Thursday, 29 July 2010

• Hangover Helpers: Eating Your Way to a Better Day

  

  Hangovers.  If there's one thing I could eliminate from the art of drinking (because it is an art), forget impulsiveness, messed up coordination, and embarrassment;  I would sure as hell choose hangovers.

  One thing I like to do when I'm hungover is eat.  Well, OK maybe this is not related to the fact that I'm hungover, but the fact that I just really like to eat.  Regardless, to be able to eat my hangover actually AWAY seems like one of the most appealing possibilities to ever present itself - and it has now presented itself.  It is my duty to pass it on.

  I'm not saying these are "cures" in any sense.  If you're hungover, it's gonna suck no matter what - but this is a list of edible items that might just make it suck a little bit less.

  1. Honey - it helps to speed up alcohol digestion and get it out of your body faster.

  2. Yogurt - replenishing your calcium in any condensed way should bring your mood up from the dumps.

  3. Celery - contains Vitamin B6, which has been shown in studies to counteract the symptoms of a hangover.  It appears to have re-hydrating effects.

  4. Ginger - it's known for its effectiveness in remedying nausea.  Mixing ginger root, brown sugar, and vinegar into a tea and drink it to soothe queasiness.

  5. Juicy Fruits - glucose replenishes your energy supply (and helps undo the sugar dip alcohol causes) while the water in fruit helps to hydrate your system.  The best fruits to go for are grapefruits, persimmons, grapes, watermelon, and olives. (Olives are surprising, no?)

  6. Bananas - I know the previous item was "fruits" but these need to be separated from the group for their unique hand in hangover help.  Low dips in potassium and magnesium are part of the feelings of nausea and the throbbing headache that a hungover person feels - bananas replenish both of these, increasing energy levels in the process.

  7. Fatty Foods - I hope you all know this by now.  Greasy, simple, high-calorie foods like french fries or french toast sticks actually do seem to do the trick.  There's no scientific reason why it works, but there seems to be a pretty universal acknowledgment of the effects across time and cultures - even the ancient Romans advised eating fried canaries after a night of heavy drinking!  This doesn't work for everyone, though - take it slow, just in case you have to run to the bathroom mid-meal.

  8. Bloody Marys - many people think that you can "drink the hangover away".  Not true - you're just saving the hangover for later if you do, and hey, let's be honest, you can't stay drunk forever (but oh, if only!).  Bloody Marys, though, seem to actually work; the vegetables in the drink help to replenish many of the nutrients lost to alcohol, and its spiciness also seems to have a further rejuvenating effect.

  9. Coffee - I know it's not what you're going to feel like drinking, but there is some evidence that it does cleanse your much-polluted liver.  Be careful, though, to keep drinking a lot of water through any caffeinated drink - diuretics will lead you to lose more water, which a hungover person doesn't need.

  10. Salty Fish - for whatever reason, many cultures recommend eating fish in one style or another to lessen hangover symptoms (the European "roll-'em-up" is a good example).  Making sure the fish is salty will help indicate your dehydration to your system, leading you to drink more water.

  Most importantly, OD on the H20, duh.  Gatorade is good too.

  What do you like to eat when you're hungover?

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