Slight vision impairment: check. Pounding, delicate head: check. Dry, cotton mouth and raised temperature: check.
We've all experienced the symptoms of a hangover at one time or another, and with the coming of summer, most of us are happy to revel in the heady atmosphere of parties, concerts, clubbing and of course, drinking. Unfortunately, we sometimes do it to excess.
Women are also more prone to the effects of alcohol, since they tend to weigh less and have lower percentages of total body water than men do. This means they are more likely to have a hangover from per unit of alcohol than men.
Slight vision impairment: check. Pounding, delicate head: check. Dry, cotton mouth and raised temperature: check.
We've all experienced the symptoms of a hangover at one time or another, and with the coming of summer, most of us are happy to revel in the heady atmosphere of parties, concerts, clubbing and of course, drinking. Unfortunately, we sometimes do it to excess.
Women are also more prone to the effects of alcohol, since they tend to weigh less and have lower percentages of total body water than men do. This means they are more likely to have a hangover from per unit of alcohol than men.
The recommended alcohol intake is 21 units per week for men and 14 units per week for women.
A unit is equivalent to
- 1 glass (pint) beer or lager
- 1 standard glass (5oz/125mls) wine
- 1 measure (1oz/30mls) of spirits, e.g. whiskey, vodka
- 1 measure of liqueur/aperitif/sherry
A hangover is usually caused by a combination of dehydration and the toxins hanging around in your body.
Your liver uses the water in your body to dissolve the toxins in alcohol, eventually borrowing water from your other organs, including your brain, which explains why we might get headaches after a big drink session.
Plus, alcohol is a diuretic, making you urinate more often, which further dehydrates your body.
So what can you can do to stop a hangover from happening? Here are five suggestions to help keep your head free and clear:
Drink water - Lots of it
Pharmacist David Carroll gives the following advice: “To help combat dehydration, drink plenty of water.
“It's better if you're drinking a pint, or whatever your drink is, and then you drink water in between. If you really need to avoid the hangover, drink a good amount of water before you go to bed.”
Photo by venkane
Line your stomach with food
Filling up with some food before going out is also another useful hangover prevention tip.
“Drinking on an empty stomach is obviously going to make you drunker. Having a meal is going to make it less likely for you to have a hangover,” Mr Carroll explains.
“If you're moderating the quantity consumed, or the rate at which you're consuming it, it's better because the body is metabolising and breaking down the alcohol only at a certain rate.
“This means that drinking would be less harmful to your body if it is combined with food, compared with guzzling it down on an empty stomach,” he adds.
Alcohol's irritant effect on the delicate stomach lining can also increase the likelihood of nausea.
Snacking before and during alcohol consumption helps to line the stomach.
Eating fatty foods, such as nuts, fried food, olives, and cheese, also helps to slow down the absorption of alcohol, which will be helpful.
Fatty foods are harder to digest, because the stomach has to work harder and longer to process the food and drink. The effect of the toxins in alcohol is dispersed when it is mixed in with food.
Try milk thistle as a remedy
For those interested in a quick fix, there are a few hangover remedies at your local pharmacist. Mr Carroll provides some options.
“When you have a hangover, obviously your liver is under a bit of pressure.
“Your liver is trying to process all the toxins and all the alcohol,” he explains.
“One herbal product to use is milk thistle, which helps to purify and detoxify the liver,” he recommends.
“If your liver is under pressure, a little bit strained, then milk thistle will essentially work on that. Milk thistle you can take at any stage.
“You can take it in advance so that it strengthens the liver, or afterwards.
“The milk thistle would be ideal if there's going to be repeated stress on the liver. They come as one-a-day tablets,” suggests Mr Carroll.
Photo by SuperFantastic
Remember to take your vitamins
Mr Carroll reserves his highest praise for one particular product.
“Frankly, there is one that probably works the best of
A unit is equivalent to
- 1 glass (pint) beer or lager
- 1 standard glass (5oz/125mls) wine
- 1 measure (1oz/30mls) of spirits, e.g. whiskey, vodka
- 1 measure of liqueur/aperitif/sherry
