I used to drink. A lot. Mostly beer at home. Sometimes wine. When I'd go out I'd drink vodka collins because it was a well drink and therefore way cheaper than other mixed drinks, but yet it was fruity and tasty. I used to refer to my hangovers as self-induced flu. I discovered the cure for the hangover -- don't drink to excess. And since moderation is a challenge for me, it later became just Don't Drink. Period.

Beer is gluteny. It occurred to me today that maybe my hangovers were qualitatively different from other people's hangovers. My self-induced flu symptoms were always GI related. I didn't get the headache especially. Maybe it was just my reaction to the barley.

Pithy conclusion: ah... not sure. I guess I can call it better living through alcohol and gluten abstinence. But that's kind of boring.