The hangover – lots of interesting ways to describe it: “I have post party trauma”; “someone slipped me a bad ice cube”; “suffering the wrath of grapes”; “the high cost of low living” and my favorite, “I was over served.”

No matter how you describe it, over indulgence can be painful the morning after. So, as a public service effort on behalf of my readers, I scoured the web for solutions.

First, how does it happen? Aside from the fact that you drank too much (duh), alcohol in large amounts creates a diuretic effect. The body will try to replenish the loss of liquid, often sending a message in the form of dry mouth. According to a researcher at George Mason University, “the body’s organs will attempt to replenish their own water, usually stealing water from the brain…” Hence, the headache.

While there doesn’t seem to be a sure fire cure, there are lots of remedies. They work by providing chemicals your body needs. Eggs, for example contain cysteine, an amino acid that helps your liver. Potassium, fructose, sodium and, of course, water are beneficial the next day.

The Atlantic Wire has a hangover story that suggests eating a bowl of the Vietnamese soup known as Pho. Some people refer to it as a miracle hangover cure. Here’s an excerpt from Caveday, which has lots of information on hangovers:

“So how did Phở become nominated as a contender for the best hangover cure?  For one, it’s a big bowl of soup so you get uber hydrated.  The spices cause you to sweat out all of the toxins and exfoliate the layer of (booze) that has permeated your skin.  To add, soup is comfort food.  You drink soup when you’re sick, and I think that you would agree that you feel sick when you’re hungover.  Lastly, the main ingredient is magic.”

Speaking of Asian remedies, the Japanese suck on Umeboshi, a pickled dried plum/apricot. Apparently, it’s one of Japan’s oldest and best-known hangover cures. The acid raises the pH level easing nausea and stomach pains. The fruit itself provides potassium and sodium.

Here’s what it looks like:

I’d rather give up drinking. Or, just stick with bacon and eggs and lots of juice.

Got a remedy you’d like to share?