How to "Fix" a Hangover

This being the very first day of the New Year 2017, it is appropriate in my state -- and that of I'm sure many jillions of others out there -- to write about how to fix a hangover. I won't tell you how to cure a hangover, because I think the only cure is time.

I read once the best way to not get a hangover is to not drink alcohol. Well, there you have it. Blog post is done. 

Ha ha -- not! Drinking alcohol can be quite fun! But if you wanna play, you gotta pay, unless you take some preventive steps, like eating a good meal before you drink, sipping lots of water in between alcohol gulpings, and not drinking alcoholic drinks to excess. 

If you didn't follow all or any of those clever imbibing guidelines, you may have a hangover. Mine isn't so bad today, because I stuck to beer with intermittent sips of my Bischofsberger Williams brandy, a very special Christmas gift from some very special people. I had a large meal before I began drinking -- Greek food -- and at the end I drank 2.5 shots of ouzo, but that was just to get the party started. If my hangover, headache, nausea, and general unrest were worse, I couldn't sit up to write this.

So, how to fix a hangover?

1. Drink water when you wake up from your passed out state. Try to chew on a couple of children's aspirin before going back to sleep. More sleep is optional but always a good idea when you're ill.

2. Eat a pretzel or something salty and bread-like to get your stomach in line. Tacos are also a great hangover food. Fortunately, I live in Germany, and pretzels are plentiful. Tacos not so much, I'm sad to report. 

3. Drink a small glass of Coke or 7UP. This will help your tummy as well. Belch. Ah. 

4. Try to go back to sleep, but if you can't, I recommend taking a shower. This will help your body "rinse off" some of the alcohol that is in your skin. I find that a dunk in a cold pool or a hot shower makes the head feel better. 

5. Take a walk outside in fresh air, if you can. This gets the fix working more quickly than anything else. 

6. Hug someone you love. Hugs cure everything. If you're an adult, you can do more than hug. 

That's it! 

Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2017.