The Real Cure for Hangovers

June 9, 2009 12:00 pm     Posted in Body  Melissa - GW g+ page

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By Melissa

So you went out hoping to have a wild night of drunken fun with your friends. And you totally did. And then you woke up the next morning. And felt like you were going to die. Yep, we’ve all been there: the lovely hangover.

Nausea, headache, stomachache, you name it. Your day is wasted because you just don’t want to can’t move. Without wanting to vomit. Sitting in your bed all day just seems like the best option. Well, that and eating a big, delicious stack of pancakes. And a bagel. And some pizza you found on your floor.

But what if you have to be somewhere? What are you supposed to do about it? Let’s settle this debate between what really cures a hangover, and what is just making you fat.

Coffee
No, no and no. Okay, so who doesn’t need their daily cup to get the day started? Well, you sure don’t after a night of drinking. Caffeine is a diuretic similar to alcohol and can make you even more dehydrated than before. Save your Starbucks run for later and choose water instead.

Eggs
Eggs provide energy, but also contain something called cysteine, which breaks down hangover-causing toxin acetaldehyde. So, if you aren’t so-nauseous-that-just-standing-makes-you-hurl, go scramble up a few.

Bananas
Bananas provide lost electrolytes and contain potassium, replenishing the body with the potassium lost from alcohol’s diuretic effect. Don’t like bananas? Try a kiwi instead.

Exercise
You may think that “sweating the tequila out” is a good idea, but it’s not! (Editor’s Note: Thank. GAWD. I didn’t want to have to start hitting the treadmill with rum pumping through my veins.) Light cardio (a brisk walk…to get a Gatorade) is good to get the blood flowing, but intense cardio exercise is not advised.

Fruit juice
The fructose, or fruit sugar, in juice gives your body the vitamins and minerals that were lost the night before because of the alcohol. Studies show that fruit juice also increases the rate at which the body gets rid of toxins.

Hair of the dog
I cant believe I actually have to explain this one, but whoever thought more of the “hair of the dog that bit you” helps cure the effects of alcohol…well that’s just not right. Drinking more alcohol just leaves the liver with more toxins to have to deal with, duhhh. Plus, I don’t know about you, but after a night of heavy drinking, the mere thought of alcohol makes me wanna vomit. Literally, like the sight of a beer cap is all it takes.

7 Hours in front of the TV
It may feel really good to lay around and catch up on some Tori and Dean Home Sweet Hollywood, but this is doin’ nothing for your liver (or your brain, for that matter).

Listen – hangovers suck. But they do happen. The best thing you can do is just drink up (no, not alcohol), cook yourself a yummy breakfast, and remember how sick you feel the next time you drink again. Usually that doesn’t work (“IT JUST TASTES SO GOOD! LET’S DANCE!”), but it’s worth a try. Good luck!

22 Comments on "The Real Cure for Hangovers"

  1. Maria says:
    Tue, 9th Jun 20099:52 am 

    My hangover cure is more like downing a bottle of water, taking a shower, and then a nice, long nap. It also involves keeping the blinds shut and lights off for most of the day. lol

  2. carla says:
    Tue, 9th Jun 200911:26 am 

    oranges work for me, after a night of heavy drinking, having slices of oranges makes it up and makes me feel healthy too

  3. criolle johnny says:
    Tue, 9th Jun 20091:59 pm 

    Back in my Navy days … yeah I KNOW(!), but we had this corpsman on one of my submarines who made up "hangover kits".

    He refused to tell us what was in them. They had about a dozen pills in them and you had to drink three glasses of water to choke 'em down.

    Half-hour later you were fine! You had to sleep that night, it would catch up with you after two or three days. It was worth it!

    I begged that man to market those kits, but he refused. Said he was sworn to secrecy.

  4. Jenna says:
    Tue, 9th Jun 20099:34 pm 

    I usually keep a bottle of Powerade or Gatorade by my bed to grab in the morning. I’ve been told “electrolytes are great for hangovers,” but I think there’s only about three people on Earth who actually know what the Hell electrolytes are.

    Does anyone know how credible Gatorade actually is when it comes to hangovers?

  5. Lucy says:
    Tue, 9th Jun 200910:11 pm 

    Hangovers are merely severe dehydration so I always drink a bottle of water or two while I’m drinking that night and it lessens (but doesn’t prevent!) hangovers the next day. Then, I go out to breakfast, drink ton of water, and nap. Easy!

  6. Lori says:
    Thu, 11th Jun 20091:00 pm 

    when I go out on the town and drink a little too much I just am sure to drink a glass of water before i actually go to sleep. Usually in the morning I feel fine, except i might have a small headache but nothink i can't deal with. And like the article said i eat some scrambled eggs…it really does help.

  7. Bruno says:
    Mon, 15th Jun 20093:33 am 

    Great tips, however why not do cardio exercise? A good session on a bike sweats it all out for me.

    A golf game is lighter and still effective too.

    The best though guys, is taking a vitamin drink the night before. I've tried this numerous times. Don't think there's an ideal potion made just yet, but it appears it's in the making!

    According to this site, it'll be ready soon:

    http://www.prevent-hangovers.com

  8. Blake Gibbs says:
    Mon, 15th Jun 20098:02 pm 

    Water before bed. Water in the morning. Go for a 30 minute run. And you're over it.

  9. Kate says:
    Thu, 18th Jun 20099:35 am 

    Hangovers are actually mild withdrawl symptoms; and the reason "hair of the dog" works is because you put more alcohol into your system, thus putting an end to the withdrawl, and enabling yourself to sort of "wean" off the alcohol.

  10. Jessica says:
    Sun, 21st Jun 20094:37 am 

    My cure: two BIG glasses of water before bed, water and tylenol immediantely upon waking, and breakfast consisting of one boiled egg, piece of toast, and yes MORE water.

  11. Ryan says:
    Wed, 24th Jun 20098:26 pm 

    After Igo out and have fun night of drinking a case of beer when i get home after going out i drink alot of H2o and ifeel like a new man in the morning. (if u all rember to drink H20 before u hit the sack it will replenish what drank away it will hydrat your body)

  12. Brad says:
    Tue, 14th Jul 20093:26 pm 

    After a night of drinking and just before you pass out, drink a ton of water and i mean a ton. One glass won’t do. I recommend a liter or more if you can. Don’t worry about pissing all night either because if you did between 8-15 shots worth of alcohol you’ll be so dehydrated you wont really need to pee. If you do as i say and stuff yourself with water before bed you will have almost no hangover at all.

  13. Anna says:
    Fri, 25th Sep 20094:27 pm 

    I think the big one that is missing on this list is hydration. Plus, I somewhat disagree with the TV comment. I agree that TV won't do anything, but the 7 hours of R and R certainly will. Time away from alcohol is one of the only true ways to get over a hangover. There is some good hangover cure information @ http://www.cure-hangovers.com

  14. Kelly says:
    Mon, 22nd Feb 20106:15 pm 

    Although you do not like the thought of a drink when you are hungover and although it may not make a whole lot of sense at first, there is some truth behind the "hair of the dog remedy." Hangovers are like acute episodes of alcohol withdrawal. It is thought that this is one of the causes of hangover symptoms (along with many other contributing factors such as dehydration/electrolyte imbalances/loss of vitamins/etc). I would suggest rehydrating and replenishing vitamins and electrolytes before having another drink, but that's why it works.

  15. Ell says:
    Thu, 9th Aug 20128:44 pm 

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