Booze Blues: The World's Best Hangover Cures

The pounding headache, the insatiable thirst, and the see-saw of nausea; welcome to the hangover. An unfortunate side effect of drinking too much alcohol, the hangover has plagued many a drinker the morning after. There are virtually hundreds of hangover cures that people swear by; some strange, some exotic and some just plain common sense.

There are many factors that contribute to a hangover and the only sure-fire way to avoid one is to avoid drinking. Since for a lot of people, that's just not an option, here's what does the nasty deed:

Ethanol: Ethanol is contained in all alcoholic beverages and causes dehydration which is responsible for the headaches, dry mouth and lethargy.

Cogeners: Congeners are are the by-product of fermantation and the more you consume, the worse the hangover will be. Dark spirits like rum, whiskey, and red wine have more than say, vodka and light rum. The cheap stuff hasn't been filtered and refined as much as top shelf liquor, so that's why cheap booze causes the worst headaches.

Glucose: While your liver is busy trying to break down the alcohol, it's not able to provide the amount of glucose your brain needs to function properly. Lack of glucose casues fatigue, irritability, weakness and shortend attention span.

So now that you know what caused it, here's some thing that can cure it, or at least lessen the pain.

1) Sleep: Sleep is the best way to cure anything. It gives the body time to recover and replenish itself. Spend the day in bed if you can.

2) Rehydrate: Many of the symptoms are directly related to rehydration. Drink lots of water while you are drinking, after you are done drinking and when you wake up in the morning. If water sounds unappealing, drink a sports drink like Gatorade.

3) Fruit Juice: Orange juice will replace vitamin C which will help you feel better. The sugar will perk you up and it will help with the rehydration.

4) Alka-Seltzer: Some people swear by Alka-Seltzer to settle upset stomachs and cure headaches.

5) Shower: A cool or cold shower will get your body going and help shake off some of the tired, groggy feelings.

6) Exercise: Getting your heart pumping will increase the oxygen level of your blood and get things circulating. Blood vessels open up and your headache goes away. Yes, sex counts as exercise.

7) Limit Coffee: Coffee and caffine cause dehydration, so use in moderation.

8) Bananas: Bananas have sugar in the form of fructose and potassium, one of the nutrients you lose the most of when you drink. Bananas are also a natural antacid which can allievate nausea. They are high in magnesium which can help relax those pounding blood vessels causing that hangover headache. Try a peanut butter and banana sandwich or a smoothie with a whole, fresh banana.

9) Coke: The beverage, not the narcotic. While it does have caffine, it also has carbonation for nausea, and sugar (along with caffine) for energy.

10) Heat: A sauna, hot bath or hot shower will help you sweat out the toxins. Followed by a cool or cold shower, it can really perk you up.

11) Chocolate Milk: Soothing milk for the stomach, vitamins for the body and liquid for hydration, what's not to like? Chocolate also has mood elevating properties which you'll probably need after a bender.

12) Bloody Mary: A hair of the dog that bit you. Not only does the booze take your mind off its current troubles, the tomato juice and celery will give you back some vitamins. Just one though, or you'll be back in the boat you started in.

13) Menudo or Tripe Soup: Who knows, but the Mexicans swear by it.

14) Quit Smoking: People tend to smoke a lot more when they drink. Nicotine poisoning makes hangovers worse. Duh.

15) Vitamin B: Take some B vitamins, a B Complex works best with B-6 and B-12.

16) Kudzu: An ancient Chinese cure. See if you can find it at your local health food store.

17) Big Breakfast: It doesn't matter what it is as long as it has lots of carbs, fat, salt and sugar. When full, return to bed.

18) Fast Food: Like the big breakfast, the fast food pig out has the same effect except that you consume it before going to bed after drinking. 2 am Taco Bell, anyone?

19) Pain Killers: Aspirin, Tylenol, Excedrin and other pain relievers will take the headache away. Toss in some Dramamine for nausea.

20) IV: Only try this one if you happen to be in the medical professional. Hooking yourself up to a saline drip and rapidly rehydrating supposedly works fast!

1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) vodka

1/2 cup tomato juice

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Tabasco to taste

1 celery stick for garnish

1 lemon wedge for garnish

Combine the vodka, the tomato juice, the lemon juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the Tabasco, 1 cup ice cubes, and salt and pepper to taste, shake the mixture well, and strain it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish the Bloody Mary with the celery stick and the lemon wedge.