How to Prevent a Hangover

Hangover prevention is an amusing subject. After all, the best solution for preventing a hangover is so simple- don't drink in the first place or if you do drink, use restraint and moderate your consumption. That said, most of us who do drink will at one time or another experience the dreaded hangover. While the notion of not drinking or using restraint seems plausible, we might soon find ourselves over doing it as logic evaporates as the drinks get consumed or our judgment becomes increasingly impaired. While there is no proven way to prevent a hangover, the following tips and product suggestions may help. In my personal opinion, hangover prevention is a much more effective strategy than trying to actually cure a hangover, which is virtually impossible to do!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Water
• Multi vitamin
• Hang over prevention tablets like Chaser or Sob'r-k, Hangover Stopper, RU-21, Berocca and Rebound.
• A late night snack

1. The following easy steps help with hangover prevention and simply require a little advanced planning. Eat before, during and after drinking. This is simple and easy, but requires some planning and vigilance. Line your stomach with food and help absorb the alcohol as you ingest it.
2. Drink lot's of water before, during and after drinking. Again this sounds simple, but it requires some discipline. Try getting well hydrated before drinking alcohol (3-5 hours in advance). Drink a water "spacer" between every alcoholic beverage consumed. You order a drink and "water back". Most importantly drink a large cup of water before going to bed. Try having a large glass of water by your bed or in your bathroom before leaving the house. You may return home tired or impaired and thus get "lazy" (e.g quick drink from the facet or forgetting to have that all important glass by the bed in case you wake up with dry mouth.) Plan your hangover prevention game plan with a clear head!
3. Take a vitamin B supplement and a multi vitamin before you start to drink with one of each also in the ready (by that glass of water) for when you come home. A hangover is caused as the result of a mix of the toxic by-product of alcohol metabolism (acetaldehyde), dehydration, and Vitamin A, B (particularly B6) and C depletion caused by the chemical action of alcohol on your system.
4. Several companies make hangover prevention remedies most of which are consumed before during and after drinking. I would strongly advise doing your own research before buying or trying any of these products, and as with all medical or herbal health aids buy from reputable brands and companies. The most well known hangover prevention remedies seem to be Chaser, Sob'r-k (aka Hangover Stopper), RU-21, Berocca and Rebound. The primary active in many is high quality medical grade activated carbon, which acts as a natural filtration system for your body and kidneys. Sob'r-k is highly regarded.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a good night sleep. Sleep deprivation often goes hand in hand with drinking too much and can be a contributing factor to a hang over.
• Avoid drinks that are high in sugar content.
• Don't let friends pressure you into drinking more than you want to.
• Avoid shots!
• To insure your overall health and safety when drinking plan on safe transportation in advance, and when possible make the decision to leave your car at home before you start drinking. The classic quandary involves the rational person planning to not drink and drive only to become unintentionally impaired and not exercise rational judgment when the time comes to head home. I strongly suggest a plan for transportation made in advance rather than running the risk of failing to make the right decisions once you are impaired. If you choose the leave your car at home, take a cab, or designate a safe driver this risk is eliminated.