Bhavya Kapoor, 25, Fashion stylist
How often do you drink?
Since it’s the festive season, it’s been pretty often. I get a horrible hangover the next day if I party hard.
How bad are your hangovers?
I get a migraine. It ruins two days.
What’s your go-to hangover cure?
Having a shot of whatever spirit I drank the previous night! I’ve adopted this since undergrad, when a few friends and I tried it, and it worked. So, drinking post breakfast has been my go-to for at least six years now. It works for a few of my other friends too.
Any other ways you’ve tried to tackle a hangover?
Green juice, a headache or anti acid and a heavy breakfast for sure. They’ve worked to an extent.
A hangover myth that’s false?
Taking PartySmart (an Ayurvedic hangover prevention cure). It has never worked for me.
Akshaja Singh, 21, Law student
How often do you drink?
Rarely… once a month.
How bad are your hangovers?
I wake up thirsty and hungry. I always have a terrible migraine with body aches and nausea.
What’s your go-to hangover cure?
To get some ORS in me with a light non-greasy breakfast. Your body needs to get hydrated and fuelled with low fat and low sugar foods. My closest friend finds chewing on a lemon peel once he wakes up helps a lot with the nausea, paired with a disprin.
Any other ways you’ve tried to tackle a hangover?
A pre drinking bottle of gatorade was a life hack from a college senior. Having it prior hand fills your body with electrolytes and helps with retaining the hydration. Use low sugar mixers in drinks. Then there are ARMR anti-hangover shots.
A hangover myth that’s false?
That hangovers don’t get worse with age. They get worse if you mix spirits.
Abhilasha Aviral Gandhi, 25, Lawyer
How often do you drink?
Twice or thrice a week, at social events. I don’t always get a hangover.
How bad are your hangovers?
I get a headache and nausea that ranges from a 4 to a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10,
What’s your go-to hangover cure?
My husband’s smoothie recipe he introduced to me about two years ago. Blend six ice cubes, 1 cup of almond milk, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, one spoon coconut oil, oats, protein powder, 1 peeled banana, and a pinch of coffee powder. Garnish with chia seeds.
Any other ways you’ve tried to tackle a hangover?
The Himalaya PartySmart pill. It reduces the symptoms, sometimes none at all.
A hangover myth that’s false?
If one doesn’t mix their drinks, there’s no hangover. But, if you drink too much, you’re bound to wake up to a hangover regardless of what you drink.
And the winner is…Akshaja Singh
“Don’t drink more than one cup of coffee”
Hydration is everything, whether it’s plain water, ORS, coconut water or Gatorade, is the hangover cure Dr Souradipta Chandra, Head Of Operations & consultant physician, Internal & Travel Medicine, Helvetia Medical Center, New Delhi, swears by. “Drinking lemon juice helps, as do carbs and a cup of coffee. But don’t drink a lot of it as that will worsen your hangover. PartySmart doesn’t help too much, if at all, and drinking a shot of alcohol the morning after may make you puke,” he says.
Different hacks work for different people. “For some, a smoothie will work, for others, cornflakes with honey and milk, or toast with jam and butter. You don’t need fancy breakfast,” he says, leaving us with a warning: “Never take a paracetamol before drinking. Any heavy medication causes gastritis, which causes acidity. Drinking then will cause severe health issues.”
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From HT Brunch, November 12, 2022
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