Surviving the Morning After: Hangover Cures from Around the World

China likes to lay claim to inventing just about everything—the fork, the noodle, and the flamethrower to name a few—so why not throw alcohol into the mix? And since hangovers most likely came into existence the day after alcohol was discovered, we’re willing to bet the Middle Kingdom has squatter’s rights on hangover cures as well. So what has China come up with in terms of remedies?

As per usual, Traditional Chinese Medicine throws its hat into the ring. TCM claims that sweet foods target the stomach and spleen, neutralizing the toxic effects of those vodka shots. Honey, cherries and grapes fall into this category. And sour foods pinpoint the liver, which, given the beating this organ goes through after a night out, needs a little TLC. Citrus fruits are recommended. Apples are considered both sweet and sour – no wonder the saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

Cold, or yin, food such as watermelon, chrysanthemum, and banana help to combat the inflammation, or buildup of yang, that alcohol wreaks on your system. For some yin-inspired hair of the dogs, check out the drinks feature in our July issue. TCM also believes that certain foods move through the body in curative ways. Floating foods, such as ginger, make you sweat out all that yang. And sinking foods, like vinegar, relieve upset stomachs and reduce belly bloat. For a more comprehensive list of sweet, sour, and yin foods, check out this website.

It's one thing to theorize about hangover cures, but does anyone in China actually use these remedies? Surprisingly, some of our Chinese colleagues do recommend drinking vinegar. But if you believe you can cure more hangovers with honey than vinegar, honey water also does the trick.

Not all recommendations are purely TCM. If you can move at all, doing housework was suggested, probably by one of the younger Chinese folk. However, if the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, take a hot bath and sip some lemon juice.

Interestingly, a few “Chinese” hangover remedies borrow from other countries. Pocari Sweat, a Japanese sports drink sold at most convenience stores, was a popular choice. And the broad category of “Indian food” was also offered up. Good thing Ganges delivers.

Seeing as how even born-and-bred Chinese people turn to other countries to help with the morning-after, let’s take a look at some hangover cures from around the world.

Americans like to keep it simple. Burgers (the greasier the better), bacon (the greasier the better), and fried eggs (the greasier the ... you get the picture). The Trifecta can be found at Lily’s American Diner, which serves breakfast all day and also delivers until 11.30pm. And, of course, there’s always Mickey D’s.

Australia goes with its nationally-known spread: vegemite. Jenny Lou’s stocks the yeasty paste, as well as Scotland’s famed morning-after elixir Irn-Bru.

Britain swears by the full English breakfast, which calls for a massive plate of scrambled eggs, sausage, black pudding, bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns, and tomatoes. If you don't have a dish big enough, you can settle for a plain ol' bacon sandwich. The Vineyard Café serves the sizeable English breakfast. And for the bacon sandwich, all you need is two slices of bread and a slab of bacon, purchasable at your local Walmart or Carrefour.

France goes patriotic with French onion soup while Germans up their sodium intake with pickled herring. Find these cures at Bleu Marine and The Little Mermaid, respectively.

Greece likes souvlaki, which is essentially chuan'r rolled up in pita bread. You can engage your inner carnivore at Argo.

Italy carbo loads with pasta, preferably pasta carbonara. Get your pasta at Annie’s. With nine locations, you’re sure to find a branch that delivers right to your door. Our Italian art director suggested drinking Vov, an egg-based liquor, only to add that this particular hair of the dog doesn’t seem to be purchasable in Beijing, so maybe get a friend who's visiting Rome to help you out.

Japan slurps miso soup, which is served as a complimentary side in almost every Japanese restaurant. Check out our directory for the one nearest you.

Vietnam goes for an old stand-by with pho – Vietnamese rice noodles with broth, beef, tripe, and bean sprouts, seasoned liberally with Sriracha hot sauce. There are a deluge of delicious pho places in Beijing, including Va Va Voom, Muse Parisienne Vietnamese Brasserie, Luga’s Pho Pho, and Pho La La.

And, of course, aspirin and water are sold pretty much in any convenience store. Have we left anything out? What is your go-to cure for the morning after?

Photos: Gawker.com, Softpedia.com, www.happynaturaltherapies.com, www.english-blogs.com