Fight Hangovers with Bottled Water
Pre-Hydrate and Avoid Post-Party Malaise
Partygoers need a sound strategy that will enable them to have their pint of enjoyment while keeping the adverse consequences to an absolute minimum.
Apart from sheer overindulgence, the primary cause of a hangover is dehydration, according to Dr. Petros Levounis, director of the Addiction Institute of New York at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Alcohols and the sugars they contain deplete fluids from the body and the brain—a key reason for headaches, dry mouth, upset stomachs and overall malaise. “Water performs a lot of services: it gets you re-hydrated, flushes out your system and helps you metabolize alcohol faster,” agrees Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine.
Advance Party Preparation
The simplest solution for dehydration is water—and plenty of it. Treat yourself to the finest bottled waters and begin drinking when you get up on the morning of a party. Drink as much bottled water as you can during the day. Make it a fun exercise by buying three different brands of fine water, other than those you normally drink. Use different fine stemware to drink the waters—as if you were enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail.
While any water, including tap water, would do equally well to hydrate you, making a plan to enjoy the process makes it more likely you’ll succeed in drinking your three bottles of water before party time. You’ll reach your goal because it’s better water and more fun!
At the Party
Once the revelry starts, make every other drink a glass of water. Not only will this keep you hydrated, it will keep you from over-indulging too quickly at a cocktail party.
At a dinner party or a restaurant, continue this pattern. Discriminating bottled water drinkers are learning that, as with wine, the right fine bottled water enhances every dining experience, from haute cuisine to fine chocolates. Using the FineWaters Balance, a unique evaluation scale, discerning consumers can distinguish between varying degrees of sparkling and still waters and learn how to pair water and food for the ultimate fulfillment.
If you the host of the party, you should provide your guests with a selection of at least three different waters. This will allow your guests to select the appropriate bottled water with the wine and/or spirits that are sure to flow. Your guests will appreciate your efforts and be especially thankful you the next morning.
Which three waters should you serve? In, general the water needs to be matched with the food you are serving. By studying the FineWaters Balance, you’ll become more adept at this. Read more about it in our articles, Pairing Water with Turkey and The Water Menu, which discuss specific water and food pairings.
In Sum
Proper hydration can drastically reduce the hangover effect. Of course, no amount of water is an excuse for, or a curative of, excessive indulgence: you still need to consider the effect the alcohol has on your system.
Party sensibly, and with a designated driver!
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You may not need the aspirin if you pre-hydrate with enough water. Photo by