Feeling dizzy after a festive shot of bhang-thandai or whisky? Don’t
worry about the hangover, just mix more drinks. A fruity milkshake or a
refreshing glass of lemonade should be your next order, suggest experts.


The tradition of consuming bhang, a herbal concoction made with the
buds and leaves of the cannabis plant during Holi, is particularly
common in north India.



As Holi festivities reach a frenzy many people prepare a brew of milk, dry fruits and spices doused with bhang.


“That achy, dizzy head, the nauseated stomach, furry tongue or that
annoying sheen of sweat after a couple of drinks shouldn’t stop your
festivities. Today, it's all about hangover remedies and prevention,”
Sandeep Verma, chief executive officer of the Institute of Bar
Operations and Management, said.



“On Holi people end up drinking a lot more than just the traditional
bhang mixes. People should avoid mixing bhang, which is a hallucinogen
with alcohol that intoxicates,” Verma added.



Doctors feel that people seldom approach a doctor to deal with
hangovers, so time and tested remedies are often what people rely on.



“People who are suffering from hangover symptoms like headaches and
nausea after taking a few drinks, rarely come to doctors to deal with
it. So for them tips like have a glass of lemon juice with water to
rehydrate or buttermilk to soothe the stomach are useful,” said Ajay
Kumar, a senior endocrinologist with Apollo hospitals here.

So, why do some people feel one particular set of symptoms when they
are hung over? Basically it boils down to this: alcohol is toxic to
just about every major organ in your body.



“Hangover is a withdrawal symptom. So ideally speaking if you keep
drinking you should be fine but then arises a problem of intoxication
and the digestive system goes haywire,” Kumar said.



Tips like drinking lots of water to rehydrate the system are fairly common knowledge but other advice can go horribly wrong.



Rohan Bhatia, a businessman, had one too many drinks at a Holi party
last year. “I decided to do what I always do, sleep over it. I woke up
groggy and late for a meeting so I had two cups of coffee to get me
started. Instead I felt awful and had to take the day off with a sick
stomach,” Bhatia recalled.



When there is still a high content of alcohol in the body, the body
feels dehydrated, so to further drink coffee is not advisable, say
doctors.



“Coffee is not a remedy, in fact it dehydrates the body more,” Verma
said. Verma’s secret recipe to deal with a hangover interestingly is a
milkshake with a “twist”.     Throw in some strawberries, carrots,
bananas, a whole lot of other berries and  cold milk in a blender.
“Just blend with a pinch of salt and pour yourself a glass,” Verma, who
is in the business “of anything to do with alcohol and bars”, said.
Verma's company trains personnel for work in bars. He also sets up bars
and lounges.



“The fruit contains fructose, which is a healthy form of sugar, and the
banana is a natural antacid that can help with your nausea. The salt
will keep you safe from the rare but potentially dangerous
hyponatremia, an electrolyte disturbance in blood plasma,” said Verma.



After the shake, once your tummy is full, load up on some vitamin B and
vitamin C tablets or even some Ibu Brufen for a serious hangover, Verma
suggests.



While many remedies have nothing scientific behind it, they can go a long way to ease the hangover process.        

The best way to go about it, however, experts feel is to not go
overboard and watch the number of drinks you comsume in the "festive
spirit".        



shweta.s@ians.in

- Indo-Asian News Service, New Delhi