[Rhodes22-list] How to Avoid a Hangover

[Leland]

Robert--Don't know.  I reached it through another link, which may explain why
I didn't get your sign-up screen.  Here's the article:




How to avoid starting '08 with a pounding headache
By Suzanne Bohan
Bay Area News Group
Article Launched: 12/31/2007 01:37:46 AM PST



Before throwing back those celebratory glasses of champagne, whiskey or beer
tonight, consider what will happen when that booze - usually too much of it
- makes its way through you.

That's right: The infamous New Year's Day hangover.

But with a few smart strategies, and a little self-control, you can raise a
midnight toast - and still raise yourself the next day.

"It is feasible to prevent a hangover," said Dr. Jerry Goldstein, a
University of California-San Francisco neurologist and director of the San
Francisco Headache Clinic.

So long, he added, as you follow the advice of hangover experts like
Goldstein before, during and after your New Year's celebrations.

Let the good times roll

Initially, alcoholic beverages bring on nothing but good feelings. Because
alcohol stimulates the liver into producing more sugar, that first drink
rewards you with a sense of heightened alertness, since glucose is the
brain's primary energy source.

And that first drink - and maybe the second one - also relaxes your nerves
and releases inhibitions, bringing out that party spirit your friends know
and love.

So what's not to like?

Nothing, so long as you stop after a few drinks. But during the nation's
longest party night, that's easier said than done.

That easy charm? It tends to fade as you press on.

As one study stated, "loss of critical judgment" creeps up, accompanied by 


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"emotional instability." Next up is impaired perception, comprehension and
reactivity. That means it's time to hide the keys.
On the inside, once you surpass the body's ability to clear out alcohol (an
hour or two per drink; it's quicker for lower-alcohol drinks like wine and
longer for hard liquor), you're just about doomed to suffer the effects of
all that fun.

As alcohol works through your body, it's converted into a chemical that your
body can't wait to get rid of: acetaldehyde, which is 30 times more toxic
than alcohol. Usually, it does that easily, breaking down acetaldehyde into
harmless by-products and eliminating them from the body. That process, by
the way, takes a lot of energy, which is why alcohol warms up people.

So when you drink too much, and generate too much acetaldehyde, that's when
real nastiness manifests: Excess acetaldehyde translates to nausea and
vomiting during and after drinking binges, since the chemical irritates the
lining of the stomach and small intestine, and releases stomach acids.
Acetaldehyde also can trigger a rapid pulse and sweating.

But acetaldehyde overdose is only part of the story. As your body valiantly
works to metabolize all that extra sauce, it depletes your stores of blood
sugar, leaving you lethargic, irritable and foggy-headed. Alcohol also
depletes electrolytes like sodium, potassium and calcium, which retain
fluid.

With those stores diminished, you'll excrete more water, causing dehydration
- another hallmark of a hangover. Four eight-ounce drinks, for example,
consumed over several hours will cause the elimination of up to 32 ounces of
water. That dehydration, in turn, creates headaches and other hangover
symptoms, according to one study.

So what's a person to do?

The most sensible approach is to limit how much you tip back. Alternate
booze with water or juice. The latter is especially helpful, since it
contains fructose, which not only replenishes sugar levels, but accelerates,
by up to 80 percent, the metabolism of alcohol into its harmless components,
which are then eliminated, Goldstein said.

Also, indulge yourself and eat a hearty, high-fat meal before the night
begins, experts advise. Food slows the passage of alcohol into the small
intestine, where it's more quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. And fat
slows the absorption of alcohol down even more.

Before bed

A critical juncture in your hangover prevention quest is just before
retiring. One of the best remedies is just a glass of milk and cookies.

A cup of bouillon also restores electrolytes, as do sports drinks. Goldstein
also recommended fruit juice, which will also replenish sugars as you sleep,
as will honey.

A pain reliever can also help prevent a New Year's Day headache, but experts
caution against taking one if you're nauseous, as it may worsen symptoms.
And avoid acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), which can be toxic to the liver
when taken after drinking.

Finally, drink plenty of water during the evening, and before retiring. With
these steps, Goldstein said, "You can eliminate the possibility of a severe
hangover."


Robert Skinner wrote:
> 
> Leland wrote:
>> Don't drink, but if you must:
>> http://www.mercurynews.com/lifeandstyleheadlines/ci_7848194?nclick_check=1
> -----------------------------------------------
> 
> Why do I have to sign in/up to see this article?
> Snapshot of screen attached.
> 
> /Robert
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