CHINA: Eat spinach, ease a hangover.
Spinach tea is prescribed as a hangover cure in China. Eating a bowl of spinach also helps as it is rich in vitamin C, iron, magnesium, potassium and water - all of which are lost from the body by drinking alcohol.

SWEDEN: Eat blueberries, stop diarrhoea
Blueberries are a rich source of anthocyanosides which contain a natural compound that kill bacterial strains which cause diarrhoea.

MEXICO: Eat beans, lose weight
All legumes are top sources of soluble fibre and lean protein - 2 elements that satisfy your hunger, help burn fat and stabilise your blood-sugar levels.

NORWAY: Ice yourself, get rid of hiccups
Hiccupping Norwegians rub an ice cube on their neck for a minute. The coldness interrupts the reflex arc from the brain to the diaphragm that causes hiccups.

SPAIN: Take a siesta, avoid a coronary
Studies have proved that taking a siesta causes a significant drop in blood pressure. Most people in Mediterranean countries seem to enjoy their afternoon naps and shops then only open at about 5pm.

JAPAN: Eat sushi, keep your hair
In Japan, eating seaweed is said to slow baldness. It is therefore probably no coincidence that seaweed (or kelp) is high in iodine, a mineral that is crucial for hair growth.

SICILY: Sniff lemons, get clever
Researchers found that workers in a lemon-scented room made fewer mistakes than subjects tested in an unscented room. The lemon scent stimulates your hippocampus, the brain region that controls your ability to concentrate.

ISRAEL: Drink pomegranate tea, soothe a sore throat
The Israelis boil pomegranate rinds in water and drink the resulting liquid. The rinds contain astringents that reduce inflammation.