Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Before you drink
• Method 2 of 3: Drink sensibly
• Method 3 of 3: After drinking
• Tips
• Warnings

Prevention is better than cure, they say. You will get over a hangover again, but wouldn't it be better not to get a hangover at all? There are quite a few things you can do to prepare for a night of drinking that can help you avoid spending the next day with your head in the toilet bowl. Unfortunately, the only sure way to prevent a hangover is not to drink at all, but that's not fun, is it?

To step

Method 1 of 3: Before you drink

1. Eat some. A "bottom", or something to eat before you go out for a drink, helps counteract the effects of a hangover. In fact, the more you eat, the longer it will take for the effects of the alcohol to be felt. That's because the food causes less acetaldehyde to form in your stomach, which is the substance believed to be responsible for the hangover in the first place.
   • Fatty foods high in carbohydrates such as pizza and pasta are best for preventing hangovers, as fat slows the absorption of alcohol by the body.
   • However, if you prefer something healthy, go for fatty fish that are high in healthy fatty acids, such as salmon, trout and mackerel.
2. Take vitamins. Your body consumes a lot of vitamins and other nutrients when it processes alcohol, and alcohol itself destroys essential B vitamins. Deficiency in these vitamins causes your body to have trouble recovering, which can lead to a hangover. You can help your poor liver by taking a vitamin supplement before drinking. For the most effective result, take a vitamin B complex, B6 or B12.
   • Vitamin B supplements can be found at the drugstore or supermarket, or you can increase your daily vitamin B intake naturally by eating liver, meat or other animal products such as milk and cheese.
3. Take a spoonful of olive oil. This may sound gross, but many Mediterranean cultures swear by this anti-hangover technique. It's basically the same as eating something fatty before you drink - the fat in the olive oil absorbs the alcohol.So if you can handle it, eat a tablespoon of olive oil before a night out.
   • You can also dip a piece of bread in olive oil, or throw a generous splash over a salad.
4. Drink milk. Milk also seems to help with hangovers because it deposits a layer on the stomach wall, which reduces the absorption of alcohol into the blood. Although there is little scientific evidence, many people swear by this method. Milk is a healthy source of calcium and B vitamins, so it certainly won't hurt.

Method 2 of 3: Drink sensibly

1. Stick to one type of alcohol. Mixing drinks is your worst enemy when it comes to hangovers. That's because different types of alcohol have different additives such as flavorings and other elements that, if you combine them, can lead to the worst hangover as your body struggles to process everything. Choose beer or vodka or wine or rum, but whatever you do, don't drink it all in one night. Pick your drink and stick with it.
   • Cocktails are especially deadly, as they usually already contain two types of alcohol. If you can't resist the bright colors and little umbrellas, at least try to hold yourself back and don't drink more than two of them!
2. Choose light drinks. Dark drinks - such as brandy, whiskey, bourbon and some tequilas contain higher concentrations of toxins called "congeners" that form during the fermentation and distillation process of the alcohol. These toxins can contribute to the severity of the hangover, so if you want to drink spirits, stick to the light colors like vodka and gin to reduce toxins.
3. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water. Alcohol dehydrates your body because you urinate more. Dehydration is one of the main causes of hangover symptoms such as thirst, dizziness, and headaches. So the more water you drink before, during and after drinking, the less bad your hangover will be the next morning.
   • Have a large glass of water before drinking, and then try to have a glass of water after each alcoholic drink. Your body will thank you for it the next morning.
   • If you drink water in between, the drinking pace is also lower, so that you are less likely to drink too much.
4. Avoid light mixes. Mixed drinks with diet lemonade are not a good idea. That's because these mixed drinks have no sugar or calories, so the alcohol goes straight into your blood. Rather stick to the regular versions if you want to drink mixed drinks.
   • Even though the normal versions are better than the diet versions, you can still take fruit juice if you want to drink a mixed drink. There is no sting in juice, which is better because the carbonic acid in lemonade ensures that alcohol is absorbed faster - and juice still contains some vitamins, which never hurts.
5. Be careful with champagne and bubbles. Champagne and sparkling wine literally go straight to your head. Research has shown that bubbles in alcohol speed up the release of alcohol to your body, making you more likely to get drunk.
   • If you're at a wedding or something similar, and you can't resist a glass of bubbly, keep it to one to toast, and have something else for the rest of the evening.
6. Know your limits. Know your limits and stick to them. The harsh reality is that if you drink too much alcohol, a hangover is inevitable. A hangover is your body's natural way of processing the toxins from your body's alcohol, so the more you let go, the worse the hangover will be. The number of drinks you have to drink to get drunk varies from person to person, and it is important to know your own limits. In general, it is recommended that you drink no more than three drinks in two hours and no more than five drinks in an evening.
   • Pay attention to the effect different types of alcohol have on you. Whatever the studies say, every body processes alcohol differently, and you know through experience which beer, which wine, spirits or liqueur suits you well, or which causes you a hangover. Listen to your own body and act accordingly.
   • Remember, if you really don't want to get a hangover, you shouldn't drink alcohol at all. If that doesn't work, pay attention to the amount - the less alcohol, the less the hangover. It's that simple.

Method 3 of 3: After drinking

1. Hydrate. As mentioned above, dehydration is the leading cause of hangover symptoms. To prevent dehydration, you can drink a large glass of water when you get home. Also put a large glass or bottle of water on your bedside table so that you can take a few more sips when you wake up. You may need to urinate a few times at night, but you'll feel better the next morning.
   • No matter how you feel, when you wake up the next morning, drink a large glass of water. Drink water at room temperature, because cold water is not good for your stomach.
   • You can also drink a sports drink or coconut water. Ginger ale without stinging can also soothe an upset stomach, while a glass of orange juice gives you some energy.
   • Avoid caffeine the morning after heavy drinking, as it dehydrates you even more. If you really need a boost, have one small cup of coffee or something less strong like green tea.
2. Eat a good breakfast. A reasonably healthy, hearty breakfast can work wonders after a night of drinking. The food calms your stomach and gives you energy. Try toasted bread with butter and jam, or better yet, scrambled eggs. The bread absorbs any residual alcohol in the stomach, while the eggs contain B vitamins so that deficiencies in your body can be replenished.
   • You should also eat fresh fruit to replenish your vitamins. While you're at it, make a smoothie - healthy and satisfying!
3. Sleep. If you have gone to bed drunk, the quality of your sleep is usually not very good, leaving you feeling tired and cranky. Drink some water and eat something when you get up, and allow yourself to go back to bed later for a nap if you can.
   • It takes hours for your body to process all the alcohol, so you better sleep a good deal of those hours so you feel better when you wake up!
4. Distract yourself. The pain of a hangover can be worse if you just hang around and wallow in it. It may seem difficult, but get yourself together and get outside for some fresh air. A walk through the park or along the beach can be just what you need. If that sounds like too much work, watch a movie, try some reading, or call a friend so you can find out exactly what happened the night before ...
   • Some people think exercise is the best cure for a hangover, so if you can handle it, go for a run and sweat out those toxins! Not for the faint of heart!
5. Take a pain reliever. If you have a headache, take a painkiller to relieve the pain. Always take these pills in the morning, and not at night if you still have alcohol in your body. Alcohol is a blood thinner and some painkillers thin the blood even more, which can be dangerous.
   • Do not take paracetamol if you still have alcohol in your body, it can be harmful to the liver.
   • Drinking an alcoholic drink the next day can make you feel a little better, but remember that your body has to process this too, so in fact you are only delaying the pain and recovery.

Tips

• Do not smoke. Smoking contracts the blood vessels in your lungs and reduces the flow of oxygen to your blood.
• Cheese and nuts are good snacks when you drink, because the high fat content slows down the absorption of alcohol.
• When it comes to the amount of alcohol it is: 350 ml beer = 150 ml wine = 50 ml spirits. So it is not the case that you drink more when you drink two glasses of beer than when you drink two glasses of whiskey.
• If you are female or of Asian descent, it is better to drink less as your body is more sensitive to hangovers. A woman's digestion slows down due to a higher percentage of body fat, and Asians have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that breaks down alcohol.
• Some people find that a capsule of milk thistle helps prevent a hangover. This is still under investigation, but if it works for you, use it.

Warnings

• Remember: NEVER drive if you've been drinking! It is not a matter of whether you have too much by law, the question is whether you can still respond properly if you have drunk the smallest amount of alcohol. Research shows that people start to drive less well long before they have drunk the maximum amount of alcohol that is legally allowed.
• Always read the label of the supplements you are taking to see if they can react negatively to alcohol.
• Just because you've taken precautions doesn't mean you won't get drunk. Always drink sensibly.