Helping A Hangover: Prevention and Recovery

Koreans like to drink.

Soju, Tequila, Whiskey, Wine~ Pick your poison.

Unfortunately, there can be some negative side affects when you drink too much:

Bad Hangovers and a Red Face are two bad ones that come to mind.

This may not work for everyone, but here are some tips to prevent the horrible hangover, what do if you get a hangover, and how to prevent the dreaded Red Face while drinking.

Preventing Hangovers:

1. Know Your Limits: The rate at which you get sloshed depends on the individual of course, but try not to drink more than 3 beverages in 1-2 hours.

2. Eat Before Going Out and While Drinking: I know it will be difficult for many to stick to 3 drinks:1-2 hours, so try not to drink on an empty stomach. That’s why Bars and Po Jang Ma Cha’s have such yummy greasy food!

3. Have a Glass of Milk Before Alcohol: It coats the lining of your stomach and slows the absorption of alcohol

( I don’t drink milk so I don’t know if this works, but it won’t hurt to try)

4. Choose light liquors (Vodka,Gin) over dark liquors (Brandy, Whiskey):

Here is the order for alcohol that will give you the least amount of hangovers from least to greatest:

Vodka, Gin, White Wine, Whiskey, Rum, Red Wine, and Brandy.

5. Stick with Non-carbonated Mixers: Carbonated Mixers accelerate alcohol absorption

6. Stick with One type of Alcohol: Oooooh… mixing drinks is bad news bears. Bad. Very Bad.

7. Stay hydrated: Alcohol makes you urinate more and leaves you dehydrated. Have a glass of water before, during, and after drinking. Have one glass of water after each alcoholic beverage: It keeps you hydrated and can slow your alcohol consumption

Hangover Help:

If you didn’t follow these rules and have a gnarly hangover, there is a magic pill that can help.

Most hangovers consist of a headache and a generally nasty feeling in the morning. Sometimes, it can be worse. MUCH worse.

- Personally, when I drink waaaay too much, I get soooo thirsty (I can finish a bottle of water in a few seconds), but I drink water and within a few minutes, it’ll come back up. All I taste is a disgusting citrusy taste and I can’t keep anything in my stomach (and I’m STILL dying of thirst).

- For times like these, my friends and I take ZANTAC 75 or ZANTAC 150. (The Pepto Bismol Pill also works, but not as well).

I don’t know how good it is for your body, but when I’m that miserable, I’ll take whatever works!

After popping a Zantac, I’m good to eat and drink whatever I want in about 30 min to an hour.

Chicken Noodle Soup and a Bagel is a good hangover breakfast for me =D

Prevent a Red Face:

For those of you whose faces get really red after drinking, my friend swears by Pepcid AC.

Again, I’m not sure how kosher it is, but if you’re going somewhere where you’ll be drinking a lot and taking a lot of pictures (clubs, weddings, etc), pop a Pepcid before drinking to prevent a red face.

I don’t drink beer so I don’t know how true it is, but they do say

“Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear”