Mighta been the Whiskey; Mighta been the Gin...

So the only thing I can focus on this morning is my blaring inability to focus due to a wee bit too much consumption last night. Having misspent at least 5 lifetimes of youths, I'm seasoned in the art of overcoming a hangover, but you're never too old to learn something new, so I'm wondering if anyone has a particular favorite formula.

A Kiwi I met in Hawaii once (and if you know anything about your average globtrotting Kiwi, you know those folks can down a few jars and then some) explained that her approach to combatting hangovers was all in the drinking. She gave me her recipe for Gatorade punch, which is essentially lots of vodka flavored with Gatorade...you'll be swinging from the chandeliers, but feel positively sporting in the morning...I haven't actually tried that one yet, but it makes sense when you think it.

Here are a selection of other recommendations from a recent issue of Men's Fitness (which I don't have a subscription to, thank you). In order of their recommendation:

1. Pedialyte (yes, the kids' medicine...replenishes electrolytes...high-tech, low-scruples approach).
2. Alka-Seltzer Morning Relief
3. Water and Aspirin (takes away the headache, they say, buy you still feel like something the cat threw up).
4. Hair of the Dog (I can't believe this is so low on their list, but...)
5. Olive Oil (pre-emptive approach...I've heard of other similiar, lubricate your stomach remedies [Eastern Europeans swear by a quarter pound of butter], but as the magazine points out. "I think it lubed up my throat for the next morning's vomit session).
6. RU-21. This is in really interesting one, but it's rated last place with Olive Oil (I suspect an anti-Communist influence here): Here's what they said about this:

Apparently, the Russians developed this stuff so their agents could outdrink there American counterparts without getting sick the next day. Cool p[remise, but for this stuff to work, you have to take a pill every two drinks. Who can remember to do that?

Any and all other ideas welcome...

Comments

[HankP]

Here's my 100% effective hangover relief:

Grind up 2 alka-selters and 2 222's (canadian aspirin with 2% codeine)

Pour a tall glass of COLD water

Fill up a sink with water and ice

Pour the ground up mixture into the glass, drink it down as fast as possible

Hold your breath and stick your head in the icy water in the sink

Hold your head under water for at least 30 seconds

When you pull your head out, your hangover will be gone. You won't be good for anything for the rest of the day, but at least you will not be in pain.

[Slartibartfast]

Here's my ultra-secret, foolproof hangover cure:

Slow down the drinking when you've reached the happy-drunk stage. Maintain. It doesn't get any better.

I know, no fun. And I have violated that rule a few times in my life, so color me a hypocrite.

[Jordan]

Here's a simple trick - 2 or 3 aspirin and two *full* glasses of water before bed. A buddy said this got him thru a number of 5k runs at 0600 in Army Basic Training, and it works for me (near zero hangover).

The trick is not to get so drunk you forget to take the aspirin & water. But you shouldn't be drinking that much anyway, right?

Robin Williams: "I finally had to quit drinking. I used to wake up in the morning, in front of my car, naked, with my keys in my a--."

[Katherine]

it's all in staying hydrated, and gatorade punch is not the only method for doing so. I also taper. Which means I stop after 2-3 drinks at most, in my case.

[Edward]

Actually, I think my hangover was more pronounced because I haven't gone out and bought a new humidifier yet. My apartment is so dry (and as is well noted above, hydration is the key)...being so happily drunk I just fall into bed is what gets me...I wake up parched. I don't think I had more than four beers over 5 hours.

[Skip Perry]

Edward's right about hydration. If I get especially trashed, I always make the walk to Wawa and pick up a gallon of water. The more of that I drink before bed, the better I'll feel in the morning.

[Moe Lane]

Drink as much of a gallon of water as you can (for the dehydration). Take a standard multivitamin (for the vitamin loss). Sleep late (to compensate for the lack of REM sleep).

This will not work with tequila, however. Nothing works with tequila.

Moe

PS: And, oh yes, drink micro- or homebrews: a lot of people out there have sulfite (or other preservatives) allergies that they aren't aware of. When I went to Pennsic last year I drank gallons of beer and woke up without a hangover, mostly because I was only drinking homebrew.

[sidereal]

put me on the hydration list. I started drinking at least a quart of water just before passout stage about halfway through college, and I haven't had a hangover since (except martini night in Belltown. Fuck you, olives!)

[Catsy]

Ditto for the hydration. The worst aspects of a hangover are caused by dehydration. I've found that I can reliably avoid a hangover every single time by following one simple rule: one glass of water for every drink. And by "drink" I mean one mixed drink, one beer, or one "shot". Sometimes it takes more presence of mind than you think you have to keep up with this, as long as I keep myself hydrated while I'm drinking, I can drink all night if I have to.

Not that I do it that often anymore. Damn that settling down stuff. :>

[Skip Perry]

Catsy>>

That one water per drink rule is dandy, but pretty unrealistic for most college students. It can be damn hard to find non-alcoholic drinks if you're at the right parties.

[von]

Here's a simple trick - 2 or 3 aspirin and two *full* glasses of water before bed.

I fully endorse this approach. Follow with 2-3 aspirin in the morning, washed down by a sugary, caffienated beverage, and you're good to go for at least the morning. Just make sure you stay near a couch in the afternoon -- when the sugar and caffiene high wears off, the urge to sleep is irresistable.

[Slartibartfast]

I usually hook myself up with a D5W IV (stat!) prior to falling in the rack.

[Stu]

Best solution I've found is to just drink straight spirits, no mixers, no wine, and no beer. I haven't had a hangover for years, and I can polish off an impressive amount of Whisky, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka or Gin in an evening with no ill effects the next day. Only if I really, really need to, of course, for special events like good Queen Vic's birthday.

[Patrick]

It must be said: under no circumstances should you ever take Tylenol or anything containing its active ingredient, acetaminophen, while you have any alcohol in your system -- serious liver damage can result. Real aspirin is OK (although it may irritate your stomach), and the damage done by Advil or other brands of ibuprofen seems to be much less than Tylenol. But you're much better off to wait until morning to take the pain relievers -- although it means you'll wake up with a headache, aren't you doing enough damage to your liver already? ;o)

For myself, I stick to light or clear liquors (vodka, rum, etc.) and drink 2-3 glasses of water before bed.

[BD]

Before bed, or in the morning if you forget, take a B-complex vitamin and drink lots of water. Gatorade works pretty well too, maybe better. But those B-vitamins are key.

Then eat something greasy in the morning.

[von]

Then eat something greasy in the morning.

Yes. Bready and greasy is best. (And, if you're up at three a.m., it's morning.)

[zak822]

"2 or 3 aspirin and two *full* glasses of water before bed. "

This one works. You rehydrate while you sleep. When you try to rehydrate the next day, it's already too late.

It works better with GatorAde before sleeping, but GatorAde can be rough stuff at 3am.

I've had 40 years of practice surviving hangovers. These are good ones.