Home Hangover Recovery

No one likes a terrific celebration to come to an end, but when you find yourself reliving that good time into the next day with the sensation of a jackhammer doing demolition work inside your head, you hope there is a sure-thing remedy close at hand. When you are experiencing this kind of hurting, you are definitely hoping for a quick fix, but are there truly any home hangover cures that provide fast relief from your self-inflicted misery? There are a few additional reasons that could explain why you may have symptoms of a hangover beyond the usual drinking too much, such as drinking a lot in a short period of time or drinking on an empty stomach, lack of sleep, or even general poor health.

Well, if you ask 100 people, you may get 100 different "works every time" hangover solutions. However, the more individuals surveyed, the odds will increase in favor of some of the same remedies being recommended by a certain percentage of respondents. So, you may be asking 'what are some of the more popular cures?' Here are a number of them for you to consider:

• Aspirin or Ibuprofen. Often considered the lifesaver of the medicine cabinet, taking an aspirin that is a mild pain reliever first thing in the morning will help eliminate the common hangover headache. Accompany it with an ice pack to the forehead, and you will be on the road to recovery.
• Hydrate with Water. This is a remedy that can never be recommended enough. Consume glasses of water throughout the day to flush alcohol from your system, and to hydrate your body again.
• A Little Sugar, Make that Fructose. What is fructose? It is the natural sugar found in many fruits and natural products. To help break down and eliminate the alcohol from your body, consume glasses of fruit juice, such as orange juice, or try a teaspoon or two of honey, which provides the same effect.
• Thyme for Tea. Counteract the alcohol, by drinking a cup of tea made with the herb, Thyme. Crush 5-6 leaves and add to a pan with 1-2 cups of water, simmer for 5 minutes, and then after discarding the leaves drink the liquid.
• Coffee with Lemon. For those who cannot survive the day without their morning java, this home cure may be your saving grace. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a cup of black coffee, which means no sugar and no milk. The bright side is you still get to have your coffee!
• Vitamin Supplement. Excessive alcohol consumption removes important vitamins and minerals from your body. You can replenish and recharge your body by taking a B-complex vitamin, which has been shown to shorten the hangover period.
• Eat Something. If you are feeling like you have been hit by a bus, the last thing you may want to do is eat food. However, to fight a hangover it is good to try and eat something so the alcohol is absorbed from your body. Snack on carbohydrates to help elevate depleted amino acids, but if you find these sources are too heavy for your tummy, then try the "cure all" bowl of soup broth because it will provide much-needed nourishment, as well as restore important vitamins and minerals.

The next time you are ready to go-all-out on the party circuit, here is some advice for a few pre-emptive measures:

• Fill your stomach. Eat some food before drinking to slow down the absorption rate of the alcohol
• Drink a glass of milk. This beverage contains natural sugars that will coat the stomach lining and helps fill you up
• Hair of the Dog Remedy. Do not even think about drinking again to rid you of a hangover the next day...bad idea, so just forget it
• Pace yourself. If you are going to drink all night, then drink slowly and do not slam back several drinks in the first hour
• Hydrate early. By drinking water during the day before heading out to a party will help keep your body hydrated and lessen the effects of the alcohol

So, if your plans include tying one on tonight, have a good time, be safe, and good luck with tomorrow's hangover!