Hangover Remedies

It's another Friday, and with it comes the tingling sensation of unwinding and having some fun. For the non-teetotallers, having drinks with the guys or gals may be in the cards. Sometimes happy hours stretch into the bewitching hours, and, the next day, those happy hours result in some not-so-happy-hours. Otherwise called The Hangover.

I'd like to say I'm familiar with the symptoms of a hangover, but I honestly couldn't, but many people have experienced it - the throbbing headache, nausea, vomiting and general malaise. What happens is, the body converts the alcohol into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde, which causes those symptoms. 

Dr. John Emsley of London's Royal Society of Chemistry and author of theConsumer's Good Chemical Guide has a simple hangover remedy: toast with honey or golden syrup and lots of fluid. The toast and honey provides the body with the sodium, potassium, and fructose it needs to adjust the balance. If you need more alcohol, or 'the hair of the dog' to make you feel better, that may be a sign of an alcohol problem....

Now, if you're like me and prefer to avoid the experience altogether, Dr. Emsley has four tips for you:

• Drink a glass of milk first. It slows down the absorption of alcohol.
• Stick to clear alcohol like gin or vodka. You want to avoid the effect of the chemicals in dark alcohol...
• Punctuate your drinking with soft drinks or water. This slows down you alcohol intake. Fructose isn't bad either.
• Drink a lot of water before you go to bed. Alcohol dehydrates the body (remember the frequent bathroom visits?) and that can make your hangover worse.

Thank goodness it's Friday! Drink responsibly and have a fabulous weekend!

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