Hangovers suck. Our lofty ideas we had during those first couple drinks are long gone. The sun is too bright and the world is too loud.
American humorist Robert Benchley said “a real hangover is nothing to try out family remedies on. The only cure for a real hangover is death.” That is a little extreme, but I totally know where he is coming from.
Today my friends over at The Nobler Experiment offered a trifecta of cures for this karmic malady. I had to weigh in. So.. go read their post, I will wait.
http://thenoblerexperiment.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/hangover-cures-the-trifecta-2/
Funny stuff, and now I want Chinese food. My experience with bad hangovers is that very little works for me. The hair of the dog is the sworn cure of many, but for me a morning cocktail only makes my headache worse. Club soda and bitters, while refreshing does little to make me feel any better. I have tried dry toast, flat Pepsi, B12, coconut water, Gatorade menudo, pho and nothing works. I know some of you swear by this stuff, and if it works for you I am envious. I am not here to tell you to stop using your tried and true hangover cures. These cures fuel heated debate and jovial drinking stories. I love how colorful the hangover cures are from drinking culture to drinking culture.
Frank Sinatra said “I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.” Sometimes the pain of a good hangover is a badge of honor and I want to sit in a quiet room with the shades drawn and wait it out. Remember you earned this pain.
I do have one thing that works. An ounce of prevention and lots of sleep. Stumble to the bathroom before bed and find some sort of Tylenol or Advil type thing and some Tums. Follow those two things with a tall glass if water, or two glasses if you can take it. Doing this after drinking will ease you into your next day with a more gentle hand.
That is it: Tums, Tylenol and water before bed. When you wake up take some Excedrin if necessary, with more water.
Breakfast is good , mostly because it is comforting, but it can also help a bit with hydration and the absorption of any booze still left in your gut. I like eggs benedict.
There are endless opinions and sometimes hilarious remedies that I love to hear about. Just keep hydrated under those rock-star sunglasses.
More Tips:
Quick Tip #1 – Club Soda and Bitters – 2012 Update
Quick Tip #2 – Champagne
Quick Tip #3 – Vermouth
