How to Alleviate a Hangover

I'm sure that last night, downing those double tequila shots made absolutely perfect sense at that party. And those Long Island Iced Teas? Weren't you told they were from Long Island? Last night may have been a blast, but that is exactly what you'd like to do to your head at this very moment. Your tongue is fuzzy, you're as weak as a kitten and the room still won't stop spinning. Congratulations, you're hungover. Luckily, there are ways to make it more bearable. Here are some tips on how to alleviate a hangover.

Things You'll Need

• Ibuprofen (like Advil in the United States, Nurofen in Europe)
• Pepto Bismol (preferably in liquid form)
• Water - unflavored, uncarbonated, and a lot of it
• A hand towel
• Plain bread
• Toaster
• A jar of Vegemite (optional)

Instructions

Take it slow and keep hydrated

1. Call in sick to work if you're scheduled to work this morning. Even if you did muster the strength to even walk to your car or public transportation stop, you're not going to be able to concentrate at your workplace anyway, your performance will leave much to be desired and your supervisors will have no patience to baby-sit you. Also, you will likely spend all day throwing up in nearby trash cans. No, just call in sick. Really. You need time to let your body heal from the damage you've caused.

2. Go to the bathroom and try to carry out as much "business" as you can, from all areas. You want to rid your body of the toxins you put into it. Don't force yourself to throw up or abuse any laxatives, but don't hold anything back.

3. Drink up. NO, not more alcohol -- the phrase "Hair of the Dog" is a myth. More alcohol is just going to mask your current symptoms, which will just return much harder later. You body needs to be hydrated, as you have dehydrated yourself with all that booze you guzzled. Drink as much water as you can, but sip it slowly and do not drink so much as to become bloated.

4. Take a couple of ibuprofen pills. They are fantastic pain relievers. Ibuprofen is preferable to aspirin in this case and acetaminophens (such as Excedrin), which contain caffeine and would therefore dehydrate you even more. Do not take more than the recommended dosage of ibuprofen.

5. Take a hand towel and soak it lightly with water. Lie down on a comfortable surface, place it on your forehead, and just sleep or relax.

6. Take a few swigs of Pepto Bismol to alleviate the churning that is likely occurring in your stomach as your liver struggles to process all the alcohol you've consumed. (You will also find that it is times like these that concepts such as "Pepto-flavored ice cream" sound genius to you.)

7. Eat something to gain your strength, but only if you are up to it. Stick to simple, plain-flavored food such as plain toast. However, you may also opt to try a recipe many Australians swear by as a hangover cure -- Vegemite spread on toast.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not overdo it with the water -- too much will make you even more ill.

• Avoid food that will give you gas -- most fruit and some vegetables, such as cabbage, and artificial sweeteners.

• Avoid food with too much sodium -- such as most crackers, instant soups, ramen noodles and pickles. They will make you bloated and dehydrate you.