The cause of your aching head; how goldfish, koi and other piscatory pond pets survive winter; tallest person

http://www.jewishworldreview.com | Q: What are the physiological causes of a hangover? - Wille Thompson

A: Drank too much on New Year's Eve, eh? Serves ya right. Hangovers are God's way of saying, "Ha, ha."

Or maybe you like to rough it, like Dean Martin, who said: "I'd hate to be a teetotaler. Imagine getting up in the morning and knowing that's as good as you're going to feel all day."

The indispensable Web site howstuffworks.com has a thorough explanation that makes understanding the biology of hangovers relatively painless.

One of the key causes of hangovers is that when you drink, your pituitary gland blocks creation of vasopressin. Without this chemical, water is sent directly to the bladder, instead of being absorbed into the body. This dehydrates you, robs your body of the key energy source glucose, and brings on a deficiency of electrolytes and salt, which help your body function. This also steals water from the brain, bringing on a headache.

Another cause of hangovers is the phenomenon known as glutamine rebound. Alcohol inhibits production of glutamine, a natural stimulant. When you stop drinking later, your body rebounds by overproducing the stimulant. This prevents you from getting the deep sleep you need, and makes you shaky.

Drinking water or a sports drink before, during and after a night on the town can help prevent and cure a hangover. (It can also reduce your alcohol consumption - which is the best hangover prevention.) A banana restores potassium to your body. Oddly enough, burnt toast has been shown in studies to help cure a hangover. The carbon acts as a filter, attracting the impurities released during alcohol metabolism. (If you can handle eating burnt toast while hung over.) Coffee's a bad idea: It further dehydrates you.

Lecture time: If hangovers are a regular concern, you might need help. Go online to www.alcoholics-anonymous.org, where you can find local groups, or call (212) 870-3400.

And don't EVER drive drunk. You could kill someone and ruin your own life, too. Program a taxi company's number into your cell phone and think BEFORE you drink.

Q: How do goldfish, koi and other piscatory pond pets survive the winter, especially when the fish pond freezes? - Loyd Dillon

A: Loyd, fish experts say they just go with the flow, and kinda hang out at the bottom of the pond. They're OK as long as the pond is fairly deep and doesn't freeze solid, so they have some room. Their digestive systems become lethargic, and they don't eat. (Wish I could say the same thing this time of year.)

There does need to be a hole in the ice, so toxic gases don't get trapped underneath, and so enough oxygen can get in. Fish experts say you should melt a hole using hot water, and never bang a hole in the ice. That can dangerously shock the fish, who are insulated from the world above while they chill out at the bottom. Source: Koi magazine

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Q: Who was the tallest person ever officially documented? - Ray Otstott, Charlotte

A: They knew Robert Wadlow was going to be tall when, at age 9, he carried his dad up the stairs of their home. (Wonder if discipline was an issue?)

When last measured in 1940, the Alton, Ill., native was 8 feet, 11 inches tall. His hands were nearly 13 inches long.

Wadlow died at 32 as a result of a septic blister on his ankle. Source: Guinness

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QUICK QUIZ

On 2004 ...

1. Four major hurricanes devastated Florida and other Southern states in August and September. Which is NOT one of those hurricanes - Charley, Patsy, Ivan or Jeanne?

2. How old was Ronald Reagan when he died in June - 86, 89, 90 or 93?

3. What significance did the year 1918 have this year in sports?

4. What person who died in 2004 said this? "My wife and I were happy for 20 years. Then we met."

5. The top-grossing movie of 2004 was an animated sequel. Name it.

6. His 74-game winning streak ended in November. You MUST phrase your response accordingly.

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ANSWERS:

1. Patsy was not a 2004 hurricane. Frances was.

2. He was 93.

3. The Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since that year.

4. Rodney Dangerfield

5. "Shrek 2."

6. Who was "Jeopardy!" champ Ken Jennings?

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Jeff Elder is a columnist for The Charlotte Observer. Comment or try to stump him by clicking here. If you send him a great question, he'll send you a Glad You Asked T-shirt.

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