Crazy Cures For Hangovers

By Flora McCraith, MSN, Updated: 3/2/2010
Crazy cures for hangovers

Strange concoctions from around the World to relieve the symptoms from last night's revelry.

One of the oldest and most common miseries known to man is the hangover, or not knowing how to get rid of one. Obviously, the best way to ensure that you don’t get a hangover is not drinking yourself into oblivion or by making sure that you drink sensibly; but sometimes this doesn’t even work. Those who do drink alcohol will search for anything to help them feel better the following day. However, while hangover cures come in the form of mythical and medicinal, doctors will admit that they aren’t entirely sure what a hangover is, let alone whether there can be an actual cure for them.

While the amount of alcohol affects different people, as it varies in person by size, gender and genetics, the following morning, they are all praying for the same thing. We look at various strange hangover cures from around the World.

Japan - umeboshi
Japanese fruits called ume, which look like apricots, are collected and then treated or cured in sea salt and perilla leaves for a few months. The resulting product is a pickled, wrinkly, sour and salty and about the size of gum balls. The combination of these elements allows for natural bacteria, enzymes, organic acids and powerful alkaline qualities which is an important factor of health. This is bcause we want our blood to be slightly alkaline as our blood can become too acidic from consuming an excessive amount of sugar, refined flour products, alcohol and toxins.

Umeboshi has been a Japanese remedy, used as a cure-all for centuries. The acids apparently improve liver function, aid digestion, and chase away fatigue. The pickled fruit is also rich in key electrolytes like sodium and potassium. In the past 40 years, scientific evidence for the health benefits of Umeboshi has been uncovered and it has been found to be beneficial for liver function and general detoxification.

Mexico and Korea– cactus/prickly pear
You won't find water in the desert, but you will find another hangover cure. There is more to the cactus plant than just a prickly house ornament to collect and admire, but it also contains most nutrients that strengthen the immune system. A recent study by researchers at Tulane University found that extract from prickly pears, which are a species of cacti, alleviates a few hangover symptoms such as nausea, dry mouth and loss of appetite.

Prickly pear extract doesn't work on headaches, so you might still need to reach for the aspirin.

Bucharest – tripe soup
If you are able to stomach this delicacy, then why not take a tip from the people in Bucharest (and Mexico for that matter), who swear by soup made from the lining of cow’s stomach, which is then spiced with chilli and garlic.

It's essentially a low-cost form of low-fat protein, salts and liquid in the ideal concentration to speed up the process of rehydrating the body after a big night out. We are entirely sure about the science behind this, and we think the sting of the spices provides a welcome distraction.

If this isn’t really what you had in mind to alleviate the pain from the night before, then a bowl of chicken noodle soup should do the same trick.

Greece – cabbage juice
Researchers at Stanford University have proved that cabbage juice heals stomach ulcers. Juicing cabbage has a number of health benefits that have been documented over many years. Green cabbage contains a number of minerals and vitamins including potassium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and 'vitamin U' which plays a certain role in maintaining your health, vitality and wellbeing.

This is because it is high in soluble fibre, which absorbs the toxic by-product of alcohol acetaldehyde, as well as vitamins C and E, which are depleted after drinking. Cabbages are also known to relieve headaches due to the lactic acid that it contains.

Boil a cabbage and keep the juices for drinking. All the vitamins in a cabbage are water-soluble so they'll leak into the liquid and you'll get the same benefits.

England – full English breakfast
The full English breakfast is a pretty important component of the English diet and whether you have a hangover or not, for some it is a mandatory breakfast.

It is believed that the meals vast protein and fat content provides a steadying weight and that digesting the whopping meal can soften a hangover’s blow by sidetracking the body from other inner turmoil. Plus, the eggs contribute an amino acid, N-acetylcysteine that helps eliminate toxins.

The grease and oil on the other hand may make you feel a tad sick.

Germany – sour herring or roll mops
Roll mops are small fillets of pickled herrings, which are then wrapped around slices of pickles or onion. The salty brine is believed to replenish electrolytes which we lose during a night in town. It is thought that it not only drives away the headache, but it also neutralises the effect of alcoholic intoxication on the stomach and intestinal-mucosa, and cleans the liver.

The saltiness encourages to you to drink more water, which helps with re-hydrating and the sugar content in the delicacy is thought to alleviate hypoglycaemic, which is what gives us the shakes or the wobbles the next day.

Russia - banya
Banyas, in a nut shell, are public sauna like bathhouses and is something that originated from the 17th Century. A person suffering from the aftermath of a night's drinking are to alternate time in the sauna rooms where the stone-filled stoves heat the air to around 194F. After that, you are required to plunge into an icy pool. Sweating in the extreme heat is meant to cleanse your body of toxins and we assume the stints in the cold water are to revive and awaken you.

Ancient Rome – um... deep fried canaries
The Romans gave some parts of the World many glorious creations and for everyone else, some interesting history and disturbing tales.

However, one truly strange thing that the Romans did is to eat fried canaries as staple food for the morning after drinking. We wonder if it tastes like pigeon meat...

The right solution – water

Our body becomes more and more dehydrated when we down more alcohol, so drinking water before going to bed is an effective way of preventing or lessening the symptoms that we experience the next morning, especially a headache. Water before bed will also help wash out your system from the alcohol.

It is also advised to alternate one glass of water for every drink consumed, providing the body with extra fluid to compensate for what's been lost.

Malaysia
We asked out on the streets of Kuala Lumpur what it was that they did to cured the throbbing pain from the night before, and below are the responses we got:

Molly*, Senior Writer: "I will always look for food that's laced with bird's eye chilli (cili padi) and ice cold water as soon as I wake up so I don't feel the throbbing sensation in my head."

Michael Cheang, Reporter: "I lie in bed all day and drink 100 Plus." Chris Aaron, Writer: "I drink milk to soothe tummy aches and sleep." Cris Chen, Freelance photographer: "With a can of beer."

Kim*, lawyer: “Drink, drink, drink! Haha... actually eating a spoonful of butter/olive oil before drinking really helps and so does two panadols, a redoxon, plenty of water and sleeeeep!”

Joanne*, P.R: What I usually do is AVOID COFFEE no matter how groggy I feel because I know it's going to dehydrate me even more. Drink heaps of water and those Vit C effervescent tablets... EAT whatever's available even if it's oily... then just lie in bed feeling sorry for myself *sniff sniff*

Lydia*, doctor: I drink lots of water, two tablets of panadol or ponstan and one table of maxalon (for nausea and vomiting) before I sleep! Then repeat it all the next day when I wake up.

*names have been changed to protect identity