How do you cure a hangover?

Answer 1

Hmmm, well you drank a lot of poison and it makes you feel lousy. Understanding what causes the hangover can help in understanding how to cure it. Your body is able to break down a lot of toxic substances (like alcohol) and convert them to harmless (or at least less harmful) ones. Those are collected by the kidneys and flushed away. This requires water. Water is also broken apart into it's hydrogens and oxygens so that they can be attached to the toxic molecule in the process of converting it to something else. Various other chemicals can also get involved in this. Your body is also working hard to clean away cells that were killed by the alcohol and provide energy to damaged cells so that they can repair themselves. Just like being sick or injured your body is marshalling it's resources to make things right. Gives me a headache just reading about it. :) What you need to do it help. You need water, electrolytes and food. Pedialyte or a generic brand is a perfect replacement for lost fluids and lost electrolytes. Gatorade, water and juice just won't cut it. The sugars in Gatorade can be dehydrating if you aren't running a marathon, juice is also quite sugary. None of them contain electrolytes. You need these salts if you want your nerves to be able to send signals. You lost quite a few of them through sweat, urine and possible use in detoxifying your bloodstream. A slightly less ideal option would be to drink a LOT of water and eat something salty. You will want to eat complex carbohydrates to provide some much needed quick energy for your cells and some proteins so they can use the amino acids to built up what has been broken down. Like toast with peanut butter or cereal and milk. You do not want to eat sugar which can deydrate or fats which are hard to digest and require a lot of (you guessed it) water and speciallized chemicals. Your body is busy enough. Try to get at least 8oz of fluid in every hour for the first four hours you are awake. Not to be graphic but you want to be urinating a light yellow-clear fluid. Dark yellow or brown indicates dehydration. And last but not least, vitamins never hurt anyone! Hope this helps!

Answer 2

• Give it some time: the body should correct itself within 8-24 hours. Hangovers normally begin within hours after a drinking binge has stopped and become more severe as blood alcohol levels continue dropping to zero. (This may support the "Hair of the dog" theory -- where a person consumes alcohol during the symptoms of a hangover. This, practice, however, is NOT recommended. While it may temporarily dull discomfort, consuming more alcohol adds to the existing toxicity and will extend the duration of the hangover.)
• Drink one glass of non-alcoholic beverages between servings of alcohol and lots of hydrating liquids afterwards: Drinking water, fruit juices, or tea will slow down your consumption of alcohol and, perhaps, encourage you to consume less, since you'll get "fuller" faster. It's also the best way to avoid or recover from dehydration. Sports drinks may help replace lost electrolytes and salt.
• Eat fruit or drink fruit juices or a salt-glucose solution: This may provide hydration and decrease overall symptoms.
• Eat bland, complex carbohydrates (breads or crackers):These will raise blood sugar levels and have the potential to decrease nausea.
• Sleep: This will, obviously, address fatigue symptoms.
• Antacids: May relieve nausea.
• Aspirin: Can relieve muscle pain and headaches - but may further upset your stomach. CAUTION: Avoid acetaminophen (such as in Tylenol, Aspirin Free Anacin, etc.). Acetaminophen interferes with the body's ability to metabolize alcohol toxins, increasing the risk of severe liver toxicity/damage.
• A special note about Coffee: A legendary antidote for hangovers, coffee is in fact, a poor choice for most people. If someone normally drinks a lot of coffee, there is no reason to magnify hangover symptoms by throwing caffeine withdrawals into the equation. On the other hand, coffee constricts arteries and is a diuretic, like alcohol, so it can contribute to dehydration.

Not all people respond to alcohol similarly. Some people may experience a hangover after just a few drinks while others can drink heavily with no apparent discomfort. 75% of us, however, will experience a hangover after drinking to the level of intoxication. The bad news is, the only certain remedy for a hangover is time. The good news is, remembering the misery of this hangover may cause you to think twice before overindulging in the future.