Hangover Cure

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:12 pm

ritzkiss wrote:
TheSevenDuffs wrote:
ritzkiss wrote:Yep, you pretty much wrote down my guaranteed cure, minus the two ibuprofen/Tylenol with the water. Voted.
Is it ok to have Tylenol the next day? You definitely aren't supposed to have it while/after drinking...
From what I understand next day is ok. Though I usually go Ibuprofen to be safe/preference.

I always avoid it to be safe. Even the next day. No point in taking chances with my precious liver...

Tapsucker · Post by **Tapsucker** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:50 pm

Apparently my IQ is just a teensy bit too high so I'm banned from fleecebook. Could you share your secret here?

mistermurphy · Post by **mistermurphy** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:58 pm

Voted. Derek, for my wife who gets terrible headaches and can't even keep water down, what do you suppose is the single best food to get in you?

Would it be eggs?

For those that were asking, here's Derek's recommendation:

What's your best hangover cure?

Scientific Solution:
1. Rehydrate - start with water.
2. Rebalance your electrolytes: sports drink, banana (potassium), maybe a fruit smoothie (for some additional vitamins, nutrients and raw sugar energy).
3. Remove the acetaldehyde (toxic byproduct of metabolizing alcohol) with some eggs for breakfast (cysteine breaks it down).
4. Reduce the headache with some caffeine (once your hydration is under control). While it wakes you up so you ca face the day, caffeine is also a vasoconstrictor, which can help reduce a headache. Note: Tea will be easier on the stomach than an acidic coffee.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:51 pm

I'd say a banana is probably the best food.

You need to get your electrolytes balanced and it's full of potassium. Bananas also have a lot of natural sugar to fuel the recovery, and they're really easy on the stomach too!

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:41 pm

My sure cure is a Ceaser (virgin if its a workday), and then a greasy breakfast

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:26 pm

icemachine wrote:My sure cure is a Ceaser (virgin if its a workday), and then a greasy breakfast

I've actually never tried ceasars for a hangover - do they really work? And why, I wonder?

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:43 pm

JeffPorter wrote:
icemachine wrote:My sure cure is a Ceaser (virgin if its a workday), and then a greasy breakfast
I've actually never tried ceasars for a hangover - do they really work? And why, I wonder?

Works for me, I think its a combination of a quick energy fix and the extra salt that gets put in your system.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:50 am

Derek wrote:I'd say a banana is probably the best food.

You need to get your electrolytes balanced and it's full of potassium. Bananas also have a lot of natural sugar to fuel the recovery, and they're really easy on the stomach too!

Yep and they really get the crapper moving so there's no sour bile lurking in the guts. Especially with a good brisk walk in the painfully bright sunshine.

I also drink Gatorade for hangers, it's got electrolytes (it's what plants crave.) Tossing back lots of water with fresh lemon, maybe some orange juice. A dropperful of Milk Thistle is good for clearing out the liver and getting you detoxified really fast.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:58 am

ritzkiss wrote:
TheSevenDuffs wrote:
ritzkiss wrote:Yep, you pretty much wrote down my guaranteed cure, minus the two ibuprofen/Tylenol with the water. Voted.
Is it ok to have Tylenol the next day? You definitely aren't supposed to have it while/after drinking...
From what I understand next day is ok. Though I usually go Ibuprofen to be safe/preference.

Sorry, I don't think any pain relievers are good at all for the body when any alcohol's in the system, it really harms the liver from what I've read.

Sure was tempting the times I've done it though! But proper hydration is phenomenal. When I was in the Caribbean, I was drinking a fair bit evenings and in the hot sun all day not really ever drinking water - but I did tank up with several larger glasses of of water and juice JUST one hour before breakfast. Also ate loads of fresh fruit for breaky. Never once felt queasy on that ocean cruise!

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:07 am

Belgian wrote: Sorry, I don't think any pain relievers are good at all for the body when any alcohol's in the system, it really harms the liver from what I've read.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is metabolized by the liver. That is why it is especially bad with alcohol in the system.

Ibuprofen tends to be harder on the stomach than on the liver but mixed iwth alcohol it can also lead to complications and problems with the liver.

So it is best to avoid anything with alcohol in your system.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:18 am

The only thing I would add to Derek's cure is a long hot shower. It can also help open up the blood vessels and take the edge off of a headache...

TheBeeraholic · Post by **TheBeeraholic** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:48 am

Voted yesterday. Ibuprofen and a Gatorade for me.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:17 pm

Belgian wrote: Sorry, I don't think any pain relievers are good at all for the body when any alcohol's in the system, it really harms the liver from what I've read.

Even when the alcohol is 'removed', the liver is still processing nasty byproducts (which give you the hang-over). I try to man up and avoid any potential toxins as well.

Acetaminophen can be nasty. I was once taking it regularly for weeks due to chronic sinusitis (it's easier on the gut than other ASA or IBU). I didn't have a single drink, but when they put me on antibiotics and checked my liver enzymes, they were 8x the normal max. I tried taking milk thistle after than incident, and it actually caused pain... I haven't tried it since.

But yeah, the liver can only process so much. If you consume more than 3 std drinks a day, acetaminophen is not recommended for pain management (some elderly use it for arthritis). Personally, I wouldn't use it at all with alcohol, or combine acetaminophen or alcohol with antibiotics either.

A lot of us drink more than we should on a regular basis, so if I have to take anything else, I just give my liver a break from the alcohol.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:33 pm

Derek wrote:I tried taking milk thistle after than incident, and it actually caused pain... I haven't tried it since.

But yeah, the liver can only process so much...

I've had some funny liver issues these past years, partly from such antibiotics, cortisols, etc.

But generally healthy, I can take milk thistle any day. It might be too much for an 'injured state' liver. Did your liver actually hurt? Did you never try milk thistle when reasonably recovered from illness?

Thirsty Traveler does two things - one big glass water for every one drink alcohol, and the Milk Thistle.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:56 pm

Belgian wrote: It might be too much for an 'injured state' liver. Did your liver actually hurt? Did you never try milk thistle when reasonably recovered from illness?

It was a few days after I finished the antibiotics... and yeah, pain right under the ribs.