehyde - a by-product of alcohol metabolism.
   
7. Vitamin C for its antioxidant effects.
   
8. Be wary of headache pills as some (tylenol/acetaminophen) can
   increase the risk of liver damage in conjunction with alcohol,
   and some (ibuprofen, aspirin) can cause gastric irritation.
   
9. PRAY.

Here are tips on preventing a hangover:

1. Drink clear alcohol. Dark alcohol tends to contain substances called cogeners, and these types of alcohols are more likely to cause hangover symptoms. White wine, vodkas, and light rum are examples of clear alcohols. Red wine, dark rum, sherry, and brandy are high in cogeners. Beer is somewhere in between.
   
2. Drink slowly, and have some food in your stomach. If you are a small person the same amount of alcohol will affect you more than it would someone larger.
   
3. Try to drink in moderation. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women have no more than one drink per day and men no more than two drinks per day. One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer; a 4-ounce glass of wine; or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor.
   
4. Drink some water in between your alcohol containing drinks as that will decrease your alcohol consumption, and help prevent dehydration.
   
5. Of course, hangovers can be prevented altogether if you avoid alcohol completely, but that's not for everyone either.
   

You can get more detailed information regarding all aspects of Hangovers at this Mayo Clinic site.

Some promising new work on Hangovers indicates that the juice of Asian Pears can prevent or decrease the severity of hangovers!