Who hasn’t gone out at least once and had a little too much liquid cheer? We all know what happens: fun all night, agony in the morning. Lots of people can recommend a hangover helper but do any of them actually work? Put enough alcohol in your body and you could die; put almost enough in there and you’ll just be wishing you would. Preventing a hangover is even better than trying to find a cure for your hangover but if you’re in the mood for a party, preventing the coming hangover is not prevalent on your mind.
There are some things you can do to help lessen the effects of the hangover. One is to eat a good, hearty meal before drinking. Many people don’t do this because they think that after the alcohol hits them, all that food in the stomach will be coming up soon. Not necessarily true. Food will help absorb the alcohol. Consuming no more than one drink per hour will also help you prevent the morning-after anguish. And, drinking a glass of juice for every glass of alcohol you consume will also cut the risk of a severe hangover. In addition, some of the drinks you choose will have more of an impact on you than others. Dark-colored drinks contain more congeners – chemicals contained in alcohol – than light-colored drinks do. Drinking red wine, bourbon and dark rum will increase the likelihood that you’ll have a bad hangover than will white wine, gin or vodka.
Nowadays there is a hangover helper you can take before you start drinking. Supposedly the helper prevents hangovers from occurring the next morning. Usually a liquid, drink the mixture before bed, after a night of drinking, to wake up feeling fine. Some people claim these types of hangover helpers work – other say they don’t. Try it before your next binge and see if you have positive results.
Many people recommend a very easy hangover helper you can do in your bed – sleep. Drink a large glass of juice, keep the room dark, eliminate noises such as the tv, put a cold, wet washcloth on your forehead and just sleep. If you wake up, take something containing Ibuprofen, then go back to sleep. Many people say that sleeping it off is the only true way to cure a hangover. Every time you wake up, have a glass of juice, since dehydration is one of the main causes of hangover.
To replenish some of the nutrients and vitamins your body has lost during your night of drinking take 2 Ibuprofen, 200 mg cysteine (available at specialty stores), 600 mg vitamin C, and 1 tablet vitamin B-complex. Then, mix a banana, small can V-8, 6 large strawberries, 2 tablespoons honey, a cup of orange juice, one to two cups of milk (soy is okay), a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a dash or two of nutmeg. Drink all of the mixture. If you throw up the drink, wait an hour, then make another and drink it.
Since some believe that “the hair of the dog that bit you” is a good cure, the Bloody Mary is often prescribed, by seasoned drinkers, to cure the common hangover. Try this even if you don’t like tomato juice, since after adding the other ingredients, it no longer tastes like tomato juice. Mix two ounces of vodka, six ounces of tomato juice, four teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and a couple of drops of tabasco sauce. Drink the mixture and lay down for a few minutes to feel better in no time.
Some people swear by eating something hearty, such as a sandwich. Try a burger, which will help absorb stomach acid, along with a milkshake which will soothe the upset stomach – after you’ve taken a dose of Ibuprofen.
Controlled studies have been done to test the skin extract from a prickly pear cactus as a hangover cure. The studies were positive suggesting that this cure may well have merit. Of the people studied, the nine main hangover symptoms: nausea, headache, loss of appetite, dry mouth, soreness, weakness, trembling, diarrhea and dizziness were lessened after taking a dose of the serum. Look for this magic cure where dietary supplements are sold.
Sailors logs suggest that, after having too much to drink – which was quite often, the guys simply drank a small glass of salt water. Although the salt water will induce vomiting in most people, the liquid seems to rinse the stomach out well and leave you with less of a nauseous feeling. Adding vitamin B and thiamine to the mix won’t hurt either, since your body is depleted of many vitamins after a night of heavy partying.
If the thought of swallowing a raw egg doesn’t insult your senses too much, try putting a raw egg in a glass then fill with sherry. Drink quickly, and if you can hold it down, many say it will cure the hangover right away.
Another raw-egg cure that seems to work for many people is this: combine 1-1/2 ounces of brandy, 1-1/2 ounces port, a dash of curacao, 2 dashes of bitters, one egg yolk, a teaspoon of sugar, and 3 or 4 ice cubes. After blending well in a blender, pour into glass, top with dash of nutmeg, and drink.
Make this mix the night before you party since you may not have the stamina to make it while accompanied by a hangover: Mix two tablespoons of cornstarch and a half-cup of water in a pan. Add two cups of milk, six tablespoons of peanut butter and sugar to taste. Cook over low heat and use a whisk to blend the ingredients well. When the mixture becomes thick but smooth, remove and refrigerate. Try this hangover helper in the morning, with or without ice, and it will coat your stomach and, hopefully, run away the blues.
No matter what hangover helper you choose the best hangover prevention is moderation. Taking aspiring, drinking coffee, and swallowing even more liquor aren’t proven hangover helpers and may, in fact, increase the symptoms of a hangover.
