First and foremost let me say a very big thank you to everyone who has viewed, commented, liked or interacted in anyway with Rationalising the Universe over the last few months. I have been very pleased with the amount of support for my blog and in the process have discovered some great blogs; Science and Rationality, Maths by a girl, The Jakarta Blogger and Bodhi to name a few. A very Happy New Year to each and every one of you reading and I look forward to writing more in 2016.

Personally 2016 sees a large increase in the amount of university level science I will be reading, so whilst time may be more constrained I should also have considerably more to write about.

As a New Years gift, I offer some scientifically proven hang-over cures to stem the unpleasantness of 1 January.

• Alcohol is broken down by the liver enzyme ADH into the toxin acetaldehyde. This toxin can lead to many of the feeling you may well associate with feeling a little dirty the morning after. Foods rich in the amino acid L-cysteine will break this toxin down leaving you a lot fresher. So while you may not feel like it straight away – eggs!
• Congeners are trace chemicals which come from the fermentation process and don’t make us feel very nice. Another theory is that drinks lower in congeners will limit the brutality of a hangover; stick to clearer liquids like beer and vodka and say no to rum. Anyone who has had a good rumover will probably support this one.

Beyond these you are on your own! There are a whole host of other myths and legends out there. My mother swears by a can of diet coke and a can of chicken soup; personally that sounds worse that the hangover. Some claim ibuprofen works on the hangover other claim it is terrible for the gut. I personally try to avoid anything that is metabolized by the liver the morning after.

What works for you?