Hungover? Read on...

Oh dear...woken up this morning with a thumping head and that feeling of sickness that comes and goes every 20 minutes? Yeah yeah we know what you were up to last night, coz we took you home, but you probably don't remember that?  We all know the best way to avoid a hangover is to just drink water...yeah right!

Here you go, take a look at this, we are sure that something, somewhere in this little lot will make you feel a little better:

Most hangover "remedies" simply attend to one or more of the symptoms and don't really provide a cure as such. The hangover won't stop until the alcohol is out of your system, but here's a few things that will ease the suffering a bit:

  • Berocca - Puts the vitamin B back in, as well as the big glass of water it's mixed with. It's probably best to do this before you go out.
  • Coke - Fizz for the nausea, liquid for the dehydration, and a caffeine and sugar hit to make you feel a bit more lively.
  • Coffee - Same as Coke but without the bubbles to help ease the nausea. Try it with honey instead of sugar since the fructose is absorbed quicker than the sucrose in normal sugar, and it's better for you.
  • Ginseng - It's been noted that since caffeine is a diuretic like alcohol, it can actually make the dehydration worse, so try the herbal equivalent instead.
  • Vegemite On Toast - Something in your stomach is good, and salty is even better. Plus you get a Vitamin B top up. The same reasons also make peanut butter a good choice, but the oily nature might make some sensitive stomachs feel a bit yucky. If you do try try this one, skip the butter and just have dry toast.
  • Cold Pizza - Who knows, but it seems to work.
  • Asprin - Simply attends to the headache and does nothing for the level of alcohol in your system. Don't take them before you go to bed.
  • Bananas - Sugar in the form of fructose, and potassium, which is one of the things you lose lots of when you drink. Bananas are also a natural antacid to help with the nausea, and are high in magnesium which can help relax those pounding blood vessels causing that hangover headache. For a variety of reasons try a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich on white bread.
  • Vitamin C - Another thing the alcohol takes out that you're advised to put back in as soon as possible. Orange juice, tomato, a 600mg Vitamin C tablet - doesn't matter, just do it.
  • A Hot Bath - The heat will sweat out the toxins that are causing all the problems. You'll feel a bit woozy at first but go with it and you'll feel better afterwards.

Hangover Prevention

  • Don't drink. (doh!)
  • Take a Berocca before you start drinking. This gets a reserve of Vitamin B into you.
  • Alternate fruit juice or water in amongst your drinks to avoid dehydration later on. Avoid fizzy or sugary stuff. The purists reckon that about 200ml of water is needed to effectively counteract each 30ml of alcohol.
  • The alcohol in carbonated drinks is absorbed more quickly than in non-carbonated drinks.
  • Reduce the amount of sugar you consume with your alcohol. The forced metabolism of sugar AND alcohol by your body will accelerate the depletion of B vitamins and make the hangover worse.
  • The 2am pig-out. Pizza or pasta is usually best since cheese and carbohydrates are a good source of amino acids. Actually food is a good idea all round - before, during and immediately after drinking. Food doesn't absorb alcohol, but it does increase metabolism, activates alcohol absorption, and increases the speed with which the body processes alcohol.

Hangover Remedy Cocktails

And here are a few remedy cocktails. At least they won't make you feel any worse:

Poor Man's Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary
  • 5oz Tomato Juice
  • 3oz Light Beer
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Lots and lots of lime juice
  • Dash of Tabasco sauce

Mix and scull.

  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • Dash of lemon (or lime) juice
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 or 3 drops Tabasco sauce
  • Pepper, salt and celery salt
  • 5 oz tomato juice

Over ice in a tall glass add spices, then vodka. Fill with tomato juice and stir. Garnish with celery stick and lime wedge.

Bloody Mary Variations

 

  • Deadly Mary - Use gold tequila instead
  • Bloody Maria - Use tequila instead
  • Red Snapper - Use gin instead
  • Danish Mary - Use aquavit instead
  • Bloody Bull - Add chilli pepper and beef stock
  • Vege Mary - Use V8 juice instead of tomato juice
  • Virgin Mary - No Alcohol
Fruit And Stuff
  • 1 banana
  • 1 small can V-8
  • 6 large strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1-2 cups milk (or soy milk), to desired consistency
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • dash of nutmeg

Mix together in a blender and drink.

Aunt Emma's Hangover Cocktail
Banana Cow
  • 1 large can of tomato juice
  • 3 Tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 slices of onion
  • 3 Tablespoons of sugar
  • 4 stalks of celery
  • 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in a container, let stand overnight. Strain and serve.

  • 1 crushed ripe banana
  • 2 level tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 3 oz milk
  • 1 1/2 oz rum
  • Plenty of cracked ice

Mix together in a blender and drink.

Prairie Oyster
Van Diemen
  • Olive oil
  • Tablespoon tomato ketchup
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Salt and pepper
  • Tabasco
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Vinegar or lemon juice

Rinse a cocktail glass with the olive oil and discard oil. Mix all ingredients except egg yolk, and add to glass. Place the egg yolk in carefully. Serve with a small spoon and a glass of ice water.

  • 2 cups of Ovaltine
  • Chocolate topping
  • 2 cups of castor sugar
  • 3 tblsp of golden syrup
  • 1 pkt of pineapple jelly crystals
  • 2 cups of hot water
  • 2-3 cups of milk (full-cream)

Combine Ovaltine, sugar, topping, 3/4 milk, hot water and golden syrup. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, adding rest of milk and stirring after 1 minute. Add 1/2 of jelly crystals and microwave on high for 30 secs. Add rest of jelly and a bit more hot water. Microwave for 1 minute. Pour into cups. Refigerate. Serve with custard.

Obviously this page really is just for your information and does not constitute a medical recommendation, you can either choose to use some of the information provided or not, the choice is yours.  Or you can just drink water. 

In any case, we hope you feel better, at least you got home safely. Keep well.

On a serious note, if you feel that you are drinking more than you should be or would like to speak with someone about alcohol then you can contact Alcoholics Anonymous  which provides you with the regionalised contact information. Good Luck.