Gin & Tonic for the Soul: Hangover Cures

Interesting Discussion Topics for Happy Hour

Having a site about happy hours raises a lot of the same questions. How do you find happy hours? How do you stay fit and drink? When’s the next happy hour? How do you drink so much and not get hangovers? Well, my friends, this week we’re going to share some hangover cures with you!

Know Your Limit!
Believe it or not we don’t drink that much. Yes, we may drink frequently, but we’re not knocking them back at the rate one might assume. When we’re out, we drink what we want, when we want. We don’t give into peer pressure that is surprisingly still rampant at our age. Not everyone has the same tolerance for liquor so ignore that friend who nags that you’re only on whatever number drink. At the end of the night, they won’t look cute. You still will.

Watch the Sugar!
Drinks that are heavy in sugar and syrup may look pretty, but aren’t pretty on the stomach. Not only are they high in calories, but also they can often leave you with a sugar high hangover. There is a chemical called acetaldehyde that is believed to be the cause of hangovers. It is triggered by sugar therefore increasing your chances of a hangover. That’s hangover times 2! We could get all scientific on you, but that’s quite boring. Putting down that Mai Tai and picking up a Gin & diet Tonic now, huh?

Hydrate!
Drink lots of water before you drink, when you drink, after you drink. The more hydrated you are, the less likely you are to be hungover… if drinking at a normal pace, of course. Drinking water is also good for your skin. If water’s not your bag, then go for some type of electrolyte drinks such as Vitamin Water or Gatorade. One rule that’s helped us is to match liquor drinks with glasses of water!

Don’t want to look lame at the bar? Awhile back, I read that people are less likely to pressure you about drinking as long as you have a glass in your hand so order up some water with a lime or lemon. Remember, you’ll be feeling great tomorrow, while others will not.

Stay stocked on Ibuprofen!
If it’s been one of those nights, take ibuprofen as soon as you wake up. I always use this method, while JB always take 2 with a big glass of water when she go to bed and that helps her. Even if you feel all right at first, some hangover cues may creep up on you later. Stomach aches, French fry cravings, need for naps, agitation, etc. If you take something before the symptoms come on, then you should be good for the rest of day.

Don’t forget to eat!
Don’t want a .72 blood-alcohol level? One way to curb this is to, um, not drink a Costco size bottle of Maker’s Mark, but more importantly not to do so on an empty stomach. Having some food in your system seems to coat your stomach and make the liquor absorption less immediate. If your goal is to get drunk, don’t eat. But if your goal is to drink, have a good time and not wind up with a 48-hour-hangover, mangia-mangia, bambino! But as with avoiding a hangover, eat in moderation.

Got any magical hangover cures that we’ve missed? Please share!
-JG

Photo Credit: Vitamin Water and Advil