Mention a hangover and friends will tout 'hair of the dog' or a greasy meal. How to treat the jug-headed feeling? We asked John Brick, director of consulting firm Intoxikon and author of 'The Doctor's Hangover Handbook: The Intelligent Person's Guide to Curious and Scientific Facts About Alcohol and Hangovers.'

WSJ: Is there anything to 'hair of the dog' or having another drink?

A: 'Hair of the dog' works for some people because, for them, a hangover is actually the start of alcohol withdrawal, and the simplest 'fix' would be to have a drink. Obviously, this isn't recommended and may be symptomatic of a more serious problem. Plus, it just delays the inevitable.

WSJ: How about a big breakfast -- the greasier the better?

A: This is a wives' tale and helpful only if you happen to own a breakfast cafe.

WSJ: What about drinking water during and after imbibing?

A: Alcohol is a diuretic; it inhibits the hormone that regulates water retention. This means you have to urinate more, and dehydration can interfere with normal cellular functioning. Water replenishes (or at least offsets) that loss. Also, if you are consuming water, it slows down your drinking rate and may decrease the total alcohol consumed, both of which minimize and hangovers.

WSJ: How about the plop, plop, fizz, fizz of Alka-Seltzer?

A: The baking soda may help neutralize an overly acidic stomach (alcohol increases stomach acid secretion), and aspirin will help most people with the headache part of their hangover. But if you are sensitive to aspirin or have any history of stomach bleeding or ulcers, avoid aspirin.

WSJ: What about other over-the-counter pain medicines?

A: If you drink often and enough to get regular hangovers, you should avoid painkillers containing acetaminophen, such as Tylenol. The combination of high doses of acetaminophen and alcohol can cause liver damage. If you don't have allergies or sensitivity to aspirin and don't drink regularly, it can be a good choice for most people. Consult your physicianregarding acetaminophen use.

WSJ: How about a nice cup of strong coffee?

A: For people who regularly drink coffee, not drinking it can cause caffeine withdrawal, making the hangover worse, so a cup may be better than none at all. But drinking it can cause narrowing of the blood vessels, which will also make a hangover worse. So, it's a toss up.

WSJ: Coconut milk is all the rage right now. Can it cure a hangover?

A: Unless it's fortified with other things, probably not. It is 94.2% water, so drinkers would be better off with Gatorade or a similar sports drink that can replenish electrolytes.

WSJ: What's the strangest hangover 'cure' you've heard of?

A: There are many, but rubbing a half lemon under your drinking arm is right up there on the list of strange 'cures.'

Elizabeth Garone

• director [di´rektə]   n.指导者；....长；导演   (初中英语单词)
• intelligent [in´telidʒənt]   a.聪明的；理智的   (初中英语单词)
• scientific [,saiən´tifik]   a.科学(上)的   (初中英语单词)
• alcohol [´ælkəhɔl]   n.酒精；醇   (初中英语单词)
• actually [´æktʃuəli]   ad.事实上；实际上   (初中英语单词)
• obviously [´ɔbviəsli]   ad.明显地；显而易见地   (初中英语单词)
• interfere [,intə´fiə]   vi.干涉；妨碍；打扰   (初中英语单词)
• normal [´nɔ:məl]   a.正规的 n.正常状态   (初中英语单词)
• decrease [di´kri:s, ´di:kri:s]   v.&n.减少；减退   (初中英语单词)
• stomach [´stʌmək]   n.胃；胃口，食欲   (初中英语单词)
• combination [,kɔmbi´neiʃən]   n.结合；联合；团体   (初中英语单词)
• consult [kən´sʌlt]   v.商量；磋商；请教   (初中英语单词)
• physician [fi´ziʃən]   n.(内科)医生   (初中英语单词)
• baking [´beikiŋ]   n.&a.烘烤(的)   (高中英语单词)
• headache [´hedeik]   n.头痛；使人头痛的事   (高中英语单词)
• sensitive [´sensitiv]   a.敏感的；感光的   (高中英语单词)
• regularly [´regjuləli]   ad.有规律地；经常地   (高中英语单词)
• regarding [ri´gɑ:diŋ]   prep.关于   (高中英语单词)
• coconut [´kəukənʌt]   n.椰子(果)；头   (英语四级单词)
• greasy [´gri:si]   a.油腻的；润滑的   (英语六级单词)
• minimize [´minimaiz]   vt.将...减至最小量   (英语六级单词)
• replenish [ri´pleniʃ]   v.(再)装满；补充   (英语六级单词)