Beat that hangover

It’s the season of fun, of excess, and of that all too familiar ‘one-too-many’, which is generally followed by that gut-wrenching hangover on Boxing Day.

There are many hangover remedies out there, some worth stomaching, some a little extreme, and some worth avoiding at all costs.

One remedy that everyone agrees on is Cream Soda, also known as cream-sober and the green ambulance. The amount of sugar it contains definitely can give a lift, albeit short lived, but the real effects are pretty much a mental thing.

Others suggest greasy food; the oilier, the better. A breakfast of bacon, eggs and baked beans; deep fried chicken; nachos dripping with guacamole and melted cheese. All these foods are said to ease cranky stomachs exposed to too much alcohol.

The English put their faith in ‘hair of the dog’, but it compounds the problem more than solving it. The phrase –according to the Urban Dictionary definition – comes from the expression, ‘hair of the dog that bit you’. This means the best cure for what ails you is to have more of it. This is strongly not advised.

Some people advise eating green apples or the more bizarre green jelly with diced cucumber in it. Regardless of what you eat or drink to rid yourself of a dreaded hangover, three fail-proof ways are sleep, a few headache tablets, and plenty of water: the life-giving fluid of the gods.

So, what is the best way to cure a hangover? The answer is simple. Don’t drink. You can have lots of fun with milkshakes, iced-teas or soft drinks. Your liver will sing your praises in the morning.

And if you must drink, be cautious, be careful and be safe.