
Do
you remember how many times you let loose at a
stag party, wedding, anniversary, social gathering or holiday event?
Most people drink responsibly and modestly because they have other
responsibilities, need to drive a vehicle or hate that dreaded
hangover. However most of us can think of select occurrences when we
went a little overboard.
The December holiday season is the primary
time of
year for overindulging. Some get up close and personal with their
toilet seat. Others prefer to feed their bathroom floor with
yesterday’s dinner. There are those that simply ring in the
new year with a ringing headache! Ughh, never again!
It is dreadful to deal with the aching
stomach,
throbbing headache and sore aching muscles. Perhaps the kids will get
their own breakfast and the dog will take himself for a walk? Perhaps
everyone else will whisper the entire day while you recover? Or maybe,
just maybe, there is a concoction that will miraculously take the pain
away.
Why not start by preventing a
hangover?
Here are some basic tips:
1. Before you start drinking make sure you
eat
fruits, food and or supplements that have plenty of vitamin B and C.
Food in the stomach prevents rapid absorption of alcohol in the
bloodstream.
2. Drink lots of water and juice before you
head
out for a night of festivities. Alcohol dehydrates your system and
water will help prepare your body for any overindulging.
3. Do not mix different types of drinks.
Mixing
different drinks with various levels of alcohol content and sugar will
undoubtedly upset your system.
4. Do not take any form of medication and
alcohol
before consulting a physician. Most medication and alcohol do not mix
and could cause serious health risks.
5. It is a known biological fact that body
size,
age and gender have a lot to do with how your system handles alcohol.
People with larger frames and more weight can absorb more alcohol.
Younger people tend to tolerate alcohol more than older people. Men
tend to tolerate more alcohol than women even if they are the same
height and weight.
6. Elect yourself as the designated driver.
Wake
up without a hangover!
It is the big night and you are
ready to
party armed with sensible prevention advice:
Okay, so you decide to go out and have some
fun!
It has been a long time since your last hangover and frankly you are
not going to get suckered into that experience again. You are joined by
some friends and you start by ordering a cold beer. Ahhh, you needed
that! It was a refreshing beverage. Shortly after you indulge in a
glass of red wine. Mmm… that was soothing and relaxing. You
and your friends are partying, dancing and having a grand old time.
Hmmm, a shot of rye would hit the spot right now. Next thing you know,
people are buying each other liqueur shots. Wow, you need to be a part
of that action. It is nearing the end of the night and you forgot to
take any preventive action. You are responsible enough to remember one
most important rule “Don’t drink and
drive“. You leave the car in the parking lot and take a cab
home.
What do you do after you get home
and you
forgot to practice hangover prevention?
1. Do not drink more alcohol. It is a common
belief that drinking more will soothe the system. Putting more alcohol
in your body is not a good idea.
2. Drink lots of water. Water will dilute
the
alcohol in your bloodstream.
3. Some over the counter drugs such as
acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen have demonstrated some success.
There is always a harmful risk of mixing drugs and alcohol. Consult
your physician before taking one of these remedies.
4. Throwing up helps your system get rid of
alcohol content that has not been absorbed into your bloodstream.
5. Drink coffee in the morning to help
increase
alertness and relieve tired, aching muscles. Caffeine tends to energize
the body and reduce headaches. Coffee is a diuretic and should be
coupled with lots of water. Do not drink coffee before you go to bed.
You will not sleep well and wake up in worse shape.
There is only one full proof way of getting
rid of
a hangover. Moderation is the best advice. Have a wonderful holiday
season! Stay safe and enjoy!
Jack Shadow is a freelance web
designer and works
full time for Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI) at http://www.telecost.com
as a telecom support specialist.
