Hangover: Last Night was Fun; Today is...

You are having the best time of your life drinking with your friends at a bar. Beer, wine, cocktails --- yes, you had it all. Indeed, it is the best time of your life. However, as the old saying goes, everything goes downhill from here.

One of the downsides of too much drinking is having a hangover. It is caused by alcohol metabolism toxic by-products and Vitamins A, B6 and C depletion that is caused by alcohol's chemical action in the system.

The medical term for this is veisalgia. It comes from the Norwegian word “kveis,” meaning uneasiness following debauchery, and the Greek word “algia,” meaning pain. The term suits the condition because of the uncomfortable symptoms that an average drinker experiences after drinking.

The common symptoms of hangover include some or all of the following:

• nausea

• trembling

• headache

• dehydration, which includes extreme thirst and dry mouth

• sensitivity to sound and light

• poor sense of well-being

• diarrhea

• loss of appetite

• fatigue

• Increased blood pressure and heart rate

• weakness

• difficulty sleeping

• lack of focus

Among these, headache, fatigue and dehydration are the most common symptoms. The severity varies from one drinker to another but bear in mind that generally, the more alcohol you consume, the worse your hangover will be. Aside from the amount of alcohol you take, the severity of hangover increases depending on the following:

• lack of sleep

• dehydration before drinking

• drinking on an empty tummy

• increased movements or activity while drinking like dancing or swimming

We hear about a lot of hangover remedies. The belief that burnt toast and black coffee are effective remedies has been proven false. The truth is, there is an easy way of fighting hangover. It all depends on what you do before and after you go to bed.

Before going to bed, take two aspirin and a multivitamin with a glass of water. Aspirin contains prostaglandin inhibitors that can minimize the severity of hangover. When you get up the next morning, take two more aspirin with a glass of water. It will minimize headaches and reduce inflammation from leftover prostaglandin.

Replenish vitamins B and C in your body by taking another multivitamin. This will help your body get rid of the toxins left in your system.

Don't skip breakfast. Ideally, your meal should include a banana for potassium, eggs for cysteine and fruit juice for fructose. To help your body recover fast, supply your body with sugars, salts and electrolytes by taking sports drinks. Avoid coffee, tea, soda and other caffeinated drinks. This will dehydrate the drinker more and make the condition worse.