To belabor the obvious, if you don't drink too much you won't suffer from a hangover in the first place. Yet what you might not know is that as you age, your supply of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol gradually declines. This means that the number of drinks you may have been able to toss back with impunity on New Year's Eves of yore could be considerably more than you can tolerate as you ring in 2012. We're hoping that fact will be, literally, a sobering thought for you. But if you do decide to have just one more flute of the bubbly at the stroke of midnight and you wake up on January 1st feeling the effects, try these strategies to ease your symptoms:
Drink Plenty of Water
Alcohol dehydrates you because it blocks certain hormones in your kidneys and therefore acts as a diuretic. The most common result of the loss of fluids is a headache the next day. In fact, if you drink water in between alcoholic drinks at the party, you may be able to fend off those pounding temples. But definitely drink lots of water the following day to replenish your body.
Replace Lost Electrolytes
Along with simple dehydration, overindulgence in alcohol can cause you to lose electrolytes, including potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Correct that imbalance by drinking fortified sports drinks and eating electrolyte-rich foods such as bananas and avocados. Another option is Pedialyte, the kiddie potion commonly used for children with diarrhea.
Coffee: Maybe, Maybe Not
The jury is still out on whether caffeine can help counteract a hangover, but at the very least it will perk you up some. Unless you have a queasy tummy, a cup or two of java may be just what you need.
Over-the-Counter Painkillers
A couple of aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen tablets can help ease your aches and pains. However, they are also hard on your liver, so go easy on the doses.
Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12
There is some evidence that low levels of these vitamins may lessen the negative effects of drinking alcohol so taking a few pills could help you feel better. Current recommendations, though, are that you shouldn't take these supplements on a regular basis.
Hair of the Dog
Popular wisdom has it that a drink the next day will lessen hangover symptoms. However, the medical community warns that all that's going on is sedation and that the practice could lead to dependency. Our advice: Skip that Bloody Mary. It's not worth the risk.
Eat Hearty
Unless you really overdid it and you can't keep anything down, have high protein food such as eggs and bacon to refuel your body. Also, whole grain carbs such as crackers can help you feel less nauseated. (Remember that ploy back when you had morning sickness? Same idea.)
For the record, "The New York Times" ran an article about "several new purported hangover helpers created by young New York entrepreneurs." Among the products are the Bytox Hangover Prevention Remedy patch and the Blowfish pill. The patch goes for $2.99 for one and $124.99 for a pack of 50. The pills are12 for $11.99 and 50 for $49.99.
Even so, the purveyors themselves admit that if you're going to drink way too much, you might as well save your money on these products. In fact, a literature review published in the prestigious "British Medical Journal" stated, "No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover." And the Mayo Clinic puts it succinctly: “Time is the only sure cure for a hangover.”
And so? You're best off raising a glass or two and leaving it at that. But if you do exceed your limit, try our cures and then simply wait it out until January 2nd rolls around. You should be feeling better by then. Cheers!
Sondra Forsyth is a Senior Editor at ThirdAge.com.
