Hangover Rescue Remedies

Food-as-medicine and kitchen remedies are a huge part of Chinese culture -- an efficient, easy, and time-honored way to squeeze some extra healing into one's daily routine by using ingredients commonly found in one's pantry.

Every culture has its own homemade remedies for yet another time-honored and universally enjoyed past-time -- drinking alcohol. Here are a couple of rescue remedies to prevent (or treat) hangovers after a night of merry-making, based on Chinese know-how and TCM nutritional advice.

1. Drink a glass of fresh pear juice before you go out for festivities. Because pear juice has a strong anti-inflammatory, hydrating, and detoxing essence that stimulates both Liver and Stomach function, a glass can go a long way towards preventing hangovers. A recent study conducted by Australian researchers backs up this centuries-old hangover prevention remedy. Take note: eating only a pear or two, however, doesn't produce as effective a result.

2. After the festivities and before you go to bed, drink an extra strong cup of black tea and add a heaping spoonful of brown sugar. The acidity of black tea and sweet, warming properties of brown sugar, stimulate Liver and Stomach function to help release alcohol from your system more quickly. If the caffeine will keep you awake, you can also drink fresh ginger tea with a generous squeeze of lemon and brown sugar, which will similarly stimulate your Liver and Stomach for a detox effect.