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.'
提起喝醉酒,朋友们都会推荐喝"解醉酒"或者来顿油腻的大餐。该如何消除醉酒后那种头痛欲裂的感觉呢?我们为此请教了酒精饮料咨询公司Intoxikon的主管约翰•布里克(John Brick)。他也是《医师宿醉手册:有关酒精和宿醉的奇妙科学事实的智者指南》(The Doctor's Hangover Handbook: The Intelligent Person's Guide to Curious and Scientific Facts About Alcohol and Hangovers)一书的作者。
WSJ: Is there anything to 'hair of the dog' or having another drink?
《华尔街日报》:靠"解醉酒",也就是再喝一杯酒来缓解,有没有道理?
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.
答:"解醉酒"对一些人是有用的,因为对他们而言,醉酒的感觉实际是体内酒精消退的开始,而最简单的"治法"就是喝杯酒了。很明显,这种方法并不值得推荐,而且它可能会导致更严重的问题。此外,这么做只不过是延迟了不可避免的痛苦而已。
WSJ: How about a big breakfast -- the greasier the better?
《华尔街日报》:那早上吃顿大餐呢?是越油越好吗?
A: This is a wives' tale and helpful only if you happen to own a breakfast cafe.
答:这只是一种毫无根据的说法罢了。只有你家恰好是开早点铺的,它才有帮助。
WSJ: What about drinking water during and after imbibing?
《华尔街日报》:那在畅饮美酒的同时以及在过后喝些水呢?
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.
答:酒精有利尿作用;它会抑制调节水分留存的激素。这就意味着,你必须更频繁地排尿,而若发生脱水现象,就会干扰正常的细胞功能。饮水能补充(或至少部分补充)流失的水分,而且,如果你在喝水,就会减缓你饮酒的速度,可能会降低总的酒精摄入量。从这两方面来看,饮水都能将宿醉感降低到很小。
WSJ: How about the plop, plop, fizz, fizz of Alka-Seltzer?
《华尔街日报》:那"我可舒适"(Alka-Seltzer)解酒泡腾片的效果又如何呢?
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.
答:其中的碳酸氢钠可中和过量的胃酸(酒精能增加胃酸分泌),而阿司匹林成分将对大多数宿醉时伴有头痛的人有所帮助。但是,如果你对阿司匹林过敏,或有胃出血或胃溃疡病史,就要避免阿司匹林的摄入了。
WSJ: What about other over-the-counter pain medicines?
《华尔街日报》:那么其它非处方止疼药呢?
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.
答:如果你平日经常饮酒,到了经常喝醉的程度,你就应该避免服用那些含有醋氨酚/扑热息痛的止疼药,比如泰诺(Tylenol)。醋氨酚和酒精混合,剂量过大的话可引发肝脏受损。而如果你对阿司匹林不过敏也不经常饮酒,它就是个适合大多数人的不错选择了。关于扑热息痛的使用方法,请咨询你的医师。
WSJ: How about a nice cup of strong coffee?
《华尔街日报》:一大杯浓咖啡的效果如何?
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.
答:对那些经常饮用咖啡的人而言,一旦不喝就会出现咖啡因戒断症状,使酒醉感加重。所以喝上一杯咖啡可能比完全不喝要好。但是,饮用咖啡也能导致血管变窄,这也会加剧醉酒的痛苦。所以,这是个碰运气的事。
WSJ: Coconut milk is all the rage right now. Can it cure a hangover?
《华尔街日报》:椰奶正风靡一时。它能治疗酒醉吗?
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.
答:除非添加了其它强化物质,否则恐怕不行。它有94.2%是水分,所以饮用者喝佳得乐(Gatorade)或其它类似可补充电解质的运动饮料,可能效果会更好。
WSJ: What's the strangest hangover 'cure' you've heard of?
《华尔街日报》:那么你听说过的最奇怪的解酒"偏方"是什么呢?
A: There are many, but rubbing a half lemon under your drinking arm is right up there on the list of strange 'cures.'
答:有很多,但用半个柠檬擦拭你持酒杯的那只手臂内侧,在古怪"偏方"的清单上可以位居前列了。