DR ALISON SPRAGUE Eat, drink and be merry - that is what the season is for. And then January is when the new resolutions start. The kids are on school holidays, so they should get more household duties. Put the older kids to work in the kitchen, and tell them to have dinner ready by the time Mum and Dad get home, or get them to help out with the laundry. In my experience, a burger definitely works for a hangover. I also agree with the theory of having a glass of water between each alcoholic drink, but unfortunately I never actually remember to do this myself. Haha! DR CHRIS MIRAKIAN In regards to keeping the weight gain at bay, I try to eat a minimal amount during the day so that I can eat what I like in the evening. Calorie control works! I haven’t had a hangover for a long time but a big greasy meal usually works for me. We know it’s bad for you, but it does make you feel good! A Berocca multi-vitamin also helps me. In terms of preventing the hangover, it’s good to eat while you drink - having a meal with your alcohol can reduce blood alcohol levels by up to 50%. Part of my job is to perform forensic blood alcohol tests, so I know! Generally the thought is that you metabolise one drink per hour, but that is variable from person to person (depending on size, stature etc) so you can’t count on that as a hard and fast rule. DR GARY SWIFT Make sure to have a glass of water with every glass of booze, especially in the hot sun, to avoid dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, so it makes you very dry. Keep some Berocca multi-vitamins handy for the morning after to help get your B group vitamins back. Down a big glass of water before you go to bed, and whatever you do, don’t drink and drive! Excess alcohol (and food) consumption is definitely not good for you, so just remember to have everything in moderation. Try and have at least two alcohol-free days per week during the festive season to let your body recover. I stick by that, keeping Monday and Wednesday as my alcohol-free days. Red wine has more potential health benefits than other alcohol, so that would be my recommended drop. Some are better than others. Generally, the better quality (and probably more expensive) it is, the less pain you’ll feel the next day! Cheaper wines usually contain a lot of chemicals and preservatives to help speed up the maturation process and extend shelf life. A good wine will tend to be much lower in chemicals and preservatives. 22 Pindara Magazine 2016
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Nine
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