Celebrations Without Hangovers

feBusiness Traveller suggests a few pointers to enjoy the festive season without falling prey to the inebriate's worst nightmare, the hangover

While abstinence is the best cure for a hangover, it is too clichéd a suggestion. Try telling that to an irascible dipsomaniac and the morning after will entail pain with or without the booze. Besides, it will only put to an end to what this article has only just begun to impart. So if over indulgence is your theme for this season, read on.

The routine - whether it is a wedding party, a Christmas feast or a New Year celebration - is that one drinks to each other's health only to spoil one's own. Such bleary-eyed Epicureans don't really want to know what causes hangovers but only how to deal with the morning after. Because the 'morning after' syndrome has spoiled the fun for many a partygoers, especially if it happens on a weekday.

Here's what to do to arm oneself for the upcoming revelries. While many still rely on homemade remedies for dealing with hangovers, a readymade preventive concoction in the first place would definitely be welcome.

The Dependable Cocktail

Hangovers needn't be that bad. Some suggest a Bloody Mary with a raw egg. No kidding! A really spicy version of the cocktail, containing acidic tomato juice does wonders. The dependable cocktail or a watermelon juice works perfectly. However, a quick warning against cocktails other than Bloody Mary since these are a mix of soda, juice and more than one spirit and one is susceptible to have more than one and worse still, not the same one.

Another way to ditch a hangover beforehand is to let it all out - lug a toothbrush down your throat and induce the excesses to spill out. Puking is not a pretty job and worse, it makes you hungry as hell but it has been tried and tested and has made many a whole lot better.

Many also proffer monogamy - of another sort. Sticking to a single spirit is a good idea; this way, you can develop a taste and a resistance level. Also recommended is good quality vodka drunk neat or on the rocks (only in an emergency). This is a guarantor against a nasty ramification since it is as pure if not better than distilled water, given the kind of filtration process it is put through.

Heeded to or otherwise, a few other than veteran guzzlers can be relied on for hangover remedy. One such is the quintessential agent of good times - the bartender. Many say that cocktails, contrary to popular myth, do not cause hangovers. Injudicious mixing and matching wines and spirits is the chief culprit for inflicting hangovers. If one fuses a mature spirit like a whisky, which is merely fermented, it is a plain invitation to trouble. Nevertheless, they are empathetic to their boozy clientele who, occasionally climb higher than they should.

Another remedy is to drink lots of cold water to tackle the dehydration, which causes that urge to vomit and maybe trying some aperitifs which are basically a combination of a bitter base with soda.

Quick Fix

If you're looking for a quick fix by popping pills, then beware. Many regular drinkers and partygoers are justifiably apprehensive about taking anti-hangover pills that are not medically prescribed and may cause unknown side effects. And stay away from that aspirin.

Keeping in mind the uneasiness with taking pills, pharmaceutical companies are addressing the issue by bringing out products that are completely herbal and assure the user of absolutely no hangovers and side effects.

One such formula is PartySmart capsules, an herbal formulation that prevents hangovers and protects the liver. Its interesting to know how it works. When alcohol is consumed, the liver breaks it down primarily into a toxic substance called acetaldehyde. The build up of this substance in the liver results in hangover symptoms such as headache, nausea, irritability and fatigue and also sets the stage for major liver, brain and heart damage. What this capsule does is it protects the liver and prevents alcohol-related hangovers by speeding up the elimination of acetaldehyde. It does this by increasing the levels of enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).

Others suggest a hot shower and plenty of `nimbu paani' and bread because it soaks all the alcohol from the system. However, an easy way out is having the ritualistic beer.

Doctors always propose abstinence in order to nip the problem in the bud. If that is not possible, the cure for a hangover is relative to the condition the patient is encountering. If it is made apparent more by a blistering headache, then a paracetamol is a better alternative to aspirin because the latter can exacerbate gastritis, which a lot of people are vulnerable to. Also, though cold water is not usually healthy, it is intrinsic to flush out a hangover as warm water can only worsen a condition of gastritis.

People who ordinarily suffer from hyperacidity should take antacids. Points taken, seriously. Summarily, there are two contrasting perspectives that approach a hangover. For some, prevention is better than cure and for the rest of the living world, prevention is worse than cure. This sort of resounding endorsement is perhaps what this trifling compilation of enlightenment needs. What yours truly needs is a drink or three and a bottle of beer for overnight posterity. Cheers! But remember, restraint is the best cure.