Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxx.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihuxx!ignatz From: ignatz@ihuxx.UUCP (Dave Ihnat, Chicago, IL) Newsgroups: net.misc,net.wines Subject: Re: Hangover Cure Wanted! Message-ID: <653@ihuxx.UUCP> Date: Fri, 3-Feb-84 23:12:32 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxx.653 Posted: Fri Feb 3 23:12:32 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 05:15:09 EST References: <141@ames-lm.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 118 Ok, you asked for it! This has been an important topic for me, and I haven't hesitated to incorporate the best of both personal experience with the recommendations of the "Masters". So, following is the method I use for those really incredible hangovers...the ones where I wake up under the mattress. (I own a water bed.) Now, this isn't just try-and-fail; some of the following was reasoned from many discussions with nurses and doctors who are fellow imbibers; the rest, extracted from an excellent text, "The Hangover Handbook", by David E. Outerbridge (Harmony Books, New York, copyright 1981 by David E. Outerbridge and Rae Lindsay, ISBN: 0-517-545845 (cloth), 0-517-543567 (paper)). (That ought to convince you that this is real!) This text confirmed many of my medical speculations, and in addition, provides detailed medical descriptions of just what you're doing to yourself when over-indulging in drink; numerous reasons to ignore the terrible effects you just learned about; anecdotes throughout history concerning this oldest of pasttimes; and, finally, dozens of remedies, rated according to their efficicacy. So, on with... PROBLEM: Why do you feel horrible? ANSWER: To simplify, you're dehydrated and your blood electrolytes are shot to hell. You've loaded yourself with impurities, too--congeners and aldehydes, which are poisons in their own right. These have to be metabolized, requiring protein and oxygen. Alcohol causes important elements such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium to be temporarily unavailable, leading (in part) to tremors. (How? Not here. Study the books.) It also washes away vitamins B1, B6, and C. Alcohol inhibits REM sleep--this is why you can sleep 8 hours, and still be tired and irritable. Finally, neurons react to the presence of a depressant such as alcohol by becoming more sensitive; it takes time to re-adapt. Thus, the sensitivity to light, sound, etc. So, of all the offered remedies, I've settled on the following; in light of the foregoing discussion, you should be able to guess the reason for each component. 1) DRINKING IS AN ART. Be an artist. Plan these things; eat a *hearty* meal beforehand, high in protein and minerals. The old bit about grease is, surprisingly, not too crazy. The slower the rate of absorption, the better. Incidentally, vitamin C is a chelating agent for numerous congeners, especially aldehyde; so is cabbage. Stoke up before drinking! 2) AVOID THE WORST. If you have a tendency to drink light liquors, indulge it. The darker the liquor--bourbon, as opposed to vodka--the more impurities. (This is, of course, almost impossible to do.) I don't do this; Jack Daniels' is my bane and my joy. Usually in reverse order. 3) GO TO BED: Here, you may look ahead. Take a few glasses of water to anticipate the dehydration. Also, take the following witches' brew--lay it out before leaving, if you may forget. If you don't do it tonight, then do it when you get up; but your stomach, after you've scoured the lining with alcohol, may not love it: Vitamins: A - 2x normal daily dosage B1 - 4x normal daily dosage B6 - 4x normal daily dosage C - 500-1000 mg Minerals: Nioxin - 10-20 mg Calcium - 250 mg Magnesium - 250 mg Potassium - 1 tsp. KCl solution. 3) SLEEP! If you do enough of this, you may even miss the whole thing. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to get up. Like for work...so we go to: 4) REMEDIAL ACTION: You already did it, with or without the above precautions, and HAVE to get up. Now is the time to recover: -Drink fluids. Contrary to popular fables, you won't get drunk again, although you may feel light-headed or dizzy; understand that your body has been ABUSED. In light of the above explanations, preferentially drink fruit juices--vitamins, especially C, and sugar for your depleted metabolism--or even soda pop, if you must. AVOID diet sodas; while they provide fluid replenishment, that's all. You need more. Incidentally, a cold watermelon provides liquid and simple sugars, and the cold feels good both in the mouth and throat. -Take a hot shower. Obviously, this will speed the metabolism, aside from washing that hideous stench of stale smoke and sweat from your trembling body. Along the same lines, run a mile, workout, or whatever else you tend to lean toward to work your metabolism up to a higher pitch. You'll feel worse during the workout, but better much sooner. (I cheat here. I'll take a hot sauna over the workout, but WARNING! Your body is shaky; it may not be able to take the same sauna-punishment when hungover as when sober, so use caution.) -EAT. No matter how it feels, eat a full meal. Especially lean toward foods rich in protein, vitamins, and--you guessed--cabbage! -SLEEP. If you can, go back to sleep. Otherwise, don't forget to take your vitamins if you forgot them before going to bed. By this time, you will probably still feel 'not quite right', but you will have purged yourself of most of the foul symptoms. FINALLY: Avoid aspirin. Your headache and body pains and tremors are a combination of a lot of things, and the aspirin (or Tylenol, or whatever) will not be able to solve them. If you need an antacid, well, maybe...but wait until after eating and drinking some fruit juices and water. Finally...the one problem I mentioned above, that I haven't addressed, is the neuron sensitivity. Believe it or not, a small amount of the hair of the dog *will* help. The single Bloody Mary will help...have it before eating. This was longer than I meant it to be, but this *is* a serious subject. Believe me, this regimen is easy to follow and will make it distressingly easy for you to shrug off incredible binges! From the tired liver of Dave Ihnat ihuxx!ignatz