If you want to totally prevent a hangover then don't drink. However, if alcohol is going to be part of your good time, there are some scientifically proven methods that you can use before, during, and after drinking to help prevent the morning after misery.
Planning your night out before you start drinking can help you feel better the next day. Start by eating a good meal. Focus on eating foods that are high in fat and carbohydrates. A full stomach does not absorb alcohol as easily as an empty one, allowing your body to process the alcohol more easily. Fatty foods and high carbohydrate foods take longer to digest, so the effect lasts longer. By eating first, you can also decrease stomach irritation.
It is important to stay hydrated so drink water before consuming alcohol. Taking a multivitamin can also help combat the vitamin and mineral loss that the diuretic affects of alcohol can cause.
When drinking, there are some things that you can do to help prevent alcohol absorption. You should drink slowly, preferably no more than one drink an hour. This gives your body enough time to process the alcohol. Having a drink of water or a sports drink with your drink will help to keep you hydrated and allow your body more time to process the toxins.
Another thing to do is to watch what you are drinking. Mixing drinks will often cause you to feel worse the next day. Beer has the lowest amount of alcohol, but carbonation allows it to be absorbed faster. Wine is higher in alcohol, but is not carbonated, and white wine has fewer congeners than red. Cheap wines also tend to be higher in congeners than the more expensive types. Liquor has the highest amount of alcohol, and clear liquors have fewer congeners than dark ones, and again, the cheaper the liquor, the more likelihood of a hangover.
When you get home from your night out, there are some things that you can do before going bed. Take two aspirins with a full glass of water to help hydrate you and decrease hangover severity in the morning.
Make sure that to take actual aspirin, not acetaminophen, which can cause more problems for your liver.
When you wake up in the morning, you should take two more aspirins with another glass of water to help stave off a headache caused by inflammation. Taking another vitamin can help you replenish the vitamins and minerals that you loss the night before and set you on the road to recovery.
A healthy breakfast can also help. Eggs have cysteine that can break down toxins; bananas include potassium crucial to hydration, and fruit juices or sports drinks can help by replenishing sugar, salt, and electrolytes that you may have lost. Start out slowly, to avoid nausea, and avoid caffeinated beverages that will prolong your misery.
The best thing to do to prevent a hangover is not to drink at all, but if you are going to anyway then the above steps should help lessen the painful affects.
Related Articles
The Hangover Survival Breakfast
By: Scott Meyers | 29/12/2007 | Health
When you wake up from a night of drinking with a pounding headache and your head in the toilet, the last thing you are thinking about is what's for breakfast.
Chinese Herbal Remedies for Hangovers
By: Scott Meyers | 16/04/2008 | Health
There are many cures that have been tried in order to ease the pain of the common hangover that many of us suffer from after a New Year's Eve party or an evening out with our friends.
Common Cures for a Hangover
By: Scott Meyers | 18/04/2008 | Health
The morning after a night of heavy drinking, you may be sicker than you ever could have imagined. Despite the fact that alcohol has been around for thousands of years, few real remedies have been discovered.
Home Remedies for Hangovers
By: Scott Meyers | 21/04/2008 | Health
Just as almost everyone has their favorite alcoholic drink, many people also have their favorite hangover cure. Here are some easy remedies that you can try to before or after drinking to prevent a hangover.
Quick Hangover Preventatives and Cures
By: Scott Meyers | 21/04/2008 | Health
Alcohol is a staple at most adult party's. While the responsible drinker won't drink themselves into a stupor, everyone is entitled to a little irresponsibility now and then (just do not drink and drive). If you do end up going overboard then you are probably going to face the inevitable hangover the next day.
The Cause of a Hangover?
By: Scott Meyers | 06/05/2008 | Health
A hangover comes after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. The result of this overload of alcohol is that your body becomes depleted of essential nutrients and water and your body becomes dehydrated.
Avoid Hangovers by Knowing What Not To Do
By: Scott Meyers | 07/05/2008 | Health
There are two tired and true ways to avoid a hangover. The first is don't drink and the second is know your limits if you are going to drink.
Your Prescription for Hangovers
By: Scott Meyers | 07/05/2008 | Health
For those of you who have ever had a little too much to drink and have paid the price the next morning, you know there is no magic pill that can miraculously cure your hangover. There are some things, however, that may get you back on the road to a quick recovery.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Health Articles
What Makes Smoke Inhalation Dangerous
By: Rachel Yoshida | 06/09/2008
Most would agree that it is not natural, but what really happens when smoke is inhaled?
Dealing With Menstrual Flooding
By: Rachel Yoshida | 06/09/2008
It is not a popular subject,but there are many that needs this information if you are having trouble in this area.
Treatments And Medications for ADHD
By: Paul Hata | 06/09/2008
There are mainly two types of treatment which is generally used to cure the ADHD types of treatment for ADHD; pharmacological and non-pharmacological. It is been found out in various studies that 70% to 80% children are benefited by the stimulant drugs.
How to Prevent Stomach Ache and Abdominal Pain
By: Robert Sifer | 05/09/2008
For stomachache in children, parents should notice habits and symptoms of their children. For adults, they also should notice themselves which food that they consume always cause stomach pain to them and try not to eat those food.
Improving Your Emotional Intelligence May Be As Easy As Getting More Sleep
By: Brenda Skidmore | 05/09/2008
Have you ever wondered how hard you should be working at solving a challenging problem in your life? No matter what the challenge may be, that little extra edge advantage may just lie in something that a lot of people seem to take for granted now days.
Cystic Acne - Pizza Face and Other Names
By: Jeremy Thompson | 05/09/2008
Cystic acne is one of the worst types of acne there is. Often people with serve cystic acne are called pizza face because to the redness which appears in their face.
How to Trim Your Medical Wait Time in Half
By: Jay Siva | 05/09/2008
Patients often wait months if not years for a medical transplant and other life saving surgery and time is not on your side when you're in dire need of medical care. Find out how you can cut that time in half.
Its a Social Service to Empower Those We Care For
By: John Mce | 05/09/2008
People with physical or psychological problems often need help with their everyday lives but still wish to be as free and self-governing as possible. Care workers can provide this practical support on a daily basis without stifling the person, and as the industry advances we are seeing very encouraging improvements from both the giver and receiver of social services such as care.
More from Scott Meyers
Your Health and Colon Cleansing
By: Scott Meyers | 22/05/2008 | Health
Unless your physician is one of the rare individuals who has found a way to marry medical science with the age-old wisdom found in homeopathy the odds are good that your doctor has not talked to you about regularly cleansing your colon.
The Seven Steps of a Successful Colon Cleanse
By: Scott Meyers | 19/05/2008 | Health
The average American becomes familiar with high-fat, high sodium, low nutrient food choices very early on in life. Fast food french fries are top on the list of toddlers favorite foods. Add to that the heavily marketed meals that include toys and colorful bags as well as restaurants that include playgrounds, you will quickly understand why fast food is such a hit with even the youngest consumers!
Colon Cleansers: The Last Resort for Treating Chronic Constipation
By: Scott Meyers | 12/05/2008 | Health
If you have ever suffered from constipation, you know the discomfort it causes. Your stomach feels bloated, bending from the waist is accompanied by pain and abdominal pressure, you dread using the bathroom and of course the inability to truly enjoy any activity because of the physical discomfort associated with movement in general.
Keeping your Appendix Healthy with a Colon Cleanse
By: Scott Meyers | 12/05/2008 | Health
What if you found out that a recent surgery could have been avoided altogether with a seven day treatment regimen known as a colon cleanse?
Stress Triggers and How to Deal With Them
By: Scott Meyers | 07/05/2008 | Health
There are many causes of stress in our lives from having to multi-task, procrastinating, forgetfulness, being late, not preparing, lack of organization, and the inability to get a good nights sleep.
The Most Commonly Overlooked Aspect of the Colon Cleanse
By: Scott Meyers | 07/05/2008 | Health
As a health conscious consumer, you know that colon cleanses are a must for ensuring your body's overall wellbeing and ensuring that your digestive tract is in good working order.
Your Prescription for Hangovers
By: Scott Meyers | 07/05/2008 | Health
For those of you who have ever had a little too much to drink and have paid the price the next morning, you know there is no magic pill that can miraculously cure your hangover. There are some things, however, that may get you back on the road to a quick recovery.
Avoid Hangovers by Knowing What Not To Do
By: Scott Meyers | 07/05/2008 | Health
There are two tired and true ways to avoid a hangover. The first is don't drink and the second is know your limits if you are going to drink.
Health 
