The morning after...
One too many eggnogs at the office Christmas party? John Clarkson
soaks up the best advice on how to handle heavy nights and hangovers
Most
people enjoy the odd drink, but with an endless round of parties and get-togethers
over the festive period things can get a little out of hand.
It doesn’t help that the scientific opinion on alcohol changes all the
time. For every study saying a couple of glasses of red wine may do you some
good, there is another one refuting it. What is certain is that HIV and large
amounts of booze are a bad combination. I doubt I’m the only one who
has collapsed drunkenly into bed forgetting to take my meds. And that is to
say nothing of the detrimental effects excessive drinking can have on the
immune system. We take a look at the demon drink and how best to limit and
overcome its evil after-effects.
Food first
Drinking on an empty stomach is asking for trouble. Food doesn’t ‘soak
up’ alcohol as some people say, but it does increase metabolism and
the speed at which the body processes alcohol. So if there’s nothing
in your belly you will get very drunk very quickly and act very silly. If
you’re going to a party, don’t just bank on eating the nibbles.
Crisps and nuts are covered in salt that will dehydrate you, make you thirstier
and encourage you to drink more - that’s why they sell them in pubs.
Think about your drinks
‘Drink less’ may sound obvious but it is always effective. Also
think about the strength of your booze. Beers range enormously in alcohol
content, so if you are forced to socialise over a long period (life is hard)
choose one with a lower percentage proof. Mix spirits with juice, not fizzy
drinks, as juices will replace nutrients depleted by drinking. And ask yourself:
do you really need that double? Alcohol itself is a natural by-product of
yeast and sugars and is as old as history. These days, large brewers fill
their drinks with all kinds of rubbish that adds to the strain on your system.
If it is blue and glows in the dark do you really want to be drinking it?
Organic beers, wines and spirits tend to have fewer artificial additions and
you will suffer less in the morning.
Water it down
The reason your head feels like a post-match rugby ball after too many drinks
is because your greedy liver and kidneys used up all the water, breaking down
those toxins. This actually causes your brain to shrink - no wonder it seems
to be rattling around inside your skull. So drink some water before, during
and after consuming alcohol. Many of us reach for a strong coffee after a
night on the tiles. The caffeine may make you feel more compos mentis but
it will also dehydrate you, so no tea or cola either. Juices and water only.
Full English breakfast
Sounds like an excuse for eating grease, but there is actually some truth
behind this. The eggs contain amino acids used in the production of antioxidant-removing
enzymes that are destroyed by booze. Bacon and sausages contain proteins,
and tomatoes have sugars and antioxidants, all of which are running low with
a hangover. Food is generally a good idea as your blood-sugar has plummeted.
Topping it up will kick start your metabolism, helping to process the alcohol
more quickly.
Hair of the dog
If you think alcohol in the morning is a good idea you may have a problem
and need to see a doctor. A small amount of alcohol will temporarily numb
your now hyper-sensitive nerves but you are only postponing the inevitable.
Potions to perk you up
Artichoke extract, available from health-food stores, promotes the production
of bile that supports liver function and is said to alleviate hangovers if
you take it before and after a binge. Another natural product called ‘Chaser’
contains activated charcoal that binds to impurities, and B-vitamins that
are depleted by drink. Spookier still, there’s a pill called RU-21 sold
over the internet that originated from a drug which the KGB developed to enable
its agents to avoid intoxication. None of these, however, are guaranteed to
prevent hangovers and, even if they did, excessive alcohol consumption will
always be bad for you, with or without the suffering.
Exercise the toxins out
Ever felt strangely frisky with a hangover? Give in to the urge as the exertion
will burn off the booze and the endorphins will ease the pain. Just make sure
you clean your teeth first. If there is no-one to hand, a swim or a jog will
get the blood pumping, speeding up the alcohol’s digestion. If you can’t
face that try a brisk walk. Crawling from the bed to the couch covered with
the duvet does not count.
Did you know...
• The medically recommended units of alcohol per week are 14 for women
and 21 for men. A unit (10g) of alcohol is the equivalent of a glass of wine,
a single measure of a spirit or a half pint of beer. Most people fall within
these guidelines, but 1.8 million are excessive drinkers, consuming more than
35 units (women) and 50 units (men). While 4.7 million people in the UK never
drink.
• Although drinking can make men feel like studs, it does interfere
with their ability to achieve and maintain an erection (why the Ancient Greeks
banned it at their weddings). Excessive drinking also affects levels of testosterone
and can lead to loss of libido and impotence.
• The opposite is true for women; even moderate drinking makes them
randier. Which is bad news if you get your chap home only to find he’s
had one too many and of no use to you. Alcohol can interfere with your menstrual
cycle and reduce fertility.
• 35 per cent of A&E admissions are alcohol-related. This increases
to 70 per cent between the hours of midnight and 5am. Beer glasses are by
far the most common weapon of assault in Britain.
• Over 6,000 people die each year from causes directly attributable
to alcohol. The number in which alcohol is implicated is over 20,000. Total
healthcare costs related to alcohol misuse range between £1.4 and £1.7
billion.
• £33,583,000,000 was spent on alcohol in 2000, equivalent to
5.4 per cent of all consumers’ expenditure.
Help
• Alcohol Concern - lists warning signs, offers advice on cutting down
and has a directory of local services. Visit: www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
• Drinkline - is a national helpline providing counselling, support,
advice and information. Calls are charged at local rates. Tel: 0345 320202.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - International fellowship of recovering
alcoholics with meetings and local groups nationwide. Tel: 0845 7697555, visit:
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
