Hang-overs - what works

Hang-overs, like the sun seems to follow night,especially after a BIG night!

Of course the Health Queen doesn't recommend drinking in excess. I do however have some results that I have gathered after several years of valuable research - not all personal mind.

Ethanol is the active component in fermented drinks (which includes wines, spirits and any other drink where fruit or honey has been distilled and fermented) that can cause euphoria and happiness initially and then leads to a plummet in positive effects, resulting in a headache, nausea, diarrhoea, depression, disturbed sleep and a few other "blah" symptoms.

Ethanol and other additives/chemicals in alcoholic drinks, can cause diuresis (excessive urinating), and dehydration, a lack of Vitamin B (esp B6) , and headaches (probably from the dehydration), vomiting appears to be a direct result of irritation to the stomach (esp common if you don't eat and drink).

Other symptoms such as dizziness, light headedness and excessive salivating mouth are probably due to low blood sugar.

As I mentioned true, double blind placebo controlled studies are slim. However, there appears to be some credence in the following:

- B6

- Electrolyte drinks (while you are drinking alcohol and the next day)

- Some salt on foods

- Sleep (:-)

- Liver herb tablets (no, behave, I am not advocating drinking - it is merely something I might consider)

- Berrocca (To replace the Vitamins that you lose with excessive alcohol)

- Hair of the Dog - doesn't show any HARD core evidence to say it should work, but I have employed the strategy in the past and found it pretty good!

- Oxygen works well.

My favourite (once again I am not advocating that any one drinks, nor drink alcohol in excess however if you should try this...) is sleep... a swim in the ocean, a smoothie, another swim and then another sleep in a dark air-conditioned room , then a yummy meat dish - pig knuckle, roast or Mexican. Salty and vegies being a key ingredient. Lemonade or that terrible stuff called COKE if you are desperate.

Also no kids helps a hang-over go quicker.

Panadol, nurofen - they assist in the first instance but natural hang-over remedies, such as homeopathic sprays, herbals and Magnesium supplements may be just as (if not more) effective.

The most successful remedies include:

- rehydration (esp with electrolyte drinks)

- rest

- salt (to assist in keeping water in your body- obviously not advisable if you have high blood pressure or kidney problems)

A cut and paste job from wiki is...\

"Ineffective or unproven remedies

Recommendations for foods, drinks and activities to relieve hangover symptoms abound. The ancient Romans, on the authority of Pliny the Elder, favoured raw owl's eggs or fried canary.[18] By 1938, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel provided a hangover remedy in the form of a mixture of Coca Cola and milk[19] (Coca-Cola itself having been invented, by some accounts,[20][21] as a hangover remedy). Alcoholic writer Ernest Hemingway relied on tomato juice and beer.[22] Certain mixtures were developed specifically for the purpose. The "Black Velvet" consists of equal parts champagne and flat Guinness Stout,[23] while the "Prairie Oyster" restorative, introduced at the 1878 Paris World Exposition, calls for raw egg yolk mixed with Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. [24] A 1957 survey by a Wayne State University folklorist found widespread belief in the efficacy of heavy fried foods, tomato juice and sexual activity.[25]

Activities said to be restorative include a shower -- alternating very hot and very cold water,[7] exercise,[8] and steambath or sauna (although medical opinion holds this to be very dangerous, as the combination of alcohol and hyperthermia increase the liklihood of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias).[26]"

Life is short, the day following a hang-over is even shorter!

Drink one for one. One alcoholic bev and one water. Eat some decent food and have a vitamin tablet. Always drink in moderation.