With only receipts and embarrassing photographs to remind us of just how many drinks we ordered last night... and thumping head to indicate the number was more than 'a couple', one turns to pondering the best way to cure a hangover. It's too late for an aspirin before bed, or a vow to drink a pint of water in between cocktails, so instead of lecturing on the perils of excessive alcohol consumption, let's take a look at some of the tried, true and even a few of the more bizarre methods of overcoming a painful hangover.


Veggie Brunch at Giraffe, UK.
The Tasty

• Cooked Breakfast/Fry Up
  Why this works: It boosts your blood sugar levels and speeds up your metabolism which assists in ridding your body of alcohol more quickly.

The Bizarre

• Deep-Fried Canaries
  Why it works: Who knows! Perhaps because they're less likely to awaken you with their song if they're deep fried and awaiting consumption? Whatever the reason, deep-fried canaries was said to be a hangover cure that was used by the ancient Romans.

• Irn Bru
  Why it works: The science is still a little fuzzy, but ask any Scot and they will swear by the magical healing properties of this fizzy orange drink.

The Health Conscious

• A teaspoon of Bicarbonate Soda in Water
  Why this works: It neutralises the acidity that occurs in our bodies as a result of drinking alcohol.

• Peppermint Tea
  Why this works: Peppermint tea works with our body, the gall bladder in particular, to ease nausea and vomiting that is often associated with a hangover.

• Berocca
  Why this works: It is jam packed full of B vitamins and in effervescent form also increases your H20 intake, assisting your bodies re-hydration.

The Brave

• Hair of the dog: consuming another alcoholic drink the morning after, often a Bloody Mary.
  Why this works: more alcohol intake gives your body a temporary reprieve from hangover symptoms by delaying your bodies ability to process the toxins that come from drinking alcohol.

The Sensible

• Sleep it off: when you wake, assist your dehydration with a pint of water and boost your blood sugar with some breakfast or a glass of fresh juice before going back to bed.
  Why this works: during sleep is when our body is best able to restore and heal itself, so hit the sack and let your body get on with the job! Learn more about the benefits of sleep here.

What hangover cure do you swear by?