A cure for the modern hangover

> Don’t let a hangover keep you from surviving your day

Rebecca Peterson
Staff Writer

 

t’s been almost a week since St

Patrick’s Day, so one can only
assume we've all at least started
to dry out by now.

However, holidays like St
Patrick’s Day have a bad habit
of bringing out the worst in us.
Most days, we’re responsible,
put-together human beings who
would never drink excessively
during the week. In fact, drinking
excessively is a habit most of us
try to avoid in order to preserve
our livers.

Still, were human. It
happens. And unless youre in
that one small per cent of the
population who have apparently
been blessed by Dionysus, we
eventually have to pay for it.
However, there are steps we can
take to minimize our suffering, or
at least make it seem like we have
our life together, even if we don't.

Obviously the best way to
cure a hangover is to avoid
having one in the first place. If
you know you'll be drinking,
take the chance to line your
stomach in advance. Carbs are
the key to keeping your stomach
settled—potatoes are my
personal preference for this task.
Try to avoid dairy if you can, or
light foods like salad and sushi.

 

These tend to interact badly with
copious amounts of alcohol, and
will likely result in an unpleasant
ending to the evening, never
mind the next day.

Water is the key to smart
drinking. Try your best to stick
to a one-to-one ratio of drinks
and water—you'll have to pee
a lot, but your body will thank
you. If you can, before stumbling
off to sleep, force yourself to
drink one or two more glasses
of water. Anytime you start
to feel nauseous or headachy

throughout the night, drink a
glass of water. The importance
of staying hydrated cannot

be emphasized enough. Most
alcohol-induced headaches are
caused by dehydration.

If, however, you forget these
steps and wake up the next
morning in agony, it’s not too late
to salvage the day.

There are three key
components of a hangover cure:
hydration, electrolytes, and
carbs. The water, as mentioned
above, will help with both

The benefits of an associate degree

> Paper certification of two years of post-secondary

Cazzy Lewchuk
Staff Writer

 

B eing in post-secondary
education is a difficult time.
Many of us are working towards
our bachelor’s degrees, while
others of us are working towards
a specific upgrade or program
diploma, and others still may
be taking different classes to
see what we like, having little to
no idea of our eventual goals.
An associate degree is sort
of a happy medium between a
bachelor’s degree and diploma.
They take roughly two years
to complete, and only require
around 60 credits. A typical
course offered at Douglas or
most other BC institutions yields
three credits, with some longer
(especially lab-based) ones giving
four. At four courses a semester,
an associate degree can be yours
in five semesters of instruction.
After a year of taking classes
unsure of my eventual path, |
learned about the Associate of
Arts Douglas offers in creative
writing. It requires six creative
writing courses, along with

various electives and first- or
second-year courses (such
as a lab science, because it’s
very important a writer knows
how to measure chemicals.)
At the time, I already had
four creative writing courses.
If you have a specialization
or interest study already in
place, an associate degree may
be closer than you realize.
One of the best benefits
of having an associate is
guaranteed degree transfer.
Some of your built-up credits
may not transfer over for study
at another institution if you're
just taking them with no path.
But if you have an associate
degree, you are guaranteed a
full 60 credits towards your
bachelor’s—this is essential
to getting a degree without
worrying about wasting time
or money. It’s especially good
at a place like Douglas, where
many of the students are going
to be transferring to a university
after completing their studies.
In addition to the credit
transfer, many institutions
in Canada give preferential

admission to those with an
associate degree—benefits
include priority registration and
a lower overall GPA requirement.
This can be a lifesaver to those
who have worried about their
future admissions with their
grades (including yours truly).
Associate degrees are also
an asset to employers, so having
one looks great on a résumé.
It won't open the same doors
as a bachelor’s will, but it can
be very useful for entry-level
positions in your field. I myself
am taking a bit of time off after
leaving Douglas before applying
to university, and having my
associate is the perfect time
to do that. I'll be working
during my gap, and having a
two-year degree looks much
better on an application than
“built-up college classes that
didn’t translate to anything.”
Whether you plan
to continue your studies
immediately, continue after a gap,
or enter the workforce directly, an
associate degree can be a perfect
point to make these decisions.

Image via toriavey.com

headaches and nausea, and will
flush any remaining toxins from
your body throughout the day.
Electrolytes help regulate this
hydration. Consuming anything
high in electrolytes such as salts
and potassium will also help to
replace vitamins and minerals
lost while drinking. Carbs will
settle your stomach and absorb
toxins, giving you a steadier mind
and body to carry you through
the day.

In practice, here are some
easily accessible hangover-curing

breakfast options:

- A fruit smoothie, a
bottle of water, and two hash
browns

- A banana, two slices of
toast with a nut spread, anda
mug of green tea

- A package of dried fruit,
a cup of coffee, water, anda
breakfast sandwich

Though it might seem healthy

to reach for breakfast options
like yogurt and eggs, dairy and
egg products are not always
easily metabolized by the body
and can serve to upset your
stomach more. As well, it’s often
suggested that the best cure for

a hangover is another drink in
the morning, which I strongly
advise against. At best, it will
just mask the symptoms that will
likely come back to bite you later
in the day. At worst, it’s habit-
forming. In either case, it will not
help. Hangovers occur because
your body is in need; strangely
enough, the body doesn’t
appreciate being dehydrated and
flooded with toxins. Adding more
alcohol to the mix will only make
things worse.

We all overreach ourselves

sometimes. Keep yourselves
safe, have fun, and remember to
drink if not responsibly, then at
least with a glass of water close
at hand.

W #DOUGLIFE

Tweet us using the hashtag #DougLife, for a chance to be
featured in the paper!

 

DCC Steve Rai

(Le OULYLPAeET rE

 

#DouglasCollege Great day for
recruiting new VPD members at
Douglas, see you at your school
soon! # Youth #Students

 

This week’s tweet is by Steve Rai