h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One of the little known cures for the hangover (well, little known outside Scotland) is a substance known as Irn-Bru (andn yes, it is spelt that way, probably because its more easy to mutter when you are drunk and are in a state of mind to remember to get your cure beforehand). This is a fizzy drink with a very distinctive flavour and colour, and is well renowned in Scotland for its hangover reducing effects. Many theorys abount for its effects but can normaly be surmised as the following:
The taste gets rid of that horrible taste in the mouth that is reminicant of a sumo wrestlers jockstrap
The caffiene and sugar gives energy, and the liquid itself rehydrates the body.
However, it is a sure sign that someone buying a 2L bottle of the substance in the evening that the person is planning a very heavy night on the drink and is ensuring that they get it before they get in a state where they a: forget to buy it, and b: wish to whatever diety they worship that they did buy it the next morning

In all my years on this planet I have had hangovers so bad that I puke every time I raise my head. I have found that this is due to neglect and going back to sleep. You have to stir yourselves when your eyes open, ( early on, if you have drunk enough water!) Then you do indeed find the Irn Bru, and three asprin and consume these. Then return to bed with a pint of water. Remember that a lot of the problem will be blood suger, so if you eat little and often once you are able, you should be fine. I have also squirted Sinex nasal spray up my nostrils, and taken travel sick pills with good results...

What I find extremely helpful to stop me throwing up all morning is simply to stay up as long as I possibly can the night before.
Once you`ve got home just try and stay up as long as you can while you`re still drunk and have all the water you can force down.
It`s tough, I know, but that way you don`t wake up as early and most of your hangover is already taken care of when you do wake up. What also helps is to drink some fresh lemon juice mixed with water in the morning because acid calms down your stomach nerves (this is actually supposed to cure morning sickness during pregnancy, but it works just as well after a nasty binge)

A recent discovery of mine is tomatoes. Anything to do with them also. Tomato juice, plain tomatoes... even tomato puree. Just eat or drink as much as you can and the hangover dissapears. Some painkillers also help! I find it clears my head and aleviates the tiredness. I don't know why but it just seems to work. On discovering it I have met some other people that have tried it also and they seem to believe in the all healing powers of tomatoes also! So next time try it, after all its not gonna do any harm!

I read yesterday, that the reason that Tomatoes have this majical healing power, is that they contain a compounc called Lycene.. Apparantly this is the magic ingredient.. Now if we could patent that... we'd be laughing.. Albeit gently!!

Obviously, a good prevention is to drink a lot of water during the night, but what I have found extremely useful the morning after when you are feeling especially rough is drinking a gatorade drink called "propel". Its a flavored water sports drink, and if you drink several of those, they cure you pretty quickly. At least for me.

...and while we're talking miracle plants that cure hangovers, here's another one: potatoes in any form or kind, but especially mashed.
Highly recommended!

What i find really good for a hangover is bottles of bugs (my terminology) basically these little bottles of probiotic drink are the best invention since sliced bread. Have one in the morning and one for lunch (i mean if you're hungover you don't want food) and then by dinner time you'll be right as rain and have a settled stomach too. Obviously take the pain killers and drink the water, but this will take care of your stomach.
These are also really good if you've got an upset stomach for any other reason. I was once in France on holiday, and i was proper ill, throwing up for 2 and a half days. It was a choice of a probiotic fermented drink thingy, or brandy (which i hate) and so i chose the bottle of bugs, which cured me within 2 hours and i was eating properly by dinner time!

I've heard of the Irn Bru cure, and I've also seen it advertised for sale as a mixer with vodka in pub windows.

I'm fairly sure its produced as a ready-made alco-pop drink too... but even if it isn't, there is a popular orange-coloured alco pop brand drunk by many that is the same flavour as Irn-Bru! What I would like to know is was it produced as "a way to drink and cure the hangover at the same time" or was it just coz the flavour was appealing?

Another cure one of my mates swears by is a bottle of Lucozade orange and barley and a packet of cheese and onion crisps. I can see how the lucozade might help, but anyone got any ideas on the crisps?

It does seem to work as well!