December 2011
Welcome partygoers,
We are about to enter the Season To Be Jolly when alcohol intakes increase and hangovers are abundant. As a professional drinker and someone who has studied alcohol and its effects, I’m well acquainted with the symptoms of the hangover and have conducted umpteen experiments on myself in an effort to ease the sufferings of overindulgence. Below is my accumulated wisdom.
First of all don’t hate the hangover. It’s nature’s gentle (or not so gentle way) way curtail unrestrained hedonism. It’s yin and yang - the more you drink the more you suffer. Alcohol affects the human organism in a number of ways. It’s a diuretic, and dehydrates. Along with that the liver converts alcohol into acetaldehyde which is about 20 times more toxic than alcohol. That is then converted into acetic acid or vinegar. When the liver is overworked after a really big night the liver can’t keep up and the body is effectively poisoned with acetaldehyde.
How to reduce the effects
1. Hydrate.
Water is critical. The headaches and lethargy that result from overindulgence are the result of dehydrating. Try and drink a large glass of water for every standard drink. And drink as much as you can before going to bed.
2. Eat.
Alcohol affects blood sugar levels and some folk law suggests that a meal high in carbohydrates eases the effects.
3. Drink good stuff.
Cheap alcohol will give more kick to your hangover. Along with the alcohol, your body has to deal with more additives and preservatives. Older wines tend to be a bit gentler on the head than young wines. Some people find that red wine gives them a killer of a headache and this is thought to be a reaction to the compounds that give the colour to young reds. As far as the top shelf goes, darker spirits tend to have more congeners (or nasties) as well as the tannins and colours that are picked up from ageing in wood. Clear spirits don’t deliver as much pain.
4. Don’t mix your drinks.
There is no empiric evidence as to why drink mixing makes things worse but experience will tell you that it’s not a good idea.
5. Stay up.
Falling asleep while inebriated will generally ensure that you wake up with a shocking headache and/or other symptoms. Stay up and drink lots of water for a couple of hours before going to bed.
‘Cures’
Medical research has proved that there is no such thing as a hangover ‘cure’ and the best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink. That said, there are a few tried and tested methods of alleviating the symptoms.
The big brekkie – Eggs have the essential amino acids such as cystyne which help get the body balance back on track and the folklore about ‘lining (or relining) the stomach’ does seem to have some validity.
Tomato juice - Hangover victims don’t normally crave anything sweet. Tomato juice isn’t sweet but has fructose which can help sort out blood sugars.
Bicarbonate of Soda – When you’re hungover your ph is all wrong. You are full of acid. If you can stomach it, a little alkaline as bicarb dissolved in water really does help.
Dog hair – There is an argument that hangovers are actually the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and hair of the dog is feeding a possible addiction. That said a bit of judicious dog hair can ease the symptoms - but don’t turn it into a bender.
Exercise – It’s probably the last thing you want to do but exercise and fresh air does quicken the detoxification process.
Three favourite hangover remedies
GDP’s BLT
Serves four
The bacon, lettuce and tomato sango is perfect hangover food.
Ingredients
Eight rashers of good quality thickly sliced bacon
Eight slices of crusty but doughy white bread
One butter lettuce
Two ripe avocados
Two ripe tasty tomatoes
Squeeze of lemon
Ground white pepper
Method
Heat up the fry pan and do the bacon to your liking. Meanwhile cook your toast and thickly spread the avocado on each slice. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon. Place one slice of bacon on top, followed by the sliced tomatoes. Dust the tomatoes with white pepper. Put leaves of butter lettuce on top and then the other bit of bacon and the other bit of toast. Eat.
Virgin Mary
Serves 1
Even without the vodka, this drink still seems to work.
Ingredients
One cup of ice
One cup of good quality tomato juice
The juice of half a lemon
One teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
One teaspoon of horseradish
Half a teaspoon of white pepper
One stick of celery
Method
Put everything except the celery in a blender. Whizz and pour into a long glass with the celery stick. Add some Tabasco if you can take it.
Ginger and Beef Noodle Soup
Serves 4
This soup is great for when you can’t face food but know you have to eat to fix how you feel. Ginger is renowned for its soothing restorative effects - especially to the stomach. Keep some in the freezer for emergencies.
Ingredients
Half a kilo of gravy/shin beef
1 large thumb of fresh ginger
1 large brown onion
2 shallots
Dried Chinese noodles
Method
Cut the beef into small cubes removing as much fat as possible. Fill a large saucepan two-thirds with cold water. Put the heat on high and add the beef. Add three large pinches of salt and three good grinds of black pepper. Meanwhile, dice the onion finely; peel and slice the ginger into rounds and add both. When the water comes to the boil, reduce to simmer and skim the yukky stuff off the surface of the liquid. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour – until the beef is very tender. Adjust the seasoning. Cook the noodles, drain and add to large bowls upon which the beef soup is then ladled. Garnish with chopped shallots. Recover.
