Just about every drinker has woken up with a painful headache, dry mouth, nausea, and dizziness that come from overindulging in too much alcohol. The definition for the word hangover is the unpleasant physical effects following a heavy use of alcohol. In other words, a hangover is the painful day after drinking one drink after another. There is no cure for a hangover, just ways to prevent it from happening. Hangover is where the active ingredient in alcohol, ethanol, is transformed to pyruvate causing the toxic chemical called acetaldehyde (Kater, pars. 4-5). Acetaldehyde is a chemical that is processed by the liver at a fixed rate no matter how much is all ready in the blood system; this process uses a lot of the body’s energy; therefore, the body tries to restore the normal energy causing dehydration (Kater, par. 5). Dehydration is what causes all the horrible feelings the drinker comes across the morning after drinking.Once dehydration comes into play there is only one cure, time. The body needs time and plenty of liquids to get over a hangover. There is only one way to prevent a hangover, not drinking too much; however, small amounts can cause side effects as well (www.mayohealth.org). Rest and rehydrate- give yourself time to recover, and drink bland liquids, such as water, soda, fruit juices or broths (www.mayohealth.org). Use over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to reduce a headache; however, when combined with alcohol they may cause stomach irritation, and too much can be toxic to the liver (www.mayohealth.org). Eating something the morning after is a plus. Eggs are more difficult to digest than some other breakfast foods, so have some toast and fruit instead, or a small bowl of cereal (www.learn2.com). There are a few things to do before drinking to help lessen a hangover. Plan for the evening by choosing your poison (www.learn2.com). Stay away from tropical drinks and carbonated drinks; c...
