Suffering the consequences of a few brews too many? Take a sobering look at ten weird and wonderful hangover cures. The great British fry-up After a hard night's boozing, your digestive system is under a lot of strain, so bacon,...
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Suffering the consequences of a few brews too many? Take a sobering look at ten weird and wonderful hangover cures. The great British fry-up After a hard night's boozing, your digestive system is under a lot of strain, so bacon, sausages and the works may cause indigestion. However, fat contains lots of calories, so you will get a much-needed energy boost, and eggs and meat are rich in the amino acid, cysteine, which is thought to be good at clearing out toxins. So does it work? Maybe, but it wouldn't hurt to get some of it grilled. Painkillers and antacids Alcohol is an irritant to the stomach, so aspirin and ibuprofen (also irritants) may make matters worse. Over-the-counter antacids will protect your stomach lining and ease acid indigestion. Meanwhile, a couple of paracetamol should quell that brain-splitting headache. Hair of the dog Not one for the faint-hearted. Research has shown that it works - but only temporarily. While your body is busy dealing with a new intake of booze, it suspends its torture until you're done drinking again - and then it's back to hangover hell. Caffeine Some people swear by a can of coke, cup of tea or black coffee. However, these will only make you feel better for a short time. A hangover is a sign of dehydration, caffeine causes dehydrationÂ… it's a combination destined to make your head hurt. Water Alcohol is a diuretic and, taken in excess, you'll get extremely dehydrated. Water - lots of it - is the best way to deal with this. Down a pint before you go to bed, when you get up and then every hour during the day. It really works. Tomatoes Hangover sufferers regularly trough tomatoes (soup, pasta sauce, grilled on toast) to ease their symptoms. They're rich in vitamin C, which gets depleted after a booze binge, so this may be why the classic morning-after drink, Bloody Mary, is so popular. Fruit juice Juice, especially freshly-squeezed, works well because it replaces lost vitamins, the fruit sugar (fructose) boosts your energy levels, and it may play a part in speeding up your body's toxin-ridding process. If it feels too acidic, water it down, add it to a smoothie with banana and yogurt, or try less acidic vegetable juice. Sleep While you're slumped in a drunken haze, your body is working overtime to sort out the mess you've made of its internal organs. This uses up lots of energy and is why you feel so tired the next day. Sleeping in will give your body more time to recover. However, your brain might have other ideas - it needs paracetamol and water. Salt Russian men have been curing their hangovers by drinking the salty brine from pickled vegetables for years. A Russian brewery has even produced a bestselling briny cabbage water hangover drink. Salt is certainly one of the many minerals you're short of after a heavy night, so there could be some truth in it. Don't fancy it? Take a dip in the sea - some people say that this works, too. Volcanic dust No, really. A British firm are pioneering a cure called Zetox, which you take before going out on the lash. It uses a volcanic mineral to soak up alcohol's toxins and prevent hangovers from happening. Watch this space. Related Links BBC Health: Hangovers For a list of other useful contacts and resources see the Further Information - Alcohol section. See less »
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