Know it now before it happens!
 This article was originally titled “Curing Hangovers”, which turned out to be a fallacy because there is little scientific basis to suggest any instantaneous cure. I hate to say this, but the only way is simply, to avoid alcohol or drink only in moderation. Most of us have experienced hangovers and it’s not ok!
Essentially, it is mother nature’s way of telling you off, that you’ve had too much too drink, you’re thrashing your liver and kidneys, and just so you got the message, it comes with a painful headache, stomach discomfort and a mouth that smells awfully gross from a vomiting fit.
Firstly, you need to understand what’s going on. Alcohol can be poisonous, or put it another way, alcohol poisoning can kill you! How? It’s not so much the alcohol, but a nasty by-product called Acetaldehyde which is toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. This stuff messes up your brain, and combined with dehydration, results in low blood sugar, warped speed heart rate, headache, dry mouth, twitchy nerves, unpleasantness, pessimism, unbearable brain pain, and on some occasions, cessation of the laws of gravity, or so you think. It takes time to break down the acetaldehyde into acetic acid, during which you'll experience all the symptoms of acetaldehyde poisoning i.e. a hangover.
This is one instance where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. First rule of the thumb, never go out on an empty tummy. Some foods like bread, rice, milk or even French fries, can reinforce your stomach lining and moderate the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. Because alcohol acts as a diuretic, more is going out than coming in. Those liquids need to be replaced. Every glass of juice or water you force on yourself to swallow now is worth two in the morning.
So, you have done all you can do before hitting the clubs, the next step not only helps you from getting drunk too quickly, but also makes you look good in terms of holding your own. One simple trick is to alternate your drinks with non-alcoholic beverages such as fruit juices, which keeps you hydrated. With an orange juice, you can even fool your drinking companions that it’s a screwdriver. Just don’t get caught because if your friends are anything like mine, they’ll punish you! The best advice though, is to pace yourself, knowing that your liver takes time to process alcohol. Spreading the drinks over the evening depending on your tolerance will lessen the chances of a hangover.
Once you’re done with the night, don’t dive into bed just yet. Drink loads and loads of water first, or even better, orange juice or 100 Plus to keep you hydrated. This contains electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium and chloride to replenish body salts that have been lost through dehydration.
Now, despite all of the above, should you still get awfully drunk, you’re not going to appreciate anyone giving you the “see I told you so speech”. So, taking the role as your better best buddies at Venusbuzz, here’s a quick low down of what you can do to alleviate, to ease the effects of a hangover, that even worse feeling the next morning.
No surprises here, the best solution is still drinking loads of water before and after a long sleep. For the added boost, 100 Plus or even fruit juices helps you replenish lost electrolytes even faster and provides useful Vitamins B and C. Then, there’s food! Go for plain carbohydrates and some protein in the morning such as sandwiches, crackers or pasta since these are easier on your stomach. These not only soak up the alcohol but also boost blood sugar levels and speed up your metabolic rate. If none of the above works, then, you need to just go back to bed, for the final and definitive cure, which is... wait for it... it’s time! If it’s any consolation, hangovers don’t last, it goes away naturally.
Interestingly, many purported cures don’t work, and can even make things worse! For example, exercise. There is no chance this will work. After all, standing in itself is already a challenge, what more going to gym and risking even further embarrassment or worse, an injury. Truth be told, exercise simply compounds the body’s fluid debt, the crucial thing you should be avoiding in the first place.
Then, there’s black coffee or panadol (paracetamol). You may have heard others swear by them, that coffee kick starts your system while paracetamol relieves aches and pains. However, research have found that black coffee on its own in fact worsens a hangover by dehydrating you even more and combined with panadol, triples the amount of a toxic by-product created when paracetamol is broken down and can further damage your liver.
In the end though, drinking too much and its ensuing effects are best avoided altogether. Besides spoiling the day after, there’s no cure but only painful treatment for permanent liver and kidney damage. This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! Know your tolerance, and drink in moderation so that you can party on, in style!
* Jane Teh, prides herself as being ridiculously economical, being a bchina-woman, when it comes to alcohol.
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