College students often drink because they have many meetings of various groups, such as department meetings and clubs. Alcohol consumption is increasing more and more because of Korea’s peculiar drinking culture, like bomb shots, and stress caused by grades and getting a job. In the case of freshmen, it is easy for them to get drunk not knowing their alcohol tolerance or drinking capacity. Then on the next day, they will have headaches and heartburn, which are common symptoms of a hangover. Most of these people use several ways to cure such symptoms of hangovers. A hangover means a sick feeling in the stomach or headaches on the day after getting drunk. The ways of relieving hangovers are different depending on personal taste or constitution. However, each country also has its own ways to relieve hangovers.
Koreans usually eat hot and spicy foods. They sweat and get the feeling that the brain is clear by eating pungent foods, such as hangover soup, dried pollack soup, and ramen. Korea’s other way to relieve a hangover is drinking alcohol during a meal. However, this way can be harmful to health. In fact, it is effective for headaches and heartburn but not really for relieving the hangover. It’s a kind of pain killer, which is caused by alcohol absorption.
  Similar to Korean, people in England drink a cocktail named ‘Bloody Mary’ to relieve hangovers. A Bloody Mary is a reddish cocktail which consists of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and tabasco. Tomatoes increase metabolism and are rich in minerals, which regulate the balance of total body fluids. In particular, the citric acid in tomatoes mitigates heartburn. For other examples, Americans drink honey water, and Chinese usually eat raw eggs for relieving hangovers. These ways are also often used in Korea. The sugar contained in honey water increases the blood sugar level, which fell due to drinking alcohol, and becomes an energy source which breaks down alcohol. Also, raw eggs contain a lot of methionine, one of the essential amino acids, which is necessary when alcohol is broken down in the liver. Drinks and medicines for hangovers usually contain methionine.
  There are many cases similar to Korea’s, but there are also countries where people relieve hangovers in rather odd ways. For example, Greeks eat butter to relieve hangovers. When people are drunk, hyperacidity can hurt the stomach wall. Eating butter prevents this from happening. In addition, Mongolians drink tomato juice with fermented sheep eyeballs, and Puerto Ricans use an unusual way where they spread lemon juice in their armpits.
 

By Choi Da-yeong

dy35@cbnu.ac.kr

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When do people in your country usually drink alcohol?
 
  Arjun(India, male) : In India, people are drinking much. In every happy moment and sad situation, they are drinking. If they are sitting idle, they are also drinking.
  Davao(Philippines, male) : People drink during special occasions and only a few drink after work. Well, Filipinos are not hard drinkers.
  Miyu(Japan, female) : Japanese usually drink when they are in a meeting, such as an annual family reunion, an office dinner, or a club. They also drink in celebrations like weddings.
 
What's the best way to relieve a hangover in your country?
 
  Arjun(India, male) : For relieving hangovers, some people drink alcohol once again or some drink butter milk.
  Davao(Philippines, male) : The best way to relieve a hangover is to get enough sleep, or there are some hangover soups from a vegetable we call ‘Malunggay’.
  Miyu(Japan, female) : We often eat pickled plums, which are called ‘Umeboshi’, to relieve a hangover.
 
How does it(the answer of Q2) work?
 
Arjun(India, male)  : I don’t know much about its effect, but maybe people get hydrated.
Davao(Philippines, male) : Malunggay soup makes you feel better. It’s rich in vitamin A and calcium.
Miyu(Japan, female) : Pickled plums help the stomach wall recover after drinking alcohol and increase metabolism.