Prevent or Cure the Hangover
It will hit many people in the next day or two: the result of ringing in the New Year with more than just the toast at midnight. One of the many traditions of the New Year is often drinking to excess. Not everyone starts the night anticipating the hangover; it just happens after you realize a bit too late that you have had too much to drink. You can take steps to prevent the hangover or the steps to cure it.
Prevent It
The only sure way to prevent a hangover is to abstain. Drinking no alcohol will avoid all hints of a hangover. But you probably aren't reading this if you are an abstainer.
Other ways to prevent hangovers aren't proven, but everyone seems to have their favorites.
Eat first – especially protein and fat: having food in your stomach before you start drinking will help slow the effects of alcohol. And the additional suggestion is to eat a meal of mostly protein and fat instead of mostly carbs to help slow absorption of alcohol further because it takes longer to digest fat and protein than carbs.
Honey: a tablespoon or two of honey before you go out or start drinking may reduce the chance of a hangover. A study done in mice suggested that honey could minimize blood alcohol concentration, which could mainly result from the effect of the fructose in the honey. However, I must note that the amount of honey given to the mice was 2.19 g/kg, equal to just under ½ cup of honey in a 150-pound person. That's a lot of honey.
Drink light-colored or clear alcohol: there is a suggestion that the higher the congeners in the alcohol, the higher chance of a hangover. To simplify that concept of congeners – these are a by-product of the distilling or fermenting process and give some forms of alcohol their darker appearance.
Don't mix the type of alcohol: as much as people swear this is a cause, this isn't a way to prevent the hangover. The quantity of alcohol makes a difference, not the mixing of them. For example, when taking tequila shots, things have already gone too far. Whether you choose beer-before-liquor isn't the issue – quantity is.
Drink non-alcoholic fluids: whether you do it while drinking or before heading to bed, drink plenty of fluids. Some swear water is fine, while others say something like tomato juice or a sports beverage is preferred. This makes sense since alcohol is very dehydrating. If you have been there, you know how you feel when you wake up through the night. And the electrolytes of sodium and potassium in the juice and sports drink help replace the electrolytes your muscles need and reduce muscle soreness. So skip the "cures" at the convenience or liquor store counter and have some sports beverages.
Cure it
If you hadn't planned on or didn't realize that you drank too much yesterday/last night, then you didn't know to do any of the preventive steps. So, what can you do to "cure" your hangover? The only thing you can do to cure it is time. Wait and wait and wait. How long you have to wait depends on how much you drink, body size, and gender.
Drink non-alcoholic fluids: again, water, juice, or sports beverage works. Coffee and more alcohol don't help.
Aspirin or other painkillers: try to stick with aspirin, which can ease the pain but may also upset your stomach. It is best to avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you are a chronic drinker because of potential liver issues.
Eat: as much as you may not feel like eating, it is good to have eggs and fruit. The eggs allegedly help absorb the extra toxins from the alcohol and won't hurt you if they don't. In addition, fruit provides vitamins, minerals, and fluid – try a banana for a soft, low acid fruit high in potassium.
Exercise: if you can handle it, go for it, but it doesn't cure the hangover. I want to get people to exercise more.
Rest: like time, this is one of the better remedies. Eat your breakfast or lunch, grab your water or sports beverage, find your favorite movie, show to binge, or a football game, and rest it out.
As mentioned, the best prevention is to abstain or consume alcohol in moderation, and the best remedy is time.
What is your favorite hangover prevention and or cure?
