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Life&Style

 

Hangover cures from around the world

From sheep eyes to
pickled herring

By Anne Marie Abraham,
Contributor

Yo wake up witha
pounding headache and

youre feeling nauseous.
You can hardly remember
the night before—except
that you drank yourself
silly. Classes start in an
hour and you’re wondering
how to get your mind out
of its current numb state so
that you can concentrate
on your schoolwork.
What are you going to do?
Worry not. Try one of the
following hangover cures
from around the world.
Any of these remedies will
surely get you out of your
predicament.

Scotland’s orange soda,
Irn-Bru, will solve your
problem. This remedy is

sickly sweet to the taste,
will leave your teeth orange,
and is guaranteed to work
every time—or so the Scots
say. If you’re looking for a
carbonated drink that is not
as sweet and more settling
to your stomach, the typical
Canadian will drink ginger
ale. This is because ginger
is often used in medicine to
prevent vomiting

Another liquid to solve
your hangover predicament
is some strong green
tea. Because alcohol is a
diuretic that dehydrates
your body, Chinese will
commonly drink green
tea or water with lemon
to rehydrate their bodies
the morning after a night
of heavy drinking. If tea
is not to your taste, then
perhaps large quantities
of an Italian espresso will
be more to your liking.
Japan’s umeboshi, or dried
sour plums, are also worth

trying. Not only will they
act as a hangover cure, they
are also very nutritious.

If these cures fail, then
maybe one of the more
creative remedies will be
the right one for you. The
United States offers their
famous “Prairie Oysters”
drink. This is a blend of
tomato juice, Worcester
sauce, and a raw egg. And
if you feel you have the
stomach to try Germany’s
solution, you could eat a
pickled herring wrapped
around a pickle or an onion.
If you think that sounds
bad, Mongolia has it much
worse—they advertise
sheep eyeballs in tomato
juice.

All these interesting
cures make it seem as if the
Irish had the best idea: in
Ireland, they bury the ailing
person up to the neck in
moist river sand. What this
actually accomplishes, I’m

   

not sure.

Doctors and the
hungover seem to debate
on what works best. Both
understand that alcohol
dehydrates the body and

The Blue Zones and living longer

“A must-read if you want to stay young!”
—MEHMET C. 0Z, M.D.

Blue
Zones

_ LESSONS FOR LIVING LONGER
FROM THE PEOPLE
WHO’VE LIVED THE LONGEST

DAN BUETTNER

The worlds longest
living people reveal
their secrets

By Dale Pereira,
Contributor

he term “blue zone” is

used to describe places
on earth where people
live the longest. In these
places, it is common to find
centenarians living healthy
and productive lives. Their
health and long life is
attributable to their lifestyle.

Dan Buettner, the man who
came up with the term,

has travelled around the
world looking for these blue
zones and distinguishing
them from non-blue zones.
In his cover story, Secrets

of Longevity, for National
Geographic magazine,
Buettner identifies five of
them. By studying each
separately, we can learn of
the lifestyle factors that lead
to longevity.

Sardinia, Italy

In central Sardinia, residents
live to a remarkable old

age. In these mountain
villages, Sardinian men can
be found chopping wood at
100-years-old. The common
profession is shepherding,
so many people walk five or
more miles a day. Their diet
is plant-based and locally
grown. In this region, elders
are taken care of by their
immediate families. Every
afternoon, people gather
together on the street to
laugh with each other.

This daily dose of laughter
lowers stress, thus reducing

the risk of heart disease.
Okinawa, Japan

Okinawans enjoy the
highest disability-free
expectancy rate in the
world. Following a plant-
based diet, they are heavy
eaters of multi-coloured
vegetables and tofu.
Okinawans also have a very
strong sense of purpose.
This is embodied in the
concept of ikigai or “that
which makes one’s life
worth living.” In fact, there
is no word for “retirement”
in the local language.
Instead, older Okinawans
occupy themselves through
gardening. Staying active
strengthens the body and
is good for cardiovascular
health, both of which could
lead to longevity.

Loma Linda, California

Seventh-day Adventists
are concentrated in
Loma Linda, California.
Adventists have the
highest life expectancy
rate in the United States,

which could explain why
this region is a blue zone.
Vegetarianism is popular
amongst Adventists, so
most restaurants in Loma
Linda have vegetarian
options. Adventists rest
from labour one day a week
and are heavy consumers of
beans and nuts. Their way
of life can be summarized in
the acronym NEWSTART:
nutrition, exercise, water,
sunlight, temperance, ait,
rest, and trust in divine
power.

Nicoya, Costa Rica

A blue zone in a
developing Costa Rica,

the Nicoya Peninsula,

is truly a wonder. What
makes a group of villages
live longer than the rest

of the country? Nicoyans
have a strong family focus
with up to five generation
living together. Having
familial support during old
age gives you a sense of
belonging and a reason to
live. Nicoyans find chores
fun and the region is known
for their physical work.

Se

so both agree drinking
water is important. Sleep
and something light to

eat, such as eggs, are also
recommended as hangover
cures,

In fact, most centenarians
continue to enjoy outdoor
labour well in to their old
age. Nicoya is also the land
of sun, so residents get
plenty of vitamin D, which
contributes to good health.

Ikaria, Greece

Reaching 90 is common in
Ikaria, where people have
much lower rates of heart
disease and cancer. [karians
eat a Mediterranean diet
of beans, fish, and olive
oil. They also eat plenty of
greens and love herbal tea.
Many Ikarians do not wear
watches and are not time-
dependent. In fact, daily
naps are very common in
the region. Studies have
shown that slowing down
helps counteract age-related
diseases such as arthritis.
Finally, Ikarians preserve
family tradition and social
bonds. The older and
younger generations often
see each other every day, a
practice that improves the
health of both children and
the elderly.

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