How to Cure a Hangover
Intro: How to Cure a Hangover
There are a few methods to reduce the symptoms of a hangover.
Hangovers don't just happen like a headache, an ingrown toenail, or cancer. Looking for a cure for a hangover is largely too late. Prevention is the key but there are a few things that can be done to help get through the day after drinking too heavily.
Hangovers don't just happen like a headache, an ingrown toenail, or cancer. Looking for a cure for a hangover is largely too late. Prevention is the key but there are a few things that can be done to help get through the day after drinking too heavily.
STEP 1: Prevention
Eat
One of the best things to do before drinking is to eat a hearty meal. If you can't do that gobble down the peanuts, popcorn, or whatever other food is available where you are drinking. Drinking on an empty stomach is unwise.
Drink water
Downing a quart of water before the first drink will give your body the fluid it needs and help divert the absorption of the alcohol into your system.
One of the best things to do before drinking is to eat a hearty meal. If you can't do that gobble down the peanuts, popcorn, or whatever other food is available where you are drinking. Drinking on an empty stomach is unwise.
Drink water
Downing a quart of water before the first drink will give your body the fluid it needs and help divert the absorption of the alcohol into your system.
STEP 2: During
Control your intake
Try to drink only one alcoholic beverage per hour. Sticking with the same drink for the whole night tends to lead to less complications later.
Choose wisely
Red wine and other dark liquors usually result in a higher chance for a hangover. The less expensive the alcohol the more toxin and thus the greater chance for a hangover.
Alternate drinks
Drinking water or juice in between alcohol will keep you hydrated (alcohol is a diuretic and removes more fluid from you than it contributes). The liver needs water to remove toxins from the body (yes, alcohol is a toxin) and the sooner the liver can get to work the better.
Try to drink only one alcoholic beverage per hour. Sticking with the same drink for the whole night tends to lead to less complications later.
Choose wisely
Red wine and other dark liquors usually result in a higher chance for a hangover. The less expensive the alcohol the more toxin and thus the greater chance for a hangover.
Alternate drinks
Drinking water or juice in between alcohol will keep you hydrated (alcohol is a diuretic and removes more fluid from you than it contributes). The liver needs water to remove toxins from the body (yes, alcohol is a toxin) and the sooner the liver can get to work the better.
STEP 3: After
Hydrate
Drink a quart of water, juice, or a sports drink. You've just dehydrated yourself so if you were not planning ahead by drinking water before and during you need to catch up now. A Pedialyte freezer pop is the only commercial product that makes sense to substitute for downing fluids. Most hangover helpers are just providing electrolytes along with the water you drink to provide the same recovery help as a simple glass of juice.
Fortify
Take a multivitamin instead of aspirin or acetaminophen. You have probably urinated plenty so the vitamins in your system have been flushed.
Eat
Many people swear by eating something before going to bed after a night of heavy drinking. A slice of bread is often suggested.
Drink a quart of water, juice, or a sports drink. You've just dehydrated yourself so if you were not planning ahead by drinking water before and during you need to catch up now. A Pedialyte freezer pop is the only commercial product that makes sense to substitute for downing fluids. Most hangover helpers are just providing electrolytes along with the water you drink to provide the same recovery help as a simple glass of juice.
Fortify
Take a multivitamin instead of aspirin or acetaminophen. You have probably urinated plenty so the vitamins in your system have been flushed.
Eat
Many people swear by eating something before going to bed after a night of heavy drinking. A slice of bread is often suggested.
STEP 4: Disclaimer
Alcohol is a drug. Please only consume alcohol if it is legal for you to do so. Binge drinking is very dangerous. Consider your family history because part of the risk factors for alcoholism is your heritage. Do not consume alcohol if you are pregnant or nursing. Never drink and drive. Be a designated driver for your friends and take lots of pictures like the ones illustrating this Instructable. Know your limit.
Every person is different and many people have found alternate ways to reduce their symptoms. (I try to only drink Guinness and being Irish, German, English, Scottish, Dutch mutt sure seems to help.) The only certain way to go hangover-free is to not drink.
Every person is different and many people have found alternate ways to reduce their symptoms. (I try to only drink Guinness and being Irish, German, English, Scottish, Dutch mutt sure seems to help.) The only certain way to go hangover-free is to not drink.
270 Comments
RoyW27 8 years ago
I was diagnosed with Lungs Cancer and was told by the Doctor that the cancer was in the last stage. My Doctor told me i have few months to live, and he also told me about the Hemp Oil and said it’s going to do a lot in saving my life from this terrible disease, He introduce me to Rick Simpson and said he would be able to get me the Hemp oil wherever I need it since he is the founder of hemp oil. I contacted him with this Email he gave me ricksimpsoncannabisoil0@gmail.com and i explain it to his understanding and he delivered the oil to me, after three Month of taking this Treatment there has been rapid improvement in my life, I am very overwhelmed. I want to shout it out to the world that am cured from cancer. I can’t believe I’m able to jump and move around again. Thank you lord for your natural marijuana hemp oil and Rick Simpson who you sent and healed me, am very grateful Sir, I’m so happy am still much alive., and for those who are battling with cancer disease, don’t think life is gone because your doc. said so, be strong, courageous and fight it. There is a cure and Rick Simpson have it. contact him through his Email ricksimpsoncannabisoil0@gmail.com Thank you Sir, I will always be grateful for your good work and services rendered..
JorgeK3 8 years ago
My name is Jorge Katie, am from Rockford Illinois, united state, Herpes has been ongoing in my family for long, I lost both parents to Herpes and it is so much pain because i contacted the disease too. i have not been able to get over it.As we all know medically,there is no solution or cure. Until the day i meant a comment on the daily news paper that was commented by a lady Brenda about how this powerful doctor who helped her got cured of the disease (Herpes) my fellow beloved i firstly taught, having a help from an African doctor was a wrong idea, but i thought of these "will i continue to stress on these disease all day when i have someone to help me save my life?" so i gather all my faiths and interest to contact him through his Email address at (drabassherbalhome@gmail.com), so after i have mailed him of helping get my disease cured and told me about my Tests and Results and also told him that i had spent thousands of dollars on medication. He responded to me so fast that i should not be afraid, that he is a truthful and powerful doctor.To cut the story short,He gave me some medical herbs and he thought me how am going to use them and gave me his word.At first i was skeptical about taking his medical herbs but i just gave it a try. I was on his medication for 25days when i notice some changes in my body. After the 25th day i called him and he said he has been expecting my call,he told me to visit my doctor for another test..Honestly speaking,i never believed all he was saying until after the test when my doctor mention the statement that i am Herpes negative and the doctor started asking me how did i do it, My papers for the checkups i did are with me and now i am happy and glad for his miraculous help, With these i must tell everyone who might seek for any help, either for ( Herpes) much more to contact him through his Email; drabassherbalhome@gmail.com or whatsapp him on +2347059008401, sir thank you so much for your immediate cure of my disease, i must say a big thanks for curing my disease, i owe you in return
alaskanthunderfuker69 13 years ago
Kiteman 12 years ago
vincent7520 12 years ago
Wrecks, all I can say.
The only thing close to damage by alcoholism is heroin.
Both are certainly the most dangerous drugs available (wether it's legal or not).
Interestingly a lot of (most ?…) heroin addicts when they survive fall into alcohol addiction after they quit heroin… And they usually die from the effect of both over the years … mostly between35 and 45-50.
As for balancing between the effects of nicotine and THC I'm quite surprised about what you say. It is a well known fact that THC does not causes cancer whereas nicotine is the primary cause of throat and lung cancer (how much you inhale is ludicrous as many permanent non smokers died of tobacco induced lung cancer simply by living in places where cigarette smoking was prevalent).
Now I do not mean THC has no bad effect on health, but as long as weed is not mixed with tobacco there is no proof yet that THC causes cancer.
Anyway all these arguments seem quite absurd to me : if you want to live a healthy life and respect yourself as you should respect others, do not get over the barrier of non self-control, be it alcohol, weed or any other recreational drugs …
Knowing which one is less harmful than the other misses the point : the point is in words "less harmful" / "harmless" there is "harm". This should be avoided altogether.
Kiteman 12 years ago
Where did I say pure THC causes cancer?
Stop putting words and arguments in my mouth, it is disingenuous.
And, news flash, pure nicotine does not cause cancer either - both marijuana and tobacco contain many other substances, many of which are highly carcinogenic. Causing any complex organic substance to smoulder for prolonged periods generates dozens, often hundreds, of carcinogenic toxins.
THC and nicotine are just the single substance that produces the desired effects, amongst the hundreds of substances that have only UNdesirable effects.
jkwilborn 9 years ago
The many other substances seemed not to cause irritation of the lungs as tobacco does. Many think the complete plant causes this, not the peices alone.
Kiteman 9 years ago
It doesn't matter how many people "think" something, what matters are the properly-collected and collated facts.
Try these from the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/201...
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
a bolus of pure nicotine extracted from a pack of cigarettes would almost certainly kill you - and quickly.
the LD 50 of nicotine is about 100 times higher than that of cocaine, for example.
the human ld50 of nicotine is .5 - 1 mg/kg.
Pure nicotine almost certainly is a carcinogen - but there just isn't enough data to support that in humans due to the fact that its toxicity is so high. At the very least it is definitely highly mitogenic & I can tell you that they have validated tumours in lab animals AND they have shown that it stimulates rapid division of pancreatic cells.
and that's real sources, not "my medical acquaintances"
by why take my word for it? just pop over to pubmed and search for marijuana and cancer.
despite the fact that NIH simply will not fund research exploring potential positive effects of marijuana bur rather will only entertain grants that are written in order to explore the negative effects, you will see an overwhelming amount data that suggest that not only is marijuana far less toxic than most prescription and recreational drugs, it is effective in treating a host of diseases and disorders ranging from anxiety to end-stage cancer.
i am by no means saying that people should smoke marijuana recreationally, but there is no medical basis whatsoever for keeping the drug on the list of Schedule 1 drugs.
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
in other words - you would need to give a group of people 100 - 200 times the amount of cocaine you would need to kill half of them if you used pure nicotine.
drug laws in this country aren't so much about safety as they are about lobbying.
also, to be clear - the LD50 obviously isn't that useful of a tool when determining drug safety. Obviously cocaine is one of the worst things you can put in your body - probably far worse for you than nicotine when looking at their relative dosages and administration routes. however the point stands that nicotine is a HIGHLY toxic substance - and it's not just the various tars and god only knows what other compounds they are putting in cigarettes that kill you.
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
exactly. an strangely enough - alcohol is the only drug that i know of whose withdrawal symptoms can kill you. narcotics are close if you're not careful to stay hydrated during the invariable diarrhea that comes with coming off opiates.
another thing about Heroin that is crazy is the fact that pharmacologically it's just morphine.
heroin has acetyl groups that make it much more soluble than morphine so when it is injected it is more potent than morhpine because it gets to the brain faster - however once in the brain those acetyl groups are cleaved and the it is converted to morphine...
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
Kiteman 12 years ago
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
I am by no means suggesting that smoking marijuana is a good idea. It certainly leads to inflammation in the lungs which can in tern lead to cell damage and what we call "pre-cancerous" cells in lung tissues.
Smoking marijuana has certainly been linked to higher levels of testicular cancer, prostate cancer and cervical cancer in regular pot smokers than non smokers. it has also been linked to complications for women who smoke during pregnancy.
That being said, while this issue is debated, the medical community certainly does not agree that "weed is far more dangerous than tobacco, presenting an increased risk of cancer"
I believe it's quite the opposite.
It is difficult to really study this as long-term studies just aren't being done on any real level. partly due to the legal and political debate.
but what we do know for sure is that marijuana certainly has some therapeutic uses. nicotine, with the exception of a few very rare cases, has no therapeutic value - even less so when smoked.
marijuana is nowhere near as addictive.
there is so much nonsense in the media about marijuana it's mind-boggling. my favourite is the study that came out of new zealand that apparently claimed smoking 1 joint was the same as smoking 20 cigarettes, which was of course not at all what the study claimed. the press went bonkers and that is the source of most of these kinds of claims you hear today. although - read the paper for yourself:
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/31/2/280.full
They looked at 79 people with lung cancer and 324 controls.
Of those 79 people with cancer, 9 of them didn't smoke cigarettes.
9.
58 of them never smoked marijuana with 3, 4 and 14 being in their three categories of increasing amounts smoked respectively.
"While cannabis smoking (defined as lifetime use of o20 joints)
was not associated with a significantly increased risk of lung
cancer (table 2), those with the highest tertile of use
(.10.5 joint-yrs of exposure) had a significantly increased risk
(RR 5.7 (95% CI 1.5–21.6)) after adjustment for age, sex,
ethnicity, pack-yrs of cigarette smoking and a family history of
lung cancer."
However - in their control group they had 4 "highest tertile of use" patients vs 14 in the cancer group.
Contrast that with what i think is a far superior study (and the community would agree based on the impact scores of the two journals) done at UCLA:
http://www.cmaj.ca/content/180/8/797.long
and you'll see a far different story.
that's not to say smoking pot is good for you - it almost certainly contributes to COPD in people that smoke tobacco (although surprisingly doesn't appear to lead to COPD on its own)
Tashkin's even hypothesized that marijuana would raise the risk of cancer because of the fact that marijuana users inhale more deeply and generally hold smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers, like you said. However that simply didn't appear to be the case in his study which included almost 10 times as many subjects as the New Zealand study.
While no association between marijuana smoking and cancer was found they absolutely did find a 20-fold increase in lung cancer among people who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.
Of course you probably shouldn't do either - but cigarette smoking is almost certainly far worse for your general health and well being than smoking marijuana is.
Kiteman 12 years ago
However, it's summary does state that smoking marijuana poses similar risks to smoking regarding heart disease and pulmonary obstructions, and further states that the risks are greatly increased in those who smoke both marijuana and tobacco.
Your first reference seems to be double-thinking itself - first stating that there is no significant risk, then pointing out that long-term smoking of cannabis is a significant risk, and also pointed out that 1 in 20 lung cancers in the under-55 age-group in New Zealand (ie, those too young to have developed the disease from general exposure to pollution) is due to cannabis use.
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
the NZ paper isn't double-thinking itself - they presented the data they found. that's how science is done.
the aim of the study was to determine the risk of lung cancer associated
with cannabis smoking. one of their findings was that people that smoked less were not at a risk of contracting the disease.
they seemed to have based their conclusions on the higher groups - which, while apparently significant - i find those data dubious at best, based on the lack of power.
Either way, i maintain that your claim that weed is far more dangerous than tobacco, presenting an increased risk of cancer is not based on fact.
Sounds to me like you're biased.
I personally have no horse in this race - i don't smoke either so i don't really care. politically i don't believe the government should be regulating behaviours beyond protecting the rights of others - it's absurd to me that pot is illegal while far more dangerous drugs like tobacco and alcohol are perfectly legal.
Kiteman 12 years ago
DisplacedMic 12 years ago
the greater-than symbol didn't carry over so maybe that's the source of the confusion. they had 4 groups - non smokers, less than 1.39 joints/year, between 1.39 and 10.5 and greater than 10.5/year.
they are claiming that people who have smoked the greatest amount of marijuana (the highest group) have a significantly increased risk of lung cancer.
but their sample size was 18 people. 14 of which had cancer, 4 didn't. and many of the marijuana smokers were also cigarette smokers.
as it were i think the claim is dubious based on their own data. but this is the paper that was all over over the place and is the source of the "1 joint = 20 cigarettes" myth and that's why i brought it up.
feel free to provide a better one that you feel more adequately supports your claim that "weed is far more dangerous than tobacco, presenting an increased risk of cancer"
zieak 13 years ago
Drinking water is 10 times less dangerous than smoking pot.
I've not been smoking pot for 37 years and I've done my homework and weed is scientifically proven to have carcinogens, induce laziness, and has ruined a few of my friend's chances at a decent wage, extended (by years and tens of thousands of dollars) the time it took to get a degree, and wasted thousands of hours arguing for the legalization of something that will never be legalized.
afs420 13 years ago