Healthy Living

One of the serious problems with ‘so called’ hangover cures is that they often encourage people to drink far more than they should. The number of cures available just makes you realize what a huge market there is for them. There are a number of problems that a hangover cure must remedy, including the by products of alcohol itself which are toxic and of course the loss of vitamins A,B & C and dehydration.

It is also worth noting that not all drinks affect you in the same way and this is as a result of impurities in the alcohol. Another factor to consider is the concentration of these impurities as this will have an effect on how quickly you become drunk as well as the severity of the hangover. Colored spirits like Cognac and Whisky have more impurities than clear drinks like Gin and Vodka for example as these drinks have been through a filtration process.

Nevertheless, no-one can escape the fact that we actually require hangover cure because we drink too excess. This may also be because of two other factors which are consuming too much alcohol in a very short space of time before the body can full process it or often because people drink on an empty stomach but whatever the reason, it is our choice to do this. Most regular drinkers are aware that if you drink slowly, even if it is continued, the body is able to process the alcohol before it gets to a level where we get drunk. However, most drinkers, the majority of which are young do not adhere to these simple rules and almost always require some type of hangover cure. Some strange and weird concoctions have arisen over the years to cater for this self induced condition and as a consequence everyone has a hangover cure they want to share with you. Still, finding the best cure for a hangover is still the ‘holy grail’ to many drinkers.

Left unchecked, it doesn’t matter how much you drink, alcohol will gradually dehydrate the body and this dehydration can lead to the hangover headache the next day. In answer to this situation it is important to remain hydrated while you are drinking and before sleep. One hangover cure is taking a couple of headache tablets and drinking a pint of cold mineral water before bed and then some orange juice in the morning as it replaces lost vitamin C. This often works but there the older you become the less you are able to drink and previous hangover cures aren’t as effective.

A recent addition to the hangover cure library was eating bananas as they contain potassium and fructose, just two of the minerals lost during drink. Fortunately, bananas contain a natural antacid to help with the sick feeling, and because they are high in magnesium they can help relax those pounding blood vessels that cause the famous hangover headache.

Probably the most famous hangover cure is a ‘Bloody Mary’ which is vodka, tomato juice and a few other components, but some individuals just cannot face more alcohol when they are feeling that bad so it is difficult to say just how affective this cure for a hangover is. Ultimately, saying ‘no’ is probably the best way to reduce the need of a hangover cure!