DAN'S PAPERS, August 29, 2008 Page 119 www.danshamptons.com
Health/Fitness
By Maria Orlando Pietromonaco This article would probably have been more appropriate at the beginning of the summer, when the cocktail parties, barbecues and beach fun were winding up and not down. I could have saved a lot of you a lot of headaches, literally. But hopefully this advice will carry you through your lifetime with some tips you won’t soon forget. Sometimes, for some of us, social drinking takes a toll as we lose ourselves in conversation and number of drinks consumed. It happens to the best of us. The first drink goes down easy, the second even easier. By the third you said you shouldn’t have but someone hands you one anyway. At the time of your fourth, your mind says “better not,” but your hands and mouth aren’t listening. After that it doesn’t matter how that drink got down your throat. You’re going to pay. The result is a hangover, or “veisalgia,” a medical term given for the “unpleasant after effects of alcohol consumption.” Alcohol does some nasty things to us. It forces our bodies to produce more urine, which dehydrates us. It causes our blood vessels to expand, which causes those diabolical headaches. It also causes our blood sugar to fall and irritates the lining of the stomach. In excess it also does a lot worse, but that’s another article (the effects of alcohol go through the following stages: Euphoria, Lethargy, Confusion, Stupor, Coma, and Death – we’re going to hang out in the Confusion/Stupor zone). Although complete sobriety is a matter of time, as you have to wait for the alcohol in your liver to oxidize, there are some preventative techniques you could have partaken in before your drink fest and some cures to soothe the consequences. – Hydration is imperative. Being hydrated even before you drink will keep you ahead of the game, so if you know you are going to indulge that evening drink water throughout the day. To remain hydrated it would be to your advantage to drink water in between your cocktails or drink of your choice. The clincher is to drink a couple of glasses of water once you arrive safely at home, which will insure many trips to the bathroom in addition to a dilution of the alcohol in your system. – Your body loses the B6 and B12 vitamins during an alcohol binge. Popping a B vitamin in the a.m. will give you a boost. – Since your body loses grip on its sugar level, a dose of some fructose might help. The fructose may assist your body burn the alcohol a little more quickly. Honey is a great source of fructose and it also boasts some B6, a double whammy. Fruit juice is another good fructose choice. – Bananas are taking a spotlight in the hangover-helper category. They’ve got a lot going for them. They are a great source of fructose, but they also have a good amount of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that are depleted after alcohol consumption. They are also a natural antacid, so we’ve got a veisalgia-fighting powerhouse here. Be sure to keep some of this monkey-loving fruit around your house. – A teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water has been known to curb nausea. – A light jog or some form of exercise while you mumble the words “I’ll never drink again” can actually make you feel better, although you probably are having a hard time just making it from one side of the room to the other. But if you can muster up the energy, exercise helps the heart get the blood moving around your body and will aid in the detoxification process.
After a brief and unofficial survey I got some pretty interesting fixes for headaches, nausea and overall toxic aftermath of alcohol. The most popular were mac n’ cheese, cheeseburgers, Coke, egg sandwiches, Mexican food, and pizza. Close behind those were chocolate milk, French fries, iced tea, peanut butter and jelly, and dry toast. Whatever
S. Galardi
Remedies for the Morning After (Yes, Bananas) you are craving is probably what your body needs, be it sugar, protein, vitamins, salt, fluids, etc. Of course abstaining from alcohol is the best medicine, but for those occasions when there is a lapse in our better judgment time is the answer. Most hangovers will dissipate within hours, so just hang on for the ride.
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