Lucille from “Arrested Development” loved a good drink…or seventeen.
Do you want the good news or the bad news first? I’ll start with the good.
The good news is that scientists have found a cure for hangovers. I know! We’re officially in the future, and scientists have finally made a discovery that we actually need. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I could not give a stuff about robots.
And the bad news? Well, the “hangover cure” is what you’ve known all along: Just don’t drink so much. Why does this cure have to be so…logical? Ugh!
Dutch and Canadian scientists have come together to prove the bloody obvious (hopefully not using taxpayers’ money).
Canadian students got to party for science were surveyed on their drinking habits to investigate whether it’s possible to be “immune” to a hangover. Unsurprisingly, of the 789 students surveyed, those who drank only a small amount reported that they had no hangover.
“The majority of those who in fact reported never having a hangover tended to drink less, perhaps less than they themselves thought would lead to a hangover,” said Dr Joris Verster of Utrecht University, who was the lead author of the study.
Dutch researchers were more interested in whether eating and drinking patterns could affect the severity of a hangover. You know the drill: eating a giant cheese sandwich before a drinking session to “soak up” the alcohol, or chugging a litre of water before bed to ward off the Hangover Bogeyman.
Sorry to break it to you but the Dutch researchers found that neither eating nor drinking water could prevent a hangover.
This research was presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology recently.
The only thing that will prevent a hangover is drinking less. Why does that answer have to be so…boring?
Of course, there are major health benefits to be reaped from avoiding grog. Clearer skin, a sunnier outlook on life, high-quality sleep, more energy, and better sex. It’s enough to make you put down that Bombay Sapphire bottle forever… or just for tonight.
However, should you accidentally-on-purpose drink too much this weekend, we at The Glow always have your back. Even though we can’t make hangovers go away, we still have a few things to ease the pain.
How to relieve a hangover.
Pears.
The CSIRO has found that consuming 220ml of pear juice (especially the juice of Korean pears) will help to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover.
It turns out that that pear juice lowers blood alcohol levels and speeds up the rate at which your body metabolises alcohol. Thanks, pears!
Try gentle exercise.
“I think generally it does make you feel better because you’re actually getting the body moving, you’re getting cells moving around, you’re increasing your metabolism and energy and blood flow… that’s why people think that they should do it,” says personal trainer, CHEK practitioner and lululemon athletica ambassador Leila Lutz.” (Post continues after gallery.)
Mocktails on Instagram
But remember to go easy, as your body is already dealing with enough already. Leila recommends a refreshing swim.
Call in the experts.
Hangover Helpers will clean your house after your huge party, and cook you breakfast the next day. Um, can we marry them please?
Lipstick.
Okay, lipstick definitely won’t cure a hangover, but a bright pop of lip colour will work wonders on your mood, trust me. If I like how I look, I’ll generally feel a lot better.
Do some yoga.
Our site co-ordinator, Lizzie Marton, swears that a yoga session helped her during a morning when she felt a post-wine fuzziness. Yoga re-oxygenates the blood and clears toxins from the body. Excuse me while I go and do the child’s pose now.
What's your best tip for coping with a hangover?