By Dhany Osman

1: Have another fix?

Bartender Jett Koh, 32, has heard of all kinds of folk remedies over the years from her customers at Muddy Murphy's Irish Pub.

She said these supposed 'fixes' mostly involve either Bloody Mary cocktails (a mix of vodka and tomato juice) or a 'hair of the dog' - yet another drink of whatever the person had the night before.

One concoction which supposedly cures headaches, she said, is a mix of Angostura bitters (a sort of pungent herbal beverage) and lime cordial.

However, she felt that remedies involving alcohol only put off a potential hangover till later.

To avoid a hangover altogether, her own advice is to drink in moderation and to have lots of water in-between drinks.

2: Eating right

Besides water, drinking fruit juice is a good idea as it contains vitamin C and antioxidants which strengthen the liver, said Dr Rupert See, senior physician at Raffles Medical.

Fructose in fruit juice, he said, can help increase the speed at which the body processes alcohol.

He added that the amino acids found in protein-laden food such as scrambled eggs can assist in the body's detoxification process.

Brown toast, which is high in vitamin B, and honey can also help raise blood-sugar levels to fight fatigue and to take away any jitters after a night of heavy drinking.

3: Medication

Medicines like paracetamol or aspirin can also be used to relieve hangover symptoms like headaches.

For those suffering from indigestion or heartburn, simple over-the-counter antacids can help as well, said Dr See.

4: Exercise

You may not feel up to it but some light exercise can help you along in your recovery.

Personal trainer Joan Liew suggests 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking or light jogging to help re-energise your body. Swimming, too, can be a low-impact and relaxing way to recover.

If you have access to a gym, a light workout routine, lasting about 45 minutes to an hour, that exercises your major muscle groups can get your blood circulating again and boost your energy, she said.

Whatever the activity, remember to keep well-hydrated, especially if you have been drinking heavily the night before, she added.

5: Herbal remedies

Prepared as a drink, an American ginseng and chrysanthemum mix can help restore one's energy after a late night out, said senior physician Yu Zhe Kai of the Eu Yan Sang Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic at Plaza Singapura.

He said American ginseng can help replenish the body's vital energy, or qi, and the chrysanthemum can help reduce the body's internal heat accumulated due to lack of sleep.

Acupuncture can promote blood circulation and strengthen the body's flow of qi, he said.

For hangovers, a tea concoction comprising a mix of pueraria flower, Japanese raisin tree seed, bamboo shavings and lalang grass rhizome can help stop headaches and nausea.

In addition to 'cooling' the body, this mixture also helps the body to discharge toxins through diuresis or the increased passing of urine.

Other herbal hangover remedies include mung beans and a vinegar drink that consists of white sugar and cooking vinegar. This latter concoction can help neutralise the alcohol consumed and help one sober up faster, Mr Yu said.

dhano@sph.com.sg

This story was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on Dec 25, 2008.

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