Tai Chi after a big night

Warning:
The article below is based on personal experience and by no means considered medical advice. Please consult your doctor before following any of the examples and stories

Hangovers are multicausal; as an example a few studies of which remedies may help the symptoms of a hangover has been published by the British Medical Journal. Dr. Max Pittler from the Peninsular Medical School in Exeter has researched a few common home remedies. I would like to mention a couple of them before I proceed into the details of how Tai Chi relieved my hangover:

Eating sugary and starchy food
Drink plenty of water
vit B12, Ibuprofen as for the inflammation, Aspirin or Paracetamol
The "hair of the dog" remedy like drinking more alcohol than the night before
Mild exercise like Yoga or gymnastics, a gentle Tai Chi form like laojia yilu

These remedies have been studied with reasonable results and very effective for my needs. Tai Chi makes the blood flow more constantly. Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests that Tai Chi makes the qi or vital energy flow better, improves blood circulation, de- and rehydration..

After a big night, I practised in the park near Bondi Beach. I had my new bikini on and just thought could practise a few forms. There were not too many spectators except the families and other martial artists I knew. In the beginning, I had to overcome the demon within and my form was not particularly strong.

However, after the first reeling silk exercises and two rounds of laojia yilu,I began to feel a warm, friendly energy spreading throughout my whole body. Between the forms I had some iced water and Tim Tam Latte. My initially stiff kicks became more flexible and strong;I could hear the usual strong patting sound. I felt calm and content, proud that I could overcome my hangover. I don't suffer a hangover very often. It needs a vicious mix of alcohol consumption to make me feel the symptoms of a hangover. Half a bottle of ginger Whiskey(sweet Bourbon with ginger), an uncontrolled mixture of beer and wine of approximately the quantity of one whole barrel was enough to do the job.

It was Australia Day when Chen YIngjun offered us a class at his house. I came to his house with a big head and started off with 3 reps of the sabre form. Weapons are the best weight training in Tai Chi I could think of and tried YIngjun's heavy new sword.I asked him whether he noticed my hangover and he said:"NO." Probably he was too polite. Anyway, I felt my blood flowing better and I naturally took a deeper breath.

My water consumption was higher than usual but I did not expect that my form was relatively centered after so much booze consumption. On the same night I returned to the city and had more booze.......The "hair of the dog" remedy plus Tai Chi was most effective!!!!

HOwever, there is no real cure for a hangover because the body needs a certain amount of time to dehydrate and excrete the alcohol. One of the above remedies may help some people to alleviate the symptoms. Recent research has shown that psychological issues seem to have an influence. Somebody who is predisposed to depression or who generally expect to experience a hangover after a night of alcohol is very likely to feel the symptoms. Some people never have a hangover, some others develop it after just one pint of beer. The levels of ethanol in the blood are however more dependent on weight, health and food intake