Cheers! How to Survive a St. Patrick's Day Hangover

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

As you may know, The Survivors Club focuses every day on serious challenges and adversity.  Every once in awhile, however, we tackle a survival challenge of, say, a less serious or consequential kind. 

Today, we ask: How to survive a hangover?

A hangover (or "Irish Flu"), experts say, is simply your body going into pangs of withdrawal as a drug (alcohol) leaves your system.

So what are the best tips to cure a hangover?

Tip #1: Avoid the hangover in the first place!  But if that's not possible, proceed immediately to TSC Tip #2.

Tip #2: Guzzle water. The more, the better.  Booze dehydrates you.  So drink and drink and drink. Some experts suggest pairing one glass of water with every beer or cocktail.

Tip #3: You snooze, you lose ... the hangover.  Sleep will help your body bounce back faster.

Tip #4: Kill the pain with aspirin, ibuprofin or acetaminophen.

Tip #5: Small amounts of vitamin B6 and B12 have been shown to help.  But don't binge.

Tip #6: Eat anything you can.  Alcohol irritates the lining of your stomach and intestines. Food - any kind really - helps protect and soothe the lining.  In case you're wondering about greasy or spicy, remember: blander is better.

Tip #6: Bloody Marys and more alcohol won't make things better. So try to refrain.